CT positivity rate decreases to 1.3%

Here are the most important things to know about COVID in Connecticut.

Oct. 15 CT positivity rate decreases to 1.3 percent

On Oct. 15, the State of Connecticut announced 213 new cases, three more deaths and three new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) decreased to 1.3 percent from a high of 2.4 percent on Oct. 13.

Coronavirus strain infecting pigs in China could spread to humans

Arelated coronavirus that has torn through the pig population in China (It’s called “swine acute diarrhea syndrome,” or SADS) has the potential to jump to humans, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The good news is that, "It is impossible to predict if this virus,” or a relative of it, “could emerge and infect human populations,” as one researcher said. However, it has been shown to replicate in human cells, which “demonstrates potential risk for

future emergence events in human and animal populations."

Research shows coronavirus travels through the air in different ways

Researchers have modelled how the coronavirus is transmitted via droplets and in aerosolized form, and suggest that it moves from host to host in different ways depending on the humidity in the air. UC Santa Barbara researchers say that ability to be transmitted in both droplets and aerosolized form may be why the virus did not abate in the summer as some researchers thought it might. “We found that in most situations, respiratory droplets travel longer distances than the 6-foot social distance recommended by the CDC,” researcher Yanying Zhu said.

Oxford University scientists developed a 5-minute COVID test

Scientists at Oxford University have developed a 5-minute antigen test, as NBC reported. “Our method quickly detects intact virus particles,” said Professor Achilles Kapanidis, at Oxford’s Department of Physics. He said the test, described as “cost-effective,” should have an approved device in the middle of next year.

Israeli scientists identify drugs that can reduce COVID-19 severity

Israeli scientists have engaged in an extensive, systematic analysis of electronic health records to identify drugs that could reduce the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization, according to research published this week. Their results were encouraging: “We identified several drugs and products sold in pharmacies that are significantly associated with reduced odds ratios of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalization and disease severity.”

H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Courtney Cass takes vitals for George Robinson, of Danbury, for a coronavirus test at AFC Urgent Care on Main Street in Danbury on April 23.