Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Vaccine-linked heart condition tends to resolve quickly; Delta variant fuses cells to infect more efficiently
The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Vaccine-associated myocarditis tends to resolve quickly
Delta, Kappa variants surge in Italy to nearly 17% of cases, health institute says
The Delta coronavirus variant and its sibling Kappa have surged in Italy in the past month, accounting for nearly 17% of total COVID-19 cases, the national health institute ISS said on Friday. The Delta variant was becoming dominant, it said.
U.S. administers 321.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines – CDC
The United States has administered 321,199,379 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Friday morning and distributed 380,222,670 doses, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Those figures are up from the 320,687,205 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by June 24 out of 379,248,700 doses delivered.
Mexico’s coronavirus death toll rises to 232,346
Mexico’s health ministry on Friday reported 5,270 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country and 278 more fatalities, bringing the total figures to 2,498,357 infections and 232,346 deaths. The government has said the real number of cases is likely significantly higher, and separate data published in March suggested the actual death toll is at least 60% above the confirmed figure.
Germany declares Portugal, Russia virus-variant zones, restricts travel
Germany declared Portugal and Russia to be “virus-variant zones”, a measure that will trigger severe restrictions on travel to and from both countries. Germany’s public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, made the announcement on Friday evening.
AstraZeneca’s diabetes drug study shows benefit in adolescents
AstraZeneca Plc’s diabetes drug significantly reduced blood sugar levels in adolescents aged 10–17 with type 2 diabetes in a late-stage study, the UK-based drugmaker said on Friday. In type 2 diabetes, the body cannot properly use or make enough of the hormone insulin to convert blood sugar into energy.
Just give us the vaccines, WHO pleads, as poor countries go wanting
Rich countries are opening up societies and vaccinating young people who are not at great risk from COVID-19, while the poorest countries cruelly lack doses, the World Health Organization said on Friday, condemning a global failure. The situation in Africa, where new infections and deaths jumped by nearly 40% last week compared to the previous week, is “so dangerous” as the Delta variant spreads globally, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
India’s richest state shuts malls, cinemas as new variant spreads
India’s richest state on Friday ordered malls and cinema halls to close as it scrambles to control a more transmissible variant of the coronavirus that has scuppered plans to ease lockdown measures. At least 20 cases in Maharashtra state have been found linked to the new Delta Plus variant that India designated a variant of concern on Tuesday, according to the health ministry.
Canada says COVID-19 Delta variant could cause greater than expected surge
Canada projects COVID-19 infections will decline rapidly over the next two months, but the more contagious Delta variant risks causing a greater-than-expected resurgence of cases later this year, public health officials said on Friday. Canadian provinces are opening up businesses again as vaccinations advance rapidly. More than 76% of eligible Canadians have had at least a first dose, and more than 26% have had a second, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.
Argentina says AZ, Sputnik V single dose cuts mortality up to 80%
A single dose of Russia’s Sputnik V or the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine reduces mortality from COVID-19 by between 70% and 80% in people aged 60-plus, real-world data from Argentina’s national inoculation program show. The preliminary study data, released on Friday by the country’s health ministry, involved some 450,000 people aged 60 years of age and above who received one or two doses of either vaccine, which are the most widely used in Argentina.
(With inputs from agencies.)
