Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. Its incidence rate ranks first among otorhinolaryngological malignancies, with apparent familial aggregation, regional concentration, and ethnic susceptibility. 1 The International Agency for Research on Cancer reported 133 354 cases of NPC in 2020, only 0.7% of all cancer diagnoses that year. However, more than 70% of the new cases occurred in North Africa, Southeast Asia, and southern China, with significant geographical differentiation. 2 Moreover, the age-standardized incidence rate in these areas is 4-25 cases per 100 000 individuals, which is 50-100 times higher than in the rest of the world. [2][3][4] From the perspective of demographics, the peak age of NPC onset is 50-60 years old, and the probability of men suffering from the disease is 2-3 times that of women. 1,2 The disease's unique epidemiological features have prompted research into its risk factors, including EBV infection, host genetics, and environmental risk factors. According to the World Health Organization, NPC is divided into nonkeratinizing carcinoma and keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, and the former is further divided into

Rapid and sensitive detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is essential for early diagnosis and effective treatment. Nucleic acid testing has been considered the gold standard method for the diagnosis of COVID-19 for its high sensitivity and specificity. However, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method in the central lab requires expensive equipment and well-trained personnel, which makes it difficult to be used in resource-limited settings. It highlights the need for a sensitive and simple assay that allows potential patients to detect SARS-CoV-2 by themselves. Here, we developed an electricity-free self-testing system based on reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) that allows for rapid and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2. Our system employs a heating bag as the heat source, and a 3D-printed box filled with phase change material (PCM) that successfully regulates the temperature for the RT-LAMP. The colorimetric method could be completed in 40 min and the results could be read out by the naked eye. A ratiometric measurement for exact readout was also incorporated to improve the detection accuracy of the system. This self-testing system is a promising tool for point-of-care testing (POCT) that enables rapid and sensitive diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 in the real world and will improve the current COVID-19 screening efforts for control and mitigation of the pandemic.

Background: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has spread worldwide and become a global pandemic. Objectives: Studies of the earliest events of the COVID-19 pandemic are critical in understanding how the pandemic started and providing insight into the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and its infection in humans. Methods: In this report, we studied the epidemiological characteristics of all 34 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wuhu, China, from January 3 to March 19, 2020. Results: Our study indicated that cases in male patients (61.76%, 21/34) outnumbered those in female patients (38.24%, 13/34). Studies of the age distribution among the confirmed cases revealed that most COVID-19 patients were 15 to 59 years of age (26/34, 76%), while more than 14% (5/34) were ≥ 60 years old, and less than 9% (3/34) were ≤ 14 years old. Notably, 32 of the 34 confirmed cases were (a) people who had recently resided in or traveled to Wuhan or had close contact with Wuhan residents or visitors (22 cases); and (b) people who had close contact with these 22 confirmed COVID-19 patients (10 cases). Conclusions: This study revealed the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 outbreaks in Wuhu between January and March 2020 and provided insight into the earliest events of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Our analyses suggested that the COVID-19 cases confirmed in Wuhu in 2020 were directly related to or originated from the outbreaks in Wuhan.

Background: More and more variants of concern (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2 continued to emerge in different regions worldwide. Objectives: Studies on COVID-19 outbreaks caused by different VOCs are critical for understanding their infections in humans in different regions. Methods: In this descriptive study, the individual information of 64 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported between March 3 and April 26, 2022, was collected, and the epidemiological features were analyzed. Results: We found COVID-19 epidemic caused by Omicron subvariant BA.2 in 2022 had unique characteristics compared to the earliest COVID-19 outbreaks in 2020. First, the geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases was highly concentrated. Most infections (58/64, 90.62%) were identified in one district. Second, the mean age of COVID-19 cases in this study was 39.57 ± 16.39 years old, which was younger than the COVID-19 cases identified in Wuhan and Wuhu cities in 2020. Third, the spanned period of the COVID-19 outbreak in this study was shorter than the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 in Wuhu city (13 days vs. 34 days). Conclusions: This study illustrates the epidemic of COVID-19 in Wuhu city from March to April 2022, and our result provides valuable information about COVID-19 outbreak caused by omicron subvariant BA.2. It also provides insights into developing effective strategies, such as high coverage of COVID-19 vaccination, lockdown policies, Ankang code, and population-bases COVID-19 screening, for successfully controlling the potential outbreaks caused by Omicron or future novel variants in the medium-sized city like Wuhu city.