Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
EU has not ordered AstraZeneca vaccines beyond June – Commissioner
The European Union has not made any new orders for AstraZeneca vaccines beyond June when their contract ends, European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Sunday, after the EU signed a deal with Pfizer-BioNTech. Breton also said he expected the costs of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to be higher than the earlier versions.
India turns to ex-army medics as COVID surge sparks calls for lockdown
India will recruit hundreds of former army medics to support its overwhelmed healthcare system, the defence ministry said on Sunday, as the country grapples with record COVID-19 infections and deaths amid calls for a complete nationwide lockdown. Some 400 medical officers are expected to serve on contract for a maximum of 11 months, the ministry said in a press release, adding that other defence doctors had also been contacted for online consultations.
U.S. wants COVID vaccine patent waiver to benefit world, not boost China biotech
The Biden administration is examining ways to ensure that a waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents to aid poor countries will not hand sensitive U.S. biopharmaceutical technology to China and Russia, responding to a chorus of concerns, U.S. and industry officials say. President Joe Biden on Wednesday backed the U.S. entering negotiations at the World Trade Organization for the waiver of intellectual property rights as a means to boost vaccine supplies by allowing poorer countries to make their own.
Russia reports 8,419 new COVID-19 cases, 334 deaths
Russia reported 8,419 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours on Sunday, taking the national tally to 4,880,262. The government coronavirus task force said 334 people had died in the last day, taking the national death toll to 113,326.
China reports 12 new COVID-19 cases vs seven a day earlier
China reported 12 new COVID-19 cases in the mainland on May 8, up from seven a day earlier, the country’s national health authority said on Sunday. The National Health Commission said in a statement that all the new cases were imported infections originating from overseas. The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, rose to 10 from eight a day earlier.
Slovak health ministry says Sputnik V doses tested in Hungary satisfactory
A Slovakia health ministry spokeswoman said on Sunday a Hungarian lab has confirmed that the first batch of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines sent to Slovakia were satisfactory and the government would discuss the next steps with Russia. The tests were carried out in Hungary after Russia had requested additional tests in an EU-certified laboratory, saying the Slovaks had not tested them in such a facility. The Slovak government is considering whether to use the Russian shots in the country of 5.5 million that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak.
COVID-19 cases and deaths fall further in the UK, vaccinations rise
A total of 1,770 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the United Kingdom on Sunday, with the seven-day total of 14,659 cases down by 4.3% compared with the previous seven days. The country recorded two new deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test. The seven-day death toll of 67 was down by 39.1% compared with the previous seven days.
Germany’s confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 12,656 – RKI
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 12,656 to 3,520,329, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Sunday. The reported death toll rose by 127 to 84,775, the tally showed.
Australia’s most populous state extends COVID restrictions in hunt for outbreak source
Australia’s most populous state recorded no new COVID-19 infections for a third straight day on Sunday but extended raised social distancing and mask-wearing rules by a week as the authorities hunted for the source of a small outbreak. After a Sydney couple tested positive to the coronavirus last week, ending a long run without community transmission, the authorities reinstated some social distancing measures until May 10, and a campaign to get more people tested, as they scrambled to determine the source of infection.
China administered total of 317.59 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of May 8
China carried out about 9.36 million vaccinations against COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total number administered to 317.59 million, according to data released by the National Health Commission.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Originally Appeared On: https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/health/1566608-health-news-roundup-russia-reports-8419-new-covid-19-cases-334-deaths-china-reports-12-new-covid-19-cases-vs-seven-a-day-e