transmission

Canadian researchers identify a highly mutated variant of the virus in white-tailed deer and link it to a human COVID-19 case in the region—though they emphasize that the infection risk to people is low.

The CDC has given the OK to lift indoor mask mandates in much of the US, and a growing number of states no longer require face coverings in schools. But most experts agree that masks slow school spread of SARS-CoV-2, and whether now is the right time to allow teachers and students to unmask is a matter of debate.

This strain of SARS-CoV-2 is causing new outbreaks in Europe and Asia and may spread slightly faster than the better-known BA.1 Omicron subvariant, although it’s too early to say for sure.

Using a novel lab technique, researchers identified a mutation that allows the virus to insert more genetic material into host cells.

Multiple white tailed deer tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 likely transmitted from humans, a study finds, indicating the species could act as a reservoir for the virus.

A modeling study of boarding behavior finds filling the plane from back to front extends the close contact time between passengers and therefore increases the risks posed by air travel.

Martha Nelson of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases talks about the need to balance data sharing and patient privacy concerns when tracking the spread of variants.

The woman may have had a link to another person, who was married to an Ebola survivor and who died a few days previously in Democratic Republic of Congo.

With many millions of people waiting several weeks to receive a second COVID-19 vaccine dose in some countries, experts consider the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 could evolve vaccine resistance.

See a news report on a study of expectant mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Compared with Zika and cytomegalovirus, the virus that causes COVID-19 appears to have a harder time penetrating the placenta and moving to a woman’s unborn baby.

The virus rarely spreads from mother to child before birth, but it can—and researchers are starting to investigate the path it takes.

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies detected in blood donor samples indicate infections could have occurred in the US more than a month before the first confirmed case, but some experts remain skeptical.

The so-called 614G mutation in the viral spike protein does not appear to cause more severe cases of COVID-19, but multiple studies indicate that it could be more contagious.

Patients’ viral loads are highest within five days of their first symptoms, emphasizing the need to isolate early to prevent transmission.

Whole genome sequencing of the virus infecting the farm animals showed that it spread from the workers to the mink and back, indicating that an animal could serve as a viral reservoir.

Using an elaborate apparatus, researchers find that the virus spreads via aerosolized particles between ferrets more than a meter apart.

Officials had initially linked 97 cases to a single conference held by Biogen in February in Boston, but a new study tracking viral genomes suggests the number may be as high as 20,000.