盡管新冠肺炎的病例持續(xù)增多,但美國感染新冠病毒德爾塔變種的病例增長尚未達(dá)到峰值。根據(jù)美國疾病控制與預(yù)防中心(Centers for Disease Control)的最新預(yù)測,在8月8日至14日期間收集的患者樣本中,有多達(dá)98.8%的病例感染了德爾塔變種病毒,接種疫苗率不高的地區(qū)明顯受到德爾塔變種病毒的影響。據(jù)《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》(New York Times)報(bào)道,截至8月17日,7天平均每天新增新冠肺炎病例139872例,接近今年2月以來的最高水平。
最初的實(shí)驗(yàn)數(shù)據(jù)表明:不同于以前的新冠病毒菌株,感染德爾塔變種病毒的征兆和癥狀可能有一些微妙的變化。同時(shí),德爾塔變種病毒可能對兒童產(chǎn)生不同或更嚴(yán)重的影響,這是我們在這次疫情期間中忽略的關(guān)鍵問題。這個(gè)關(guān)鍵問題也反映出全國大部分地區(qū)學(xué)校的疫情防控的情況。
美國兒科學(xué)會(American Academy of Pediatrics)報(bào)告說,新的兒童冠狀病毒感染正在增長。在7月的第一周內(nèi),此類案件有12000起;然后在8月的第一周增加96000人;8月5日至12日期間,兒童中有121000多例新冠病毒感染,占該周報(bào)告的所有病例的18%。其他健康兒童的住院率也在上升,這種疾病可能會在感染變異病毒的人身上引起更嚴(yán)重的癥狀,盡管兒科醫(yī)生告訴《華盛頓郵報(bào)》(Washington Post),這些年輕患者大部分是12歲以下的人,他們還沒有資格接種疫苗,或者有資格的年輕人因?yàn)槠渌蛲七t了注射。
那么,哪些癥狀可能在感染德爾塔變種病毒的美國人,尤其是在年輕人群體中,較為普遍呢?鑒于新冠病毒對不同患者群體的身體產(chǎn)生廣泛影響,患者出現(xiàn)的癥狀因人而異。一些相對常見的癥狀包括味覺或嗅覺喪失、疲勞、頭痛、發(fā)燒、呼吸困難、肌肉疼痛、惡心、腹瀉和嘔吐等胃腸道問題以及皮疹等。新冠病毒癥狀研究(COVID Symptom Study)等項(xiàng)目允許患者將自己的癥狀輸入信息化數(shù)據(jù)庫,該數(shù)據(jù)庫可以跟蹤哪些癥狀在哪些地區(qū)呈上升趨勢以及監(jiān)測新菌株對擁有“很長潛伏期”的人存在何種影響,這種人可能一開始沒有癥狀,但在感染一個(gè)月或更長時(shí)間后出現(xiàn)癥狀。
一些相關(guān)研究以及權(quán)威醫(yī)院的相關(guān)傳言表明,對于德爾塔變異病毒,大多數(shù)癥狀發(fā)生在你的頭部和鼻腔區(qū)域。腸道問題和皮膚問題,例如青春痘在感染德爾塔變種病毒的成人和兒童中都不那么普遍。許多相關(guān)病例沒有出現(xiàn)感染普通型新冠病毒后的一些典型癥狀。
“咳嗽和嗅覺喪失似乎不太常見。根據(jù)最近英國的一項(xiàng)調(diào)查顯示,90%德爾塔變種病毒病例出現(xiàn)頭痛、喉嚨痛、流鼻涕和發(fā)燒的癥狀都比較普遍?!币斸t(yī)學(xué)院(Yale Medicine)的兒科傳染病專家和疫苗學(xué)家因吉?伊迪利姆博士說。
諾斯威爾醫(yī)療集團(tuán)(Northwell Health)旗下亨廷頓醫(yī)院(Huntington Hospital)的首席醫(yī)療官、兒科主任邁克爾?格羅索等其他人,基于自己病人的病史,對這一觀點(diǎn)表示贊同。同時(shí)注意到兒童和成人之間的癥狀有細(xì)微差異。格羅索告訴Healthline,比如,雖然與普通新冠病毒相比,感染德爾塔變異病毒的患者不常咳嗽,但它在兒童中可能更常見,而攜帶德爾塔變異病毒的成年人可能會流鼻涕,但年輕的患者可能不會。根據(jù)他的經(jīng)驗(yàn),感染德爾塔變種病毒的兒童最常見的癥狀是發(fā)燒和咳嗽,“出現(xiàn)上呼吸道癥狀、胃腸道癥狀,皮疹等癥狀比較少見?!?/p>
雖然德爾塔變異病毒相關(guān)的住院病例和死亡病例數(shù)量在上升,而且變成一個(gè)惡劣的公共衛(wèi)生問題,但與疫情高峰時(shí)期相比數(shù)量仍然相對較少,畢竟當(dāng)時(shí)每天有超過4000病例死亡。這個(gè)數(shù)字現(xiàn)在更接近每日450至750例死亡,這取決于你看到的是哪一天的數(shù)據(jù)。
不過年輕人(尤其是未接種疫苗的人)感染德爾塔變異病毒后的嚴(yán)重癥狀讓重癥監(jiān)護(hù)室的醫(yī)生感到擔(dān)憂,因?yàn)槠渌鹿诓《径局昕赡芡耆珱]有被其他健康或沒有潛在疾病的患者察覺到。但對這種類型的患者來說,情況可能并非如此,人們擔(dān)心年輕人和兒童患者的身體難以承受長時(shí)間的傷害,他們必須住院治療來恢復(fù)健康。
美國可能仍然處于德爾塔變異病毒評估的早期階段,只有對相關(guān)病例開展長期有效的監(jiān)測,才能幫助專家收集關(guān)于不同病毒變體如何影響不同人群的數(shù)據(jù)。與此同時(shí),與新冠病毒的長期斗爭可能會進(jìn)一步鼓勵(lì)聯(lián)邦官員,向所有年齡段人群開放疫苗接種,并盡快擴(kuò)大加強(qiáng)劑的接種范圍,以便全面接種疫苗。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
編譯:於欣
盡管新冠肺炎的病例持續(xù)增多,但美國感染新冠病毒德爾塔變種的病例增長尚未達(dá)到峰值。根據(jù)美國疾病控制與預(yù)防中心(Centers for Disease Control)的最新預(yù)測,在8月8日至14日期間收集的患者樣本中,有多達(dá)98.8%的病例感染了德爾塔變種病毒,接種疫苗率不高的地區(qū)明顯受到德爾塔變種病毒的影響。據(jù)《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》(New York Times)報(bào)道,截至8月17日,7天平均每天新增新冠肺炎病例139872例,接近今年2月以來的最高水平。
最初的實(shí)驗(yàn)數(shù)據(jù)表明:不同于以前的新冠病毒菌株,感染德爾塔變種病毒的征兆和癥狀可能有一些微妙的變化。同時(shí),德爾塔變種病毒可能對兒童產(chǎn)生不同或更嚴(yán)重的影響,這是我們在這次疫情期間中忽略的關(guān)鍵問題。這個(gè)關(guān)鍵問題也反映出全國大部分地區(qū)學(xué)校的疫情防控的情況。
美國兒科學(xué)會(American Academy of Pediatrics)報(bào)告說,新的兒童冠狀病毒感染正在增長。在7月的第一周內(nèi),此類案件有12000起;然后在8月的第一周增加96000人;8月5日至12日期間,兒童中有121000多例新冠病毒感染,占該周報(bào)告的所有病例的18%。其他健康兒童的住院率也在上升,這種疾病可能會在感染變異病毒的人身上引起更嚴(yán)重的癥狀,盡管兒科醫(yī)生告訴《華盛頓郵報(bào)》(Washington Post),這些年輕患者大部分是12歲以下的人,他們還沒有資格接種疫苗,或者有資格的年輕人因?yàn)槠渌蛲七t了注射。
那么,哪些癥狀可能在感染德爾塔變種病毒的美國人,尤其是在年輕人群體中,較為普遍呢?鑒于新冠病毒對不同患者群體的身體產(chǎn)生廣泛影響,患者出現(xiàn)的癥狀因人而異。一些相對常見的癥狀包括味覺或嗅覺喪失、疲勞、頭痛、發(fā)燒、呼吸困難、肌肉疼痛、惡心、腹瀉和嘔吐等胃腸道問題以及皮疹等。新冠病毒癥狀研究(COVID Symptom Study)等項(xiàng)目允許患者將自己的癥狀輸入信息化數(shù)據(jù)庫,該數(shù)據(jù)庫可以跟蹤哪些癥狀在哪些地區(qū)呈上升趨勢以及監(jiān)測新菌株對擁有“很長潛伏期”的人存在何種影響,這種人可能一開始沒有癥狀,但在感染一個(gè)月或更長時(shí)間后出現(xiàn)癥狀。
一些相關(guān)研究以及權(quán)威醫(yī)院的相關(guān)傳言表明,對于德爾塔變異病毒,大多數(shù)癥狀發(fā)生在你的頭部和鼻腔區(qū)域。腸道問題和皮膚問題,例如青春痘在感染德爾塔變種病毒的成人和兒童中都不那么普遍。許多相關(guān)病例沒有出現(xiàn)感染普通型新冠病毒后的一些典型癥狀。
“咳嗽和嗅覺喪失似乎不太常見。根據(jù)最近英國的一項(xiàng)調(diào)查顯示,90%德爾塔變種病毒病例出現(xiàn)頭痛、喉嚨痛、流鼻涕和發(fā)燒的癥狀都比較普遍?!币斸t(yī)學(xué)院(Yale Medicine)的兒科傳染病專家和疫苗學(xué)家因吉?伊迪利姆博士說。
諾斯威爾醫(yī)療集團(tuán)(Northwell Health)旗下亨廷頓醫(yī)院(Huntington Hospital)的首席醫(yī)療官、兒科主任邁克爾?格羅索等其他人,基于自己病人的病史,對這一觀點(diǎn)表示贊同。同時(shí)注意到兒童和成人之間的癥狀有細(xì)微差異。格羅索告訴Healthline,比如,雖然與普通新冠病毒相比,感染德爾塔變異病毒的患者不??人?,但它在兒童中可能更常見,而攜帶德爾塔變異病毒的成年人可能會流鼻涕,但年輕的患者可能不會。根據(jù)他的經(jīng)驗(yàn),感染德爾塔變種病毒的兒童最常見的癥狀是發(fā)燒和咳嗽,“出現(xiàn)上呼吸道癥狀、胃腸道癥狀,皮疹等癥狀比較少見?!?/p>
雖然德爾塔變異病毒相關(guān)的住院病例和死亡病例數(shù)量在上升,而且變成一個(gè)惡劣的公共衛(wèi)生問題,但與疫情高峰時(shí)期相比數(shù)量仍然相對較少,畢竟當(dāng)時(shí)每天有超過4000病例死亡。這個(gè)數(shù)字現(xiàn)在更接近每日450至750例死亡,這取決于你看到的是哪一天的數(shù)據(jù)。
不過年輕人(尤其是未接種疫苗的人)感染德爾塔變異病毒后的嚴(yán)重癥狀讓重癥監(jiān)護(hù)室的醫(yī)生感到擔(dān)憂,因?yàn)槠渌鹿诓《径局昕赡芡耆珱]有被其他健康或沒有潛在疾病的患者察覺到。但對這種類型的患者來說,情況可能并非如此,人們擔(dān)心年輕人和兒童患者的身體難以承受長時(shí)間的傷害,他們必須住院治療來恢復(fù)健康。
美國可能仍然處于德爾塔變異病毒評估的早期階段,只有對相關(guān)病例開展長期有效的監(jiān)測,才能幫助專家收集關(guān)于不同病毒變體如何影響不同人群的數(shù)據(jù)。與此同時(shí),與新冠病毒的長期斗爭可能會進(jìn)一步鼓勵(lì)聯(lián)邦官員,向所有年齡段人群開放疫苗接種,并盡快擴(kuò)大加強(qiáng)劑的接種范圍,以便全面接種疫苗。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
編譯:於欣
The COVID Delta variant surge has yet to peak in the U.S., as coronavirus infections continue their upward trajectory. The variant was present in as many as 98.8% of patient samples collected between Aug. 8 and Aug. 14, according to the latest available Centers for Disease Control (CDC) projections, with highly unvaccinated regions bearing the brunt of this wave. The seven-day average of new COVID cases was tracking at just over 139,872 per day as of Aug. 17, per the New York Times, nearing levels not seen since February.
Initial on-the-ground data suggests that the signs and symptoms of the Delta variant may differ from previous strains in subtle ways, and that Delta may also affect children in different and more serious ways than we have seen before in this pandemic—a key issue to monitor as in-person school resumes across much of the nation.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that new child COVID infections are ballooning. There were 12,000 such cases during the first week of July; then 96,000 over the first week of August; and more than 121,000 COVID infections in kids between Aug. 5 and 12, or 18% of all cases reported that week. Hospitalizations in otherwise healthy children are also on the rise, and the disease may cause more serious symptoms in those who contract the variant, although pediatric doctors tell the Washington Post that the bulk of these young patients are either those under the age of 12, who don't qualify for a vaccine yet, or eligible youth who have otherwise delayed getting a jab.
So which symptoms may be more prevalent among Americans with a Delta variant case, and specifically for younger people? Patient symptoms can vary widely, given the wide spectrum of COVID's effects on the body among different patient demographics. Some relatively common signs of COVID include loss of taste and/or smell, fatigue, headaches, fever, trouble breathing, muscle aches and pains, gastrointestinal troubles like nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, or a skin rash, among others. Projects such as the COVID Symptom Study allow patients to enter their own symptoms into a digital database that can track which ones are on the rise in which regions, as well as monitoring what new strains mean for those who contract "long COVID," in which someone may be asymptomatic initially but then develop disease symptoms a month or more after infection.
Such studies and anecdotal evidence from major hospitals suggest that with the Delta variant, most symptoms occur in your head and nasal region. Gut problems and skin breakouts appear less prevalent in both adults and children with a Delta case. Many Delta cases also lack some classic symptoms of COVID.
“It seems like cough and loss of smell are less common. And headache, sore throat, runny nose, and fever are present based on the most recent surveys in the U.K., where more than 90% of the cases are due to the Delta strain,” according to Yale Medicine pediatric infectious diseases specialist and vaccinologist Dr. Inci Yildirim.
Others such as Dr. Michael Grosso, chief medical officer and chair of pediatrics at Northwell Health’s Huntington Hospital, largely concur based on their own patient experiences while noting subtle Delta symptom differences between kids and grownups. For instance, while cough may be less common generally among Delta variant patients compared with the original coronavirus, it may be more common among children, Grosso told Healthline, and while adults with the Delta variant may get a runny nose, a younger patient may not. In his experience, the most common symptoms in children who have the strain are fever and cough, "with nasal symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, and rash happening much less often."
The number of COVID-related hospitalizations and deaths due to the Delta variant, while on the rise and a clear public health concern, still remain relatively low compared with the height of the pandemic, when upwards of 4,000 people were dying every day. That number is now closer to 450 to 750 new daily deaths, depending on which day's data you're looking at.
But the relative severity of Delta variant symptoms in younger people, especially the unvaccinated, has ICU doctors concerned since other COVID strains may have gone entirely unnoticed by an otherwise healthy patient with no underlying conditions. That may not be the case for this variety, raising fears of lasting damage in young adults and child patients who have to be hospitalized and recuperate from their illness.
The U.S. may still be in the earlier days of its COVID Delta reckoning, and only aggressive patient monitoring over the long term will help experts glean more knowledge about how different coronavirus mutations affect different people. But an extended battle with this persistent pathogen may further encourage federal officials to open up COVID vaccines to all ages and expand the reach of booster doses for the fully vaccinated sooner rather than later.