PART 01

It is difficult to distinguish between the common cold, influenza, and COVID-19

It starts with a sniffle, then it moves to a cough. Maybe you get a sore throat or achy muscles or spike a fever. Is it cold? Perhaps the influenza? Could it be COVID-19?

It’s been more than two years since COVID-19 burst on the scene, adding yet another virus-causing illness that could be to blame for your feeling crummy. After all, the common cold, the influenza, and COVID-19 share similar symptoms.

Further complicating the guessing game are the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, which can fight off some of the disease’s most severe symptoms, making it even more difficult to identify the culprit behind a mild cough or scratchy throat.

PART 02

Influenza season is back

Prior to the COVID-19 epidemic, Flu A and Flu B caused illness in tens of millions of Americans, and tens of thousands of deaths each winter. During the winter of 2018-2019, influenza resulted in 13 million visits, 380,000 hospitalizations, and 28,000 deaths. However, over the past two years, the number of influenza infections has followed suit as people guard against COVID-19.

The influenza season is back, and it's coming a little earlier in 2022, as countries have recently abandoned measures to protect themselves against COVID-19.

The CDC reported early estimates of the influenza burden in the United States. Preliminary estimates indicate that from Oct. 1 through Oct. 22, at least 880,000 people were infected with influenza, 420,000 were seen for influenza, 6,900 were hospitalized for influenza, and 360 died from influenza.

The outbreak of influenza was not accompanied by an improvement in the COVID-19 epidemic in the United States, as the share of new variants BQ.1.1, BQ.1, and BF.7 continued to expand, with the top three prevalent variants in the United States from October 30 to November 5: BA.5 (39.2%), BQ.1.1 (18.8%) and BQ.1 (16.5%). BA.5, BA.1.1, BQ.1 BQ.1.1, BQ.1.1, BQ.1, BF.4.6, BF.7, and various other variant strains were prevalent at the same time.

These new mutations have increased the immune escape capability of COVID-19, causing the number of new COVID-19 patients in the United States to increase recently, unlike in other countries. According to CDC statistics, the overlapping increase in the number of influenza and COVID-19 infections in the United States has led to a significant increase in hospital visits for respiratory infections.

PART 03

COVID-19 multi-test will replace a single COVID-19 test reagent

Seasonal influenza and COVID-19 have the same mode of transmission and similar clinical features, and both have a high degree of overlap in terms of high-risk populations, high disease-burden populations, and required medical resources.

Treatment of respiratory virus patients would be complicated without relying on the results of multiplex testing, and could easily result in a waste of hospital resources during the high season.

Hecin focuses on the diagnosis of respiratory pathogens, and the 2019-nCoV/IAV/IBV Nucleic Acid Test Kit (PCR- fluorescence probe method) developed by Hecin has long been certified by the CE. The results can be obtained quickly to achieve a rapid differential diagnosis of influenza and COVID-19, which can effectively contribute to the accurate diagnosis and treatment of common respiratory viral infections.

The reagent has the characteristics of high sensitivity and simple operation, is suitable for rapid diagnosis of diseases caused by 2019-nCoV/IAV/IBV infection, and is compatible with a fluorescent PCR platform.

The reagent is made into lyophilized powder reagent, which is stable and can be transported and stored at room temperature, eliminating the trouble of low-temperature cold-chain transportation and storage; the operation is simple and convenient, and the operator does not need a complicated manual dispensing operation, and the sample can be tested directly after adding the treatment.