Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Japan marks record 415 COVID-19 deaths -health ministry
Japan on Wednesday recorded 415 COVID-19 deaths, the highest-ever count for a single day, health ministry data showed. The country counted 216,219 newly confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday, up 4% from a week earlier, the data also showed, approaching the record high of some 260,000 a day in August.
Chinese hospitals, funeral homes ‘extremely busy’ as COVID spreads unchecked
Chinese hospitals and funeral homes were under intense pressure on Wednesday as a surging COVID-19 wave drained resources, while the scale of the outbreak and doubts over official data prompted some countries to consider new travel rules on Chinese visitors. In an abrupt change of policy, China this month began dismantling the world’s strictest COVID regime of lockdowns and extensive testing, putting its battered economy on course for a complete re-opening next year.
Taiwan to test arrivals from China for COVID from Jan 1
Taiwan will test arrivals from China for COVID-19 from Jan. 1 in response to a surge in cases there, the government said on Wednesday, joining other countries in stepping up controls on people coming from China. Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Centre said all passengers arriving on direct flights from China, as well as by boat at two offshore islands, will have to take PCR tests upon arrival.
Hong Kong scraps most COVID rules, though masks still mandated
Hong Kong will cancel its stringent COVID-19 rules from Thursday, city leader John Lee said, meaning that arrivals will no longer need to do mandatory PCR tests while the city’s vaccine pass would also be scrapped. All measures would be cancelled on Thursday, apart from the wearing of masks which still remains compulsory, Lee told a media briefing on Wednesday.
China to drop COVID tests for inbound travellers from Jan 8
China will drop a requirement for inbound travellers to take COVID-19 PCR tests starting from Jan 8, 2023, customs authorities said on Wednesday. PCR checks for imported chilled and frozen foods will also be dropped, China’s General Administration of Customs said.
U.S. weighs new COVID rules for travelers from China, U.S. officials say
The U.S. government may impose new COVID-19 measures on travelers to the United States from China over concerns about the “lack of transparent data” coming from Beijing, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. The move comes after Japan, India and Malaysia announced stepped up rules on travelers from China in the last 24 hours, citing a rise in infections there.
China will publish COVID data once a month when disease comes under Category B management
China will eventually publish data on COVID-19 cases once a month when the disease comes under Category B management, an official at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday. China’s management of COVID was downgraded to the less strict Category B from the current top-level Category A, as the disease has become less virulent and will gradually evolve into a common respiratory infection.
U.S. FDA weighs regulating cannabis compound CBD in food, supplements – WSJ
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning to make recommendations on how to regulate the use of popular cannabis compound CBD in food and supplements, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing agency officials. After weighing the evidence on the compound’s safety, the FDA will decide within months how to regulate legal cannabis and whether that will require new agency rules or new legislation from Congress, according to the report.
India-based Hetero’s Paxlovid generic gets WHO backing
India’s Hetero said on Tuesday that its generic version of Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment for COVID-19 developed by Pfizer Inc, was added to the World Health Organization’s prequalification list, which serves as a benchmark for procurement of medicines by developing countries. Hetero said it had entered into a licensing agreement with the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to manufacture and sell the generic version of the drug in low- and middle-income countries.
No immediate surge of Chinese tourists expected after re-opening
China’s relaxation of COVID-19 rules for international arrivals has raised hopes that its multi-billion dollar travel business will soon flourish again but countries longing for the return of Chinese tourists will likely face more of a wait. China’s National Health Commission announced on Monday that inbound travellers would no longer have to go into quarantine from Jan. 8. There are no official restrictions on Chinese people going abroad but the new rule will make it much easier for them to return home.
(With inputs from agencies.)
