Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
WHO suspends UN supply of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine for COVID-19
The World Health Organization said on Saturday it has suspended supply through United Nations agencies of COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, produced by India’s Bharat Biotech, to allow the manufacturer to upgrade facilities and address deficiencies found in an inspection. The WHO asked countries that have received the vaccine to take appropriate actions, according to the statement, but did not specify what the appropriate actions would be.
Canada says hospitals could manage COVID impact as cases rise
Canada’s health care system could withstand the impact of an anticipated rise in hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the coming weeks, health officials said Friday, as signs emerge of a resurgence in infections in the country. Canada is in a transition period and could still see “bumps along the way”, including a resurgence in cases this spring as well as later in the year, the officials said.
Hong Kong health authorities report 116 new COVID-19 deaths
Hong Kong health authorities reported 116 new COVID-19 deaths on Saturday. Daily infections in recent days have continued a steady decline and authorities began easing some of the city’s stringent COVID-19 measures.
China reports highest COVID new daily cases since Feb 2020
China on Sunday reported a total of 13,287 new daily cases for April 2, the highest level since February 2020, with the majority in northeastern Jilin province and the financial hub of Shanghai which has virtually locked down the entire city.
The country reported 1,506 confirmed coronavirus cases in the previous day, the national health authority said on Sunday, down from 2,129 a day earlier.
Vaccination after COVID improves immunity; ivermectin fails in major trial
The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Vaccination after COVID-19 improves immunity
Shanghai separates COVID-positive children from parents in virus fight
Esther Zhao thought she was doing the right thing when she brought her 2-1/2-year-old daughter to a Shanghai hospital with a fever on March 26. Three days later, Zhao was begging health authorities not to separate them after she and the little girl both tested positive for COVID-19, saying her daughter was too young to be taken away to a quarantine centre for children.
England’s COVID-19 prevalence hits record high – ONS
The prevalence of COVID-19 among people in England rose to its highest since the pandemic began in 2020, data from Britain’s Office for National Statistics showed on Friday. One 1 in 13 people were believed to have the coronavirus in the week ending March 26, the fourth consecutive increase and higher than 1 in 16 recorded in the previous week. The ONS estimated 4.1 million people in England had COVID-19.
U.S. FDA approves Gilead cell therapy for earlier lymphoma
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the expanded use of Yescarta, a cell therapy made by Gilead Sciences Inc’s Kite unit, as a first option after chemotherapy for adults with an advanced, aggressive form of blood cancer. The one-time treatment was initially approved in 2017 for patients with large B-cell lymphoma who did not respond to at least two previous rounds of therapy.
Brazil eases COVID-related restrictions on international travelers
Brazilian health agency Anvisa on Saturday issued a new set of rules for incoming international travelers, easing restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic as the health crisis subsides in the South American nation. Anvisa said vaccinated Brazilians and foreigners are now exempt from presenting proof of a COVID-19 test with a negative or non-detectable result. They are only required to present proof of vaccination, printed or electronically.
Russia’s total number of COVID-related deaths hits nearly 778,000
Russia’s total number of COVID-related deaths has reached almost 778,000 since the start of the pandemic in April 2020, Reuters calculations based on new data from the Rosstat state statistics service showed on Friday. Rosstat said that 43,201 people had died from COVID or related causes in February, up from 35,807 in January.
(With inputs from agencies.)
