University of Plymouth trial to treat long Covid symptoms
Researchers in Plymouth are working on a project searching for an effective treatment for the symptoms of long Covid.The University of Plymouth (UoP) said it was part of the ERASE long Covid project, led by the University of Derby, which launched in September 2024.It said more than 144 million people globally were living with long Covid with some people experiencing fatigue, breathlessness, palpitations and brain fog.The university said it was testing anti-viral medication, which is already used to treat patients with Covid-19 in hospital, on 72 long Covid sufferers to see if it could help alleviate their symptoms.
'Health and societal challenge'
The researchers said because most people who contracted Covid-19 were not hospitalised with the condition, they did not have a way to access the anti-viral medication.But the study, managed by the Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit (PenCTU) at the university, would examine whether the medication could also alleviate the symptoms of long Covid.Lead of the project, Mark Faghy, said: "The impact long Covid has on the lives of patients is huge. "For many, it can be debilitating, interfering with work, family life, and socialising, and millions are suffering across the world. Yet, at present, there are no confirmed treatments for the condition."Five years on from the start of the pandemic, long Covid remains a significant health and societal challenge, which is why this project is so important."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
signs and symptoms to look out for
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Cases of Covid have increased by 10.1% 🤧 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... 13 cases of a new Covid strain have been detected in the UK. NB.1.8.1 was first detected in January 2025 and originates from the Omicron variant. The World Health Organisation (WHO) have confirmed it is a variant under monitoring (VUM). Cases of Covid have increased 10.1% according to latest figures from UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA). Cases of a new Covid variant have been detected in the UK. NB.1.8.1 has already caused a spike in infections and hospitalisations in China and has been identified in 22 countries, with the WHO confirming they have classed it is a 'variant under monitoring'. There have been many different types of variants and subvariants of Covid since the pandemic. NB.1.8.1 is the latest on the scene after the emergence of LP.8.1., which is the most dominant variant in the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Covid infections have been on the rise in the UK, with latest data from UKHSA which revealed up to the week of May 28, cases had increased by 10.1%, up 103 to 1,124. Here's everything you need to know about how many cases of the new variant are in the UK and what symptoms to look out for. There have been 13 cases recorded of the new Covid variant in the UK. | Pexels What is the new Covid strain NB.1.8.1? First detected on January 22, 2025, the new Covid strain, NB.1.8.1 originates from the omicron variant which saw cases spike in 2023. Despite an increase in cases and hospitalisations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, the WHO have revealed that current data does not indicate that it leads to more severe illness than current variants. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad WHO have designated it as a 'variant under monitoring', but the overall risk to public health has been posed to be 'low', with current Covid vaccines expected to be effective in protecting vulnerable patients from severe illness. How many cases of new Covid variant have been found in the UK? The UKHSA confirmed that there have been 13 cases of NB.1.8.1 found in the UK. Cases of Covid, in the week up to May 28, had increased by 10.1%, up 103 to 1,124, whilst deaths also increased by 5.9% and hospitalisations were up 3.5%. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the symptoms of the new Covid variant in the UK? Despite the many different variants, the symptoms of Covid have remained the same. The NHS explain Covid symptoms can include: a high temperature or shivering (chills) a new, continuous cough a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste shortness of breath feeling tired or exhausted an aching body a headache a sore throat a blocked or runny nose loss of appetite diarrhoea feeling sick or being sick Symptoms of Covid are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu, which is why if you suspect you have Covid it's important to take a test to confirm or rule out the infection. Most people who have Covid tend to feel better after a few weeks, but it can take longer to recover, with some people experiencing a more serious reaction and prolonged symptoms. 🧪 Boots COVID-19 Test Kits While free testing is no longer widely available, Boots continues to offer a range of COVID-19 lateral flow kits for home use, with results in under 30 minutes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They're available individually or in multipacks, with options for general use, travel, or workplace settings. If you have a health story to share with us, we'd love to hear from you. You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Seven symptoms you need to look out for as doctors issue Covid warning
A new variant now spreading across Europe and multiple other continents could leave people with a host of unpleasant symptoms - that don't feel like classic Covid Health officials have warned that people could experience a host of nasty and unusual symptoms if they contract the latest Coronavirus strain. The new variant, named NB.1.8.1, was designated a "SARS-CoV-2 variant under monitoring (VUM)" on May 23, one of six emerging variants currently under WHO monitoring. As of this month, it has crossed multiple continents, with cases flagged in the UK and Ireland in Europe, and further afield in the US and Australia. People have been urged to stay at home for days on end if they find they have symptoms of the new Covid variant, which are a far cry from the classic flu-like signs of their predecessors. While early signs of Covid once included symptoms like a severe cough, sore throat and high fever, NB.1.8.1 is felt most acutely in the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms of the variant include: Nausea Vomiting Diarrhoea Heartburn Bloating Constipation Abdominal pain Dr Lara Herrero, associate professor and virology research leader at Griffith University in Australia, explained in an article posted on The Conversation that the variant appears to be spreading faster than its predecessors. Of those, Dr Herrero said, it is most similar to subvariants of the Omicron lineage. She said: 'The evidence so far suggests NB.1.8.1 may spread more easily and may partially sidestep immunity from prior infections or vaccination. 'Reports suggest symptoms of NB.1.8.1 should align closely with other Omicron subvariants." The WHO has said the same, stating in its report that the variant has obtained a series of mutations that allow it both to spread easier and potentially evade antibody protections afforded to people by previous infections. The organisation explained: "Spike mutations at position 445 have been shown to enhance binding affinity to hACE2, which could increase the variant's transmissibility." It adds: "Mutations at position 435 shown to reduce the neutralisation potency of class 1 andclass 1/4 antibodies, and mutations at position 478 shown to enhance the evasion of Class 1/2 antibodies." People who exhibit any symptoms have been told to stay indoors by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) which advises people to "avoid contact with vulnerable people and stay at home if possible" for 48 hours.
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
New coronavirus only ‘one small step from spilling over into humans' and sparking widespread outbreak, say scientists
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A NEW coronavirus may only be "a small step away from spilling over into humans", scientists have warned - sparking fears of another pandemic. Scientists believe the variant, called HKU5-CoV-2, may infect a broader range of animals than Covid-19 and may have more potential for jumping between species. 1 Dr Michael Letko, a molecular virologist at WSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, lead the research into the concerning variant Credit: Ted S. Warren/College of Veterinary Medicine/WSU American scientists fear the virus - found in China - may be one small mutation away from also being able to infect humans, which could lead to a widespread outbreak. The new study, published in Nature Communications, looked at a lesser-known group of coronaviruses called merbecoviruses. It includes HKU5 and MERS-CoV, which is responsible for the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. First noted in 2012, the virus typically spreads from infected camels to humans causes severe respiratory disease, which can be fatal to 34 per cent of its victims. The research team, which included scientists at Washington State University (WSU), the California Institute of Technology and the University of North Carolina, sought to understand how merbecoviruses infiltrate the cells of their hosts. While most bugs in the group seemed to pose little threat to people, scientists said one subgroup, HKU5, has concerning traits. Michael Letko, a virologist at WSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, said: "Merbecoviruses – and HKU5 viruses in particular – really hadn't been looked at much, but our study shows how these viruses infect cells. "What we also found is HKU5 viruses may be only a small step away from being able to spill over into humans." Like other coronaviruses, merbecoviruses rely on a spike protein to bind to receptors and invade host cells. Dr Letko's team used virus-like particles containing the part of the spike protein responsible for binding to receptors and tested their ability to infect cells in their lab. World is not prepared for looming Disease X pandemic says Doctor Tedros Ghebreyesus While most merbecoviruses appeared unlikely to be able to infect humans, HKU5 viruses — which have been found across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East — were shown to use a host receptor known as ACE2, the same used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. But for now HKU5 viruses can only use the ACE2 gene in bats and can't deploy it on humans nearly as well. Examining HKU5 viruses found in Asia - where their host is the Japanese house bat - the researchers demonstrated some mutations in the spike protein that may allow the viruses to bind to ACE2 receptors in other species, including humans. 'These viruses are so closely related to MERS, so we have to be concerned if they ever infect humans,' Dr Letko said. 'While there's no evidence they've crossed into people yet, the potential is there — and that makes them worth watching.' Dr Letko said the study and its methods could be used for future research projects and to help the development of new vaccines and treatments. What is the new Covid variant confirmed in the UK? The new strain - called NB.1.8.1 - has been spotted in the parts of the UK, such as Ireland and Wales. It's also cropped up in Europe, the US and Australia, as well as Egypt, the Maldives, Thailand, China and Hong Kong. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently issued a warning over NB.1.8.1, designating it as a "variant under monitoring" due to its global spread and key mutations. 'Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalisations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation,' the WHO said. But while it may not be particularly severe, it may infect people more easily than previous variants, with some evidence suggesting that the variant binds more tightly to human cells. A recent study that has not yet been peer reviewed suggests that a person infected with NB.1.8.1 may be more likely to pass the virus on to someone else, compared to earlier variants. The WHO stressed that, based on available evidence, the variant's risk to public health was "low at the global level". "Currently approved Covid-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease," it added. Symptoms include sore throat, fatigue, fever, mild cough, muscle aches and a blocked nose. Some people may also get gastrointestinal symptoms. It's not the first time concerns have been raised over HKU5. Earlier this year, Chinese scientists warned that HKU5-CoV-2 may be able to jump straight from bats to humans without another animal in between. This suggests a higher potential for zoonotic spillover - when a disease spreads from animal to human. If there is no 'intermediate 'middle animal', it becomes harder to predict and prevent spillover events through interactions such as wildlife trading or hunting. "There is the potential for this new virus to spillover to human, like previous coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2," said Dr Gary R McLean, a research fellow at the Imperial College London, who was not involved in the study. But he noted that, so far, there is no "evidence" that HKU5-CoV-2 can infect people – the paper is based on tests in a laboratory, showing the bug's "potential". "Hopefully the Chinese authorities now have good surveillance systems in place and the laboratories work to rigid safety standards that minimise the risk of spillover occurring," he said. The WHO has previously listed MERS and Covid as two of several diseases - alongside the mysterious disease X - that could spark a pandemic, but for which there is no specific treatment or vaccine.
