Epidemiology Update – New SARS-CoV-2 variants

• IHME reports that global case increases in recent weeks are being driven by the spread of the P1 variant of concern in Brazil, Peru and some neighboring areas; and the spread of the VOC 501Y.V1 (VOC 202012/01) variant of concern, compounded by increases in mobility and decreases in mask use, in Europe and the US. IMHE states that helping South America to vaccinate on an accelerated basis should be a global priority.
• Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimate a 55 per cent higher hazard of death associated with the VOC 202012/01 variant of concern. This analysis suggests that this variant is not only more transmissible than pre-existing variants, but may also cause more severe illness.
• Supercomputer analysis reveals why B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 Coronavirus Variants Are More Contagious, Deadly.
• The neutralizing-antibody response to four variants is compared in infected and vaccinated individuals to determine how mutations within the spike protein are associated with virus neutralization.
• India reports novel coronavirus variant, daily deaths at year's high.

VACCINES AND VARIANTS

Source: WHO  Date March 16^th, 2021

Other Headlines

• WHO epidemiological update: Globally, COVID-19 confirmed cases continued to rise for a fourth consecutive week, with just under 3.3 million new cases reported in the last week (ten percent increase from last week). At the same time, the number of new deaths reported plateaued after a six week decrease, with just over 60,000 new deaths reported.
• UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA report that drastic cuts in the availability and use of essential public health services across South Asia, due to COVID-19, may have contributed to an estimated 239,000 additional child and maternal deaths in 2020.

• G7 nations support the IMF’s plan to increase aid for low-income nations.
• Past infection confers 80.5 per cent protection against reinfection, which decreases to 47.1 per cent in those aged 65 years and older. These findings show the importance of policies to protect the elderly during the pandemic.
• Domestic travel measures implemented in Wuhan were effective at reducing the importation of cases internationally and within China, and additional travel restrictions were also likely important. The findings highlight the need to evaluate the potential effectiveness of travel measures using a risk and context-based assessment and suggest the need to strengthen WHO’s PHEIC procedures.
• Tuberculosis may have claimed an extra 500,000 lives in 2020 because of the lack of TB diagnosis and care, according to a new WHO report published ahead of World TB Day today. According to the report, 1.4 million fewer people received the TB care they needed in 2020 compared to the year before.
• The virus that causes the common cold can effectively remove the Covid virus out of the body's cells, say researchers.

UPDATE ON KEY TOOLS

Vaccine Development and WHO approval

• AstraZeneca advised that a review of safety data from 17 million people vaccinated in the EU and the UK has shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country.
• CureVac’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV, demonstrates protection against SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 variant (first seen in South Africa) in preclinical challenge study.
• Clinical trials approved for CanSino’s inhaled COVID-19 vaccine.
• Premas Biotech, an Indian firm has collaborated with American company Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc. and announced the development of an oral Covid-19 vaccine candidate that has shown efficacy after a single dose.
• German group Curevac said Monday it will broaden its mRNA Covid vaccine trials to include new virus variants as it aims to file for EU approval in the second quarter of 2021.
• Sinovac said its COVID-19 vaccine is safe in children ages 3-17, based on preliminary data, and it has submitted the data to Chinese drug regulators.
• ZyCoV-D by Zydus Cadila, is undergoing phase III trials. The DNA plasmid platform vaccine is expected to be approved by May-June.

Vaccine  Access, Delivery, and Rollout

• WHO listed the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) for emergency use in all countries and for COVAX roll-out. COVAX has shipped over 30 million vaccines to 52 economies.
• An editorial in The Lancet and a letter in The BMJ raised the idea of appointing a Global Vaccine Coordinator, who would lead an international effort for the equitable distribution of vaccines. The authors argue that clear leadership and oversight are needed to organize what has become largely a piecemeal vaccination effort, with nations, NGOs, and the private sector working independently or bilaterally. While a centralized global champion or body could provide high-level coordination for global vaccine allocation and distribution, it would be a major challenge to ensure they have the authority necessary to compel national governments and private sector companies to participate

• AstraZeneca will publish up-to-date results from its major U.S. COVID-19 vaccine trial within 48 hours after health officials publicly criticized the drug maker for using “outdated information” to show how well the immunization worked. Earlier last week, AZ had announced results from Phase 3 trial in Chile, Peru, and the US, claiming the vaccine was 79% effective.

• Nearly 1 in 4 people in the US have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, US CDC data shows.
• A large plant to manufacture Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine was cleared by U.S. regulators on Tuesday, setting the stage for the weekly U.S. supply to surge more then 20 percent.
• Early successes in developing vaccines by upstarts like Moderna and BioNTech now face the next phase: manufacturing doses on an enormous scale.
• The European Medicines Agency plans to inspect the Sputnik V vaccine production facility to see if it can be authorized in the EU.
• The European Medicines Agency declared that the AZ vaccine was “safe and effective,” and the rollout resumed in France on Friday. However, the reboot efforts were sluggish.
• Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic approved Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, but has so far not ordered J&J’s one-shot vaccine.
• India's Stelis Biopharma to make 200 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine.

Africa (AFE and AFW)

• South Africa sells AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to other African countries.
• Several African nations including DR Congo, Cape Verde and eSwatini have suspended the use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine citing possible side-effects.
• The first 165,000 AZ doses of up to 7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses that MTN Group is donating to African Union countries have arrived in Ghana.
• Kenya hospitals run out of ICU beds as Covid-19 impact hits hard.
• Mauritius increases lockdown measures to combat Covid-19 spread.
• Mauritius receives 200,000 doses of Covaxin Vaccine from government of India.

Europe and Central Asia

• Excess deaths in Russia suggest Covid death toll is closer to 450,000 than the official number of 94,000.
• Ukraine and Bulgaria are reporting record numbers of COVID-19 deaths and cases, respectively,;  in the Bulgarian city of Yambol, 98% of hospital beds are occupied.
• Uzbekistan to start mass coronavirus vaccination from April 1.

East Asia and Pacific

• Moderna announced that the Philippines has secured 7 million additional doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna through a new supply agreement, bringing its confirmed order commitment up to 20 million doses.
• Vietnam is expected to have the first batch of locally-produced COVID-19 vaccines at the end of the third quarter of 2021.
• Singapore and Malaysia to work towards mutual recognition of Covid-19 vaccine certificates and progressively restore cross-border travel.
• China’s daily output of COVID-19 vaccines has reached about 5 million doses, more than tripling the 1.5 million-dose daily production rate on Feb. 1.
• Indonesia to resume use of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.
• Papua New Guinea will kick-off its coronavirus vaccination program by this weekend, helped by 8,000 AstraZeneca doses from neighboring Australia as it tries to prevent its basic health system being overwhelmed by a surge in COVID-19 cases.
• Macau, China has suspended the use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech SE due to defects found in the caps of some vials.

Latin America and the Caribbean

• UN Deputy Secretary-General highlights that the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region has reported 27.8 per cent of global deaths due to the pandemic despite representing only 8.4 per cent of the global population.
• The IMF warns that the economic impact of the pandemic may be felt in the Caribbean long after the health emergency is controlled due to its heavy reliance on tourism. Assuming no new external financing and realistic tourism scenarios, the IMF estimates the region’s financing gap at around US$ 4 billion, 4.8 per cent of regional GDP.
• Uruguay confirmed on Monday that it had detected the presence of two coronavirus variants that originated in neighboring Brazil as the tiny South American nation faces a spike in cases and deaths.
• Chile has vaccinated 25% of its population against COVID-19.
• Chile’s fast vaccination program has reached the shores of Antarctica.
• Colombia will impose new restrictions on movement and enact nightly curfews in municipalities with high occupancy levels in intensive care units as it tries to avoid a severe third wave of COVID-19.

Middle-East and North Africa

• The Egyptian government hopes to sign an agreement with China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd before the end of March to manufacture its coronavirus vaccine in Egypt.
• Egypt receives its second shipment of Covid-19 vaccines as a gift from China.
• Jordan records 109 COVID-19 deaths, highest daily toll since start of pandemic.

South Asia Region

• Pakistan has bought more than 1 million doses of Chinese Sinopharm and CanSino Biologics COVID-19 vaccines, its first purchase from any manufacturer having previously relied on donations.
• India’s health ministry warned that a huge gathering of devotees for a Hindu festival could send coronavirus cases surging as the country recorded the most new infections in nearly four months.
• Bangladesh sees highest cases in a day in 8 months.
• Understanding Covid-19 vaccine wastage in India.
• Mumbai, India to randomly test for Covid at crowded places without consent.
• India restricts vaccine exports amid rising COVID-19 cases.
• The Serum Institute of India (SII), has told Brazil, Morocco and Saudi Arabia that further supplies of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will be delayed.
• Nepal becomes third country to give emergency approval to Indian vaccine COVAXIN.
• The suspension of the vaccine campaigns in Europe may be a blessing in disguise for Nepal, which is facing delays in shipments of Covishield.

Mobility

• Spain to welcome German visitors over Easter break despite restrictions on national tourism.
• Ukraine tightens border controls amid rising COVID-19 deaths.
• Bucharest close to quarantine due to rise in COVID-19 cases.
• Indonesian tourism minister says preparations can begin for 'safe travel corridor' between Singapore, Batam and Bintan.
• Royal Caribbean International is resuming cruises aimed at U.S. vacationers. The cruises will depart from Bermuda and the Bahamas, and adult passengers must be vaccinated against COVID-19. Passengers under 18 will be able to sail with a negative coronavirus test. Crew members will also be vaccinated.
• Poland goes into partial lockdown as COVID-19 cases top 2 million.

Treatment

• Pfizer began the phase one trial of a pill to treat COVID-19. The treatment is a potent protease inhibitor, the same kind of technology used to treat HIV and hepatitis C. The pill demonstrated potent in vitro anti-viral activity against SARS-CoV-2, as well as activity against other coronaviruses.
• New phase III data shows investigational antibody cocktail casirivimab and imdevimab reduced hospitalization or death by 70% in non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
• Antioxidants and pentoxifylline as co-adjuvant measures to standard therapy to improve prognosis of patients with pneumonia by COVID-19

Diagnostics

• Association of Vitamin D Levels, Race/Ethnicity, and Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19 Test Results.
• The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is launching a new informational webinar series on SARS-CoV-2 testing strategies and best practices from selected organizational leaders. This webinar series will be hosted as part of the Center’s new COVID-19 Testing Toolkit, which aims to provide essential information for all organizations seeking to engage in SARS-CoV-2 testing.