For a very good briefing, read this:
cdc.gov
Some snippets:
There's 85 cases in the U.S. in 27 states.
...
There have been 78 deaths internationally--no deaths in the United States as of today, and most of the patients here domestically are doing well and recovering. Many of them are already home.
...
We are not confirming that the coronavirus is the cause of SARS, but we are beginning the process, today or tomorrow, of releasing to state health departments coronavirus test results from the patient samples that we've received here. This is going to be a process, not an event, because it takes time to do these samples. These are the antibody test results, and so in order to really fully interpret the test result, one must have an acute sample and a convalescent sample from the patient to look for changes in the antibody concentration over time. Obviously, we don't have all those samples yet, especially for the recent patients. So as we get the information, you can fill in the blanks. We'll be providing that information to the states.
What we are telling people with this information is that the patient has an antibody response to the new coronavirus. This may be very strong evidence of an association with SARS, but it's not yet proof at this point in time.
Note this antibody test doesn't tell you early on whether someone has SARS - it takes time for the antibody to develop. However, this test (if it pans out) should allow doctors to confirm whether someone had SARS and should speed up the development of an "instant" test that doesn't require a patient to first develop antibodies.
Lots more interesting stuff in the briefing - for example it looks like they may have a virus sequence in a week or two. Things are moving amazingly more quickly than they did with HIV.
Peter |
