Yes, the coronavirus is a tough little b******. But maybe not all that tough

Announcing the Summer Webinar of the National Pharmaceutical Congress: "Pharma's Purpose, People & Process Post-Covid. Who Will Thrive? Who Will Be Left Behind?" Featured panellists are Ronnie Miller, Hoffman-La Roche; Mike Egli, Aspen Healthcare Canada; Claude Perron, Amicus Therapeutics; Peter Brenders, Kontollo Health [lead panellist]; Mitch Shannon, Chronicle Companies [host.] Mark the date of Tuesday, June 23, 11:00 to noon (EDT.) Registration is free. Space is limited. Sign up here.


June 3, 2020 -- Happy Hump Day from reporter Cory Perla in the Hertel Village neighbourhood of Buffalo, N.Y. Over the last week we have seen a number of contradicting stories regarding the potency of the coronavirus.

According to Reuters, some health officials in Italy have said that the virus is losing potency.



“The strength the virus had two months ago is not the same strength it has today,” Matteo Bassetti, head of the infectious diseases clinic at the San Martino hospital in the city of Genoa told Reuters.

In a separate report, the World Health Organization told the news organization that there is no evidence that the coronavirus is losing potency.

Italian doctor Alberto Zangrillo told the news agency that a new wave is unlikely.

“In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy,” Alberto Zangrillo, the head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan in the northern region of Lombard said to Reuters.

Meanwhile, Newsweek reports that Japan has also ended its state of emergency with just 851 fatalities in total. At the same time, the World Health Organization has declared that the first wave of the virus hasn’t even ended yet and that a second wave could be coming.

Amid the growing contradictory reports, the director of the Wuhan Institute of Virology has denied rumors that the virus originated there, while another cellphone tower was lit on fire in Quebec last week because the vandals likely believe that the 5G technology installed in the tower has something to do with the pandemic.

What else? Wait for this one: a tribe of monkeys attacked a scientist in India and stole vials of coronavirus-infected blood. So, wherever you happen to be reading this, try to have a great day.

COVID CHRONICLE 06/03/20

• Researchers said that based on a case study of a 25-year-old patient whose coronavirus symptoms included loss of taste and smell, they believe that infection could affect the brain. According to the study, published online in JAMA Neurology (May 29, 2020), after observing MRIs of the patient's brain, investigators found evidence that the loss of taste and smell could be related to damage to nerves in the brain responsible for those bodily functions.
• Based on a mass of new antibody tests in the U.S., researchers are now saying that the coronavirus may not be as deadly as previously thought. According to a report from NPR, the fatality rate is likely between 0.5 per cent and 1 per cent, which is significantly lower than the 5 per cent mortality rate that was once calculated but on par with Dr. Anthony Fauci's assessment in March.
• The severity of a Covid-19 patient's infection may be predictable based on the levels of certain proteins found in the patient's blood. In the study, published online in the journal Cell Systems (June 2, 2020), researchers found that the preexisting levels of proteins found in an individual's blood may be a reliable biomarker. Researchers are hoping that their discovery will lead to the development of tests that can tell early on how severe a patient's illness will become.

STORIES CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON TODAY...

Telemedicine in the pandemic era: Chronicle's Reporter-for-the People Cory Perla (c'est moi), talked to Sharon Polsky, president of Privacy and Access Council of Canada, about virtual telemedicine appointments and what privacy concerns she has about the rapidly evolving industry.


RIGHT NOW WE'RE LISTENING TO...

I'm throwing it back to the early 2000s emo era with this somewhat obscure, but lush, dense, and clever album by the Seattle, Washington-based rock band, Gatsby's American Dream. The album, titled Volcano, is full of imagery of burning cities, tragic events, and dramatic acts of nature, which makes it feel oddly relevant right now. It's not as much of a downer as it sounds, either, with groovy hooks and catchy vocals throughout.


LATER WE'RE READING...

How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.

TONIGHT WE'RE COOKING...

Vegan rabbit stew. Wait, wait, it's not what you think, no rabbits were harmed in the making of this stew. It's just stew made only with what rabbits eat: bulbs, tubers, seeds, and roots such as onions, leeks, potatoes, beans, lentils, and of course, carrots. Nyah. That's what's up tonight, doc.


TOMORROW AND TOMORROW

Please make use of the comments section at the Daily CurveFlattener, to let us know what you're up to today. Or feel free to check in via LinkedIn, email or your choice of connector. By all means, pass this newsletter along to your colleagues. My colleague Dhiren will pick up the coronavirus coverage tomorrow.