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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for Covid-19, following months of downplaying the virus.

Bolsonaro himself announced the result, speaking on Brazilian TV channels Tuesday. "Everyone knew that it would reach a considerable part of the population sooner or later. It was positive for me," he said, referring to the Covid-19 test he took Monday.

Imagine a noisy, crowded bar. Music is pounding, and people are clustered close together, talking loudly or even shouting to be heard. If it's cold out, doors and windows are shut tight and the heat is on, or if it's hot out, everything is shut and the air conditioner is recirculating the air.

This, in Donald Milton's opinion, is the perfect situation for spreading coronavirus.

In an open letter published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, scientists write that studies "have demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking, and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in air and pose a risk of exposure at distances beyond 1 to 2 meters (yards) from an infected individual."

Read the complete article on academic.oup.com

Six months into a pandemic that has killed over half a million people, more than 200 scientists from around the world are challenging the official view of how the coronavirus spreads.

A coronavirus outbreak at the University of Washington’s off-campus frat houses has left at least 93 students sickened with the illness, the school announced Friday.

GENEVA/LONDON (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) should soon get results from clinical trials it is conducting of drugs that might be effective in treating COVID-19 patients, its Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday.

“Nearly 5,500 patients in 39 countries have so far been recruited into the Solidarity trial,” he told a news briefing, referring to clinical studies the U.N. agency is conducting.

“We expect interim results within the next two weeks.”

Although many governments are still advising against "nonessential" international travel, a host of popular destinations have eased their Covid-19 border restrictions and are readily welcoming tourists back.

Destinations like Dubai, the Maldives, Croatia and Jamaica have already opened their doors to foreign visitors again, while Bali and Thailand hope to reopen in the coming weeks.

White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday that U.S. health officials are keeping an eye on a new strain of flu carried by pigs in China that has characteristics of the 2009 H1N1 virus and 1918 pandemic flu.

People testing negative for coronavirus antibodies may still have some immunity, a study has suggested.

For every person testing positive for antibodies, two were found to have specific T-cells which identify and destroy infected cells.

This was seen even in people who had mild or symptomless cases of Covid-19.

But it's not yet clear whether this just protects that individual, or if it might also stop them from passing on the infection to others.