Current understanding of an Emerging Coronavirus using in silico approach: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Novel coronavirus (nCoV) namely "SARS-CoV-2" is being found responsible for current PANDEMIC commenced from Wuhan (China) since December 2019 and has been described with epidemiological linkage to China in about 221 countries and territories until now. In this study we have characterized the genetic lineage of SARS-CoV-2 and report the recombination within the genus and subgenus of coronaviruses. Phylogenetic relationship of thirty nine coronaviruses belonging to its four genera and five subgenera was analyzed by using the Neighbor-joining method using MEGA 6.0. Phylogenetic trees of full length genome, various proteins (spike, envelope, membrane and nucleocapsid) nucleotide sequences were constructed separately. Putative recombination was probed via RDP4. Our analysis describes that the "SARS-CoV-2" although shows great similarity to Bat-SARS-CoVs sequences through whole genome (giving sequence similarity 89%), exhibits conflicting grouping with the Bat-SARS-like coronavirus sequences (MG772933 and MG772934). Furthermore, seven recombination events were observed in SARS-CoV-2 (NC_045512) by RDP4. But not a single recombination event fulfills the high level of certainty. Recombination mostly housed in spike protein genes than rest of the genome indicating breakpoint cluster arises beyond the 95% and 99% breakpoint density intervals. Genetic similarity levels observed among "SARS-CoV-2" and Bat-SARS-CoVs advocated that the latter did not exhibit the specific variant that cause outbreak in humans, proposing a suggestion that "SARS-CoV-2" has originated possibly from bats. These genomic features and their probable association with virus characteristics along with virulence in humans require further consideration.

Impact of COVID 19 on elective and emergency colorectal cancer operations

Introduction: COVID 19 pandemic caused huge delays in patients presenting to the GPs and getting investigations once they are referred to the colorectal rapid access pathway. We analysed the effect of this pandemic by comparing the colorectal cancer operations done in our hospital in 2019 (pre COVID 19 pandemic) and 2020 (during COVID 19 pandemic) on elective and emergency basis. Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospective theatre records and colorectal cancer database. Colorectal cancer patients who did not have an operation are not included in this study Results: 2019 elective and emergency colorectal cancer operations Total no of colorectal cancer operations in 2019 -181 Elective colorectal cancer operations in 2019-153 (84.53%) Emergency colorectal cancer operations in 2019-28 (15.47%) Stoma rate 10/28(35.7%) 30-day mortality 5/28(17.85%) 2020 Elective and emergency colorectal cancer operations Total no of colorectal cancer operations in 2020 -135 Elective colorectal cancer operations in 2020-77 (57.03%) Emergency colorectal cancer operations in 2020-58 (42.96%) Stoma rate 25/58(43.10%) 30-day mortality 4/58(6.89%) Conclusion: The total number of colorectal cancer operations in 2020 during COVID 19 pandemic were less than the previous year. However more patients had surgery on emergency basis in 2020. The stoma rate was higher in the emergency colorectal resections in 2020.The 30-day emergency surgery mortality rate was less in 2020.We attribute these findings to reduced number of investigations and reluctance of patients to come to the hospital due to fear of COVID 19. We expect the cancer numbers to surge in the later months of 2021 if the pandemic dies down.

Transmission, Medical Consequences, and Prevention/Treatment of COVID-19 Infection

A novel coronavirus named as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in the city of Wuhan, China, during December 2019. This virus spread quickly across the globe and posed Public Health Emergency, which was declared as a global pandemic during March 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Until now, several characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 are not confirmed such as exact mode of transmission, animal origins, and antiviral therapeutics. However, it is now well known that this virus infects lungs, causes difficulties in breathing process, and affects taste and smell. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 is known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Despite all the investigations and strategies developed, it is deemed necessary that new protocols should be launched for the development and evaluation of vaccines and therapeutics. In this chapter, we discuss the spread and/or transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the associated complications. Moreover, we summarize the therapeutic and prevention options and the most salient features of COVID-19.

A call for standardised age-disaggregated health data

The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals agenda calls for health data to be disaggregated by age. However, age groupings used to record and report health data vary greatly, hindering the harmonisation, comparability, and usefulness of these data, within and across countries. This variability has become especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was an urgent need for rapid cross-country analyses of epidemiological patterns by age to direct public health action, but such analyses were limited by the lack of standard age categories. In this Personal View, we propose a recommended set of age groupings to address this issue. These groupings are informed by age-specific patterns of morbidity, mortality, and health risks, and by opportunities for prevention and disease intervention. We recommend age groupings of 5 years for all health data, except for those younger than 5 years, during which time there are rapid biological and physiological changes that justify a finer disaggregation. Although the focus of this Personal View is on the standardisation of the analysis and display of age groups, we also outline the challenges faced in collecting data on exact age, especially for health facilities and surveillance data. The proposed age disaggregation should facilitate targeted, age-specific policies and actions for health care and disease management.

Current understanding of an Emerging Coronavirus using in silico approach: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Novel coronavirus (nCoV) namely "SARS-CoV-2" is being found responsible for current PANDEMIC commenced from Wuhan (China) since December 2019 and has been described with epidemiological linkage to China in about 221 countries and territories until now. In this study we have characterized the genetic lineage of SARS-CoV-2 and report the recombination within the genus and subgenus of coronaviruses. Phylogenetic relationship of thirty nine coronaviruses belonging to its four genera and five subgenera was analyzed by using the Neighbor-joining method using MEGA 6.0. Phylogenetic trees of full length genome, various proteins (spike, envelope, membrane and nucleocapsid) nucleotide sequences were constructed separately. Putative recombination was probed via RDP4. Our analysis describes that the "SARS-CoV-2" although shows great similarity to Bat-SARS-CoVs sequences through whole genome (giving sequence similarity 89%), exhibits conflicting grouping with the Bat-SARS-like coronavirus sequences (MG772933 and MG772934). Furthermore, seven recombination events were observed in SARS-CoV-2 (NC_045512) by RDP4. But not a single recombination event fulfills the high level of certainty. Recombination mostly housed in spike protein genes than rest of the genome indicating breakpoint cluster arises beyond the 95% and 99% breakpoint density intervals. Genetic similarity levels observed among "SARS-CoV-2" and Bat-SARS-CoVs advocated that the latter did not exhibit the specific variant that cause outbreak in humans, proposing a suggestion that "SARS-CoV-2" has originated possibly from bats. These genomic features and their probable association with virus characteristics along with virulence in humans require further consideration.