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A study published in the JMIR medical journal today suggests that COVID-19 may have been present in Los Angeles as early as December last year. The research undertaken by UCLA and the University of Washington investigated electronic health records from UCLA Health to determine the number of outpatient visits that included the word ‘cough’ in winter 2019, compared to the same period in the 5 years prior. Health records from patients hospitalized with acute respiratory failure during that timeframe were also analyzed. The study found that a ‘significantly higher number of patients presented to outpatient clinics and emergency departments in this health system with a complaint of cough starting the last week of December 2019 and continuing through January and February 2020.’ The JMIR paper continues that a ‘significant excess in the number of patients hospitalized with acute respiratory failure during this same time period was also noted.’

Phase III trials were paused this week to investigate a “potentially unexplained illness” in one of the trial participants. Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca’s CEO, wouldn’t confirm speculation on what the illness is. “We don’t know if it’s transverse myelitis… We don’t know what the final diagnosis is,” Soriot was reported as saying in The Guardian. He added that he believes the vaccine trial is still on track “for having a set of data that we would submit before the end of the year.”

Tier 2 is considered a ‘Substantial risk’ and is categorized as red. Tier 1, where the OC has been until Tuesday, is categorized as purple, and a ‘Widespread risk.’ The new rules allow for movie theaters, restaurants, places of worship to operate indoors at 25% capacity, or hold 100 people whichever is fewer.

“We have unknowns in every part of our lives,” says Dr. Kaye Hermanson, who works in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UC Davis. “At the same time, a lot of the things we generally do to cope, the things we enjoy and that give life meaning, have changed or been put off limits.”

16% of Google’s 2019 ‘AI Impact Challenge’ applications sought to apply AI to environmental problems. Of the 20 winning proposals that share a $25-million Google grant, eight are dedicated to using AI to address environmental issues.

COVID-19 has accelerated the push toward digital further, according to a recent article published in EdTech. Teachers that had resisted online environments have had their hand forced to dive headfirst into it, as many students are not permitted on campus. There is also great opportunity in using AI to personalize lessons, known as ‘adaptive learning.’

Colorado’s Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting (CEATAF) is focused on providing map-based situational awareness in backcountry areas that don’t have internet connectivity. It is using new AI-fueled technology to track the location of firefighting crew team members, equipment, and the spread of the fire in real-time. A helicopter or plane adds infrared video taken from above to that data, enabling prediction on where the fire will spread.