Scientists have produced evidence that the pandemic virus is 'uniquely adapted to infect humans', raising fresh questions over whether its origins were natural or could have occurred in a laboratory.
Where did the Coronavirus 19 Originate from? and anything relative to the virus.
Where did the Coronavirus 19 originate from? and anything relative to the virus.
Coronavirus is 'uniquely adapted to infect humans': Top vaccine scientist says it could only have come from an animal through a 'freak of nature' - and the possibility it leaked from Wuhan lab MUST be investigated
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Epidemiologists say the real number of new COVID-19 infections in Australia's most populous states is far higher than what's being reported,
Although the number of newly reported COVID-19 cases is skyrocketing in Australia's most populous states, the epidemiologists say the real number of new infections in the community could be up to 10 times higher.
Vaccine-makers are studying updated boosters that might be offered later this year to better protect people against future coronavirus surges.
Moderna's preliminary study results showed people given the combination shot experienced a higher boost in Omicron-fighting antibodies than if they just got a fourth dose of the original vaccine.
Pfizer is also studying a combination shot, also called sa bivalent vaccine, with some data expected later this month.
Moderna's new study tested people who had had three prior vaccinations, giving 377 of them a fourth dose of the original vaccine and another 437 the combo shot.
The study was not designed to track how well the updated booster prevented COVID-19 cases and it was tested only against Omicron, not the variants dominant now.
But the bivalent vaccine sparked a nearly eight-fold rise in levels of antibodies capable of fighting Omicron.
Importantly, that was 1.75 times better than the antibody jump from simply giving a fourth dose of the original vaccine, Moderna said.
Australia/New Zealand COVID-19 update 6 June 2022
Australia wide (minus ACT) — 22,351 new cases; 231,933 active cases; 2,664 in hospital; 94 in ICU; 19 deaths.
• NSW: 4,486 new cases, 92,795 active cases, 1,314 in hospital, 38 in ICU, 3 deaths.
• VIC: 7,557 new cases, 51,048 active cases, 476 in hospital, 25 in ICU, 14 death.
• QLD: 2,548 new cases, 24,156 active cases, 299 in hospital, 6 in ICU.
• ACT: No data posted by ACT Health today due to an IT issue.
• TAS: 513 new cases, 4,078 active cases, 43 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• SA: 2,255 new cases, 17,304 active cases, 241 in hospital, 9 in ICU, 1 death.
• WA: 4,849 new cases, 41,244 active cases, 279 in hospital, 16 in ICU, 1 death.
• NT: 143 new cases, 1,308 active cases, 12 in hospital, 0 in ICU.
• NEW ZEALAND: No new data available at time of posting.