Measures to Control the Coronavirus Outbreak – News March

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First immunoassay for covid-19

Anyone who wants to combat Sars-CoV-2 must know how the infection develops in the population. Now, the first non-commercial test that can determine whether the body has already had an immune response to the Sars-Cov-2 virus was developed. Among other things, this method enables the random examinations required by many people in order to test how widespread the new coronavirus already in the population. This provides information on the number of unreported cases in the country, i.e. those cases that have had what is known as asymptomatic progress.

Bosch develops Covid-19 rapid test

According to Bosch, the company has developed a new Covid-19 rapid test that can detect an infection in less than two and a half hours – from taking the sample to the result. The rapid molecular diagnostic test is used on the Vivalytic analyser from Bosch Healthcare Solutions. A total of up to ten tests per device can be performed within 24 hours. The test can be performed directly at the site of clinical treatment, eliminating the need for transportation.

Image database with ultrasound findings on Covid-19 pneumonia

The German Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM) plans to build up a collection of typical image findings on Covid-19 pneumonia, which will soon be available on the homepage and serve as an orientation guide. Thoracic sonography does not provide conclusive evidence of Covid-19 pneumonia, but there are clearly recognizable patterns that indicate viral pneumonia. These typical changes in the lung picture would also allow an assessment of the course of the disease.

Diving mask becomes a respiratory mask

In recent weeks, more and more people have needed ventilators to survive Covid-19. However, in the overcrowded hospitals there are less and less of them available. When valves of individual ventilators failed in Bergamo in mid-March, the Italian 3D printing company Isinnova was able to replace them. And now the creative spirits have once again played the saviour in distress and converted diving masks into respiratory masks.

DRF uses insulated stretchers for corona protection of patients and crews

The DRF Air Rescue in Germany will be in action with special isolation stretchers, so-called EpiShuttles. Another eight stations are to follow soon. The DRF is already in a position to fly patients with bottlenecks quickly and with intensive medical ventilation to a clinic with an open respiratory bed. However, the transport of corona infected patients poses a high risk for the crew, because the helicopters’ interior is cramped and the pilot, paramedics and emergency doctor are in direct contact with the patients. Therefore, the crews have to disinfect the helicopter after such missions in a particularly complex way. This step has now been eliminated. The wards are now ready for use again more quickly.

WHO releases guidelines to help countries maintain essential health services

To help countries navigate through these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) has updated operational planning guidelines in balancing the demands of responding directly to COVID-19 while maintaining essential health service delivery, and mitigating the risk of system collapse. This includes a set of targeted immediate actions that countries should consider at national, regional, and local level to reorganize and maintain access to high-quality essential health services for all.

AI Device Listens for Coughs and Sneezes to Monitor and Forecast Pandemics

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a portable AI device that can listen for coughs and sneezes and count the number of people present in public places to make predictions about levels of flu-like illnesses. The system, called “FluSense,” could be useful in the current COVID-19 pandemic in helping researchers to monitor the situation and determine where and when intervention is needed most.

MIT Engineers Working to Submit Emergency Ventilator for FDA Review

A group of MIT engineers are working to submit a variant of the MIT E-Vent design to the FDA, under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), a ventilator made out of a bag valve mask (aka Ambu-Bags) and readily available electronics, actuators and motors. Bag valve masks are found near every hospital bed in case emergency oxygenation is necessary, so they should be in sufficient supply already.

The E-Vent, as the new ventilator is called, uses a plastic device to squeeze on the pump of the bag valve mask and so provide breathing assistance to the patient. Its design has been made open source and the designers are inviting others to help refine it, test it and provide feedback on any potential issues or improvements.

Red Cross launched “Stop Corona” app

The Red Cross has launched the new “Stop Corona” app. This should help to break the chain of infection. The app functions as a contact diary in which personal encounters are stored anonymously with a “digital handshake”. If a person falls ill with Covid-19, everyone who has had contact in the past 48 hours is automatically notified and asked to isolate themselves.

The Red Cross stressed that data protection is respected. To use the app, no personal data need to be provided. Users’ contacts are only stored on their end device.

 

DerStandard (2020): Erster Immuntest von Österreicher entwickelt: Wie er uns gegen Corona helfen kann. https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000116191316/erster-immuntest-von-oesterreicher-entwickelt-wie-er-uns-gegen-corona

DerStandard (2020): Corona-Krise: Tauchermaske wird zur Beatmungsmaske. https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000116162816/coronakrise-tauchermaske-wird-zur-beatmungsmaske

Skverlag.de (2020): Bosch entwickelt Covid-19-Schnelltest. https://www.skverlag.de/rettungsdienst/meldung/newsartikel/bosch-entwickelt-covid-19-schnelltest.html

Skverlag.de (2020): Bilddatenbank mit Ultraschallbefunden zur Covid-19-Pneumonie. https://www.skverlag.de/rettungsdienst/meldung/newsartikel/bilddatenbank-mit-ultraschallbefunden-zur-covid-19-pneumonie.html

Skverlag.de (2020): DRF setzt Isoliertragen zum Corona-Schutz von Patienten und Crews ein. https://www.skverlag.de/rettungsdienst/meldung/newsartikel/drf-setzt-isoliertragen-zum-corona-schutz-von-patienten-und-crews-ein.html

WHO.int (2020): WHO releases guidelines to help countries maintain essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/30-03-2020-who-releases-guidelines-to-help-countries-maintain-essential-health-services-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

Medgadget.com (2020): AI Device Listens for Coughs and Sneezes to Monitor and Forecast Pandemics. https://www.medgadget.com/2020/03/ai-device-listens-for-coughs-and-sneezes-to-monitor-and-forecast-pandemics.html

wienerzeitung.at (2020): Rotes Kreuz startete “Stopp Corona”-App. https://www.wienerzeitung.at/nachrichten/digital/digital-news/2055590-Rotes-Kreuz-startete-Stopp-Corona-App.html