Medical - global

Operation Warp Speed pledged to do the impossible. How far has it come? With billions of federal dollars already spent on the effort, it’s possible to take stock of the initiative’s progress, or lack thereof. Helen Branswell STAT

It’s called Operation Warp Speed. And — regardless of one’s politics, one’s level of concern about Covid-19, or one’s views of therapeutics and vaccines — it inarguably ranks as one of the most ambitious scientific endeavors in modern U.S. history.

Is it working?

Editors Note: Click on the word graphics for a link to the illustrations.

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New graphics from the World Health Organization illustrate how much worse the coronavirus pandemic is in the Americas compared to other regions of the world.

The US has more cases and more deaths than any other country, with Brazil coming in for a close second.

New graphics from the World Health Organization illustrate how much worse the coronavirus pandemic is in the Americas compared to other regions of the world.

Covid tests 'could be picking up dead virus' Scientists say a positive coronavirus result does not guarantee that someone is infectious. BBC News

The main test used to diagnose coronavirus is so sensitive it could be picking up fragments of dead virus from old infections, scientists say.

Most people are infectious only for about a week, but could test positive weeks afterwards.

Researchers say this could be leading to an over-estimate of the current scale of the pandemic.

But some experts say it is uncertain how a reliable test can be produced that doesn't risk missing cases.