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Coronavirus: Could COVID-19 be seasonal?

Cities are yet again going back into lockdown across the globe as COVID-19 cases soar. Like the flu, the virus might be seasonal, research by University of Illinois, Chicago, finds.
In a paper published in Evolutionary Bioinformatics, researchers from the University have suggested that, among other epidemiological metrics, the rise in COVID-19 cases and coronavirus-related mortality rates were significantly affected by temperature and altitude across 221 countries.
When we speak about the “flu season”, we often refer to the increased spread of influenza during the winter months.
“We know the flu is seasonal, and that we get a break during the summer,” said Gustavo Caetano- Anollés, to Medical Xpress. The senior author of the research paper, he is professor at the Department of Crop Sciences, and affiliate of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology Illinois.
“When we are still in the midst of a raging pandemic, that break is nonexistent. Perhaps learning how to boost our immune system could help combat the disease as we struggle to catch up with the ever-changing coronavirus."
During the early days of the outbreak, researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 may behave like other types of coronaviruses. Many of them have a greater tendency to spread, and become more prevalent during colder seasons, such as the fall and winter. However, because the outbreak had just begun and research was in its infancy, it was hard to determine the extent to which this was true.
“One conclusion is that the disease may be seasonal, like the flu. This is very relevant to what we should expect from now on after the vaccine controls these first waves of COVID-19,” he said.
Caetano-Anollés and his students took on this project to fill the knowledge gap in question.
They downloaded all the relevant epidemiological data related to disease incidence, active cases, testing rates, mortality, recoveries and hospitalizations from 221 countries. They then collected information on the respective countries’ latitudes, longitudes and average temperatures.

Gathered from April 15, 2020 the data represented the moment in which seasonal temperature variation was at its greatest across the globe, and it also happened to coincide with the early days of the pandemic, when COVID-19 infections began to pick up pace all over the world.
The researchers found that temperature and latitude correlated with the rise in COVID-19 cases, realizing then that climate was only one factor that contributed to the global COVID-19 incidence.
“Indeed, our worldwide epidemiological analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between temperature and incidence, mortality, recovery cases, and active cases. The same tendency was found with latitude, but not with longitude, as we expected,” said Caetano-Anollés.
“Our results suggest the virus is changing at its own pace, and mutations are affected by factors other than temperature or latitude. We don’t know exactly what those factors are, but we can now say seasonal effects are independent of the genetic makeup of the virus.”
He also noted that more research could identify the role of climate and seasonality in COVID-19 incidences, citing that our own immune systems could be responsible for the pattern of seasonality.
Containing the pandemic through governments' policies, rules and regulations were key factors that could influence seasonality of transmission rates.
The ways in which our immune system responds to infections are influenced by a variety of reasons, such as our nutritional status, and temperature.
The researchers noted that vitamin D is less likely to be produced at an adequate amount during the winter months due to the lack of exposure to the Sun.
This may well be one of the contributing factors to the virus’s spread. However, it is too soon to conclude the real relationship between immune systems, seasonality and COVID-19.
source: Tala Michel Issa
Image source: AFP
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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