Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus
The Chinese city of Yiwu in Zhejiang province has suspended some public gatherings and dining at restaurants, closed multiple entertainment venues, and locked down some areas to cope with COVID-19 flare-ups, the city government said. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
Biden names U.S. monkeypox coordinators as more states cite emergencies
President Joe Biden has appointed two top federal officials to coordinate his administration’s response to monkeypox, the White House said on Tuesday, as more states declared emergencies to help boost vaccines and other resources to combat the virus. The top officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will coordinate the U.S. response across the federal government even as Biden’s administration has stopped short of declaring a national emergency.
Kansas votes to preserve abortion rights in first post-Roe v. Wade election test
Kansas voters on Tuesday rejected an effort to remove abortion protections from the state’s constitution, a resounding win for the abortion rights movement in the first statewide electoral test since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The amendment’s failure in the conservative state lifted Democrats’ hopes that the issue of abortion rights will draw voters to the party in November’s midterm elections even as they worry about surging inflation.
Japan’s KM Biologics sees overseas demand for newly approved monkeypox vaccine
Japanese pharmaceuticals company KM Biologics Co has already seen overseas interest in its monkeypox vaccine which was recently approved by domestic regulators. KM Biologics, a unit of candy maker Meiji Holdings Co, has had “several inquiries from overseas” a company official told Reuters on Wednesday, declining to comment on any export plan for the shot.
Macau resumes quarantine free travel with mainland China
Macau’s government said on Wednesday people could enter the neighbouring mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai without quarantine, a further relaxation of stringent COVID-19 policies as the world’s biggest gambling hub seeks a return to normalcy. Authorities reopened public services and entertainment facilities in Macau, a Chinese special administrative region, on Tuesday.
Why some heatwaves prove deadlier than others
Europe’s record-breaking heatwave last month saw England and Wales register nearly 1,700 extra deaths in just one week, early data shows, while Portugal and Spain counted another 1,700. The figures, which will likely change as records are updated, give the first indication of heat-related deaths when temperatures from London to Madrid hit nearly 40 degrees Celsius or higher.
Siemens Healthineers Q3 earnings fall, outlook confirmed
U.S.-German medical device maker Siemens Healthineers reported a dip in its third-quarter earnings on Wednesday, as revenue from rapid COVID-19 antigen tests dropped and COVID-19 lockdowns in China took their toll on business. Net income fell 8% year on year to 364 million euros ($370 million), the company said. Analysts had expected a rise to 415 million euros, according to a consensus published on Healthineers’ website.
Omicron better at invading young noses than other variants; smell loss may predict memory issues
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. Childrens’ noses defend less well against Omicron
Biden to sign another executive order seeking to protect abortion rights
President Joe Biden plans to sign a second executive order on Wednesday meant to address the recent Supreme Court decision to end the nationwide constitutional right to abortion, as he faces pressure from fellow Democrats to be more forceful on the issue. The order, like his first one, is expected to have limited impact, as U.S. states enact a wave of laws restricting abortion, access to medication and funding for such services.
Axcella long COVID treatment helps some patients in small trial
One of the first trials aimed at tackling long COVID helped some patients recover from lingering physical and mental fatigue, although the drug developed by Axcella Health Inc failed on the small study’s main goal of restoring the normal function of mitochondria – the energy factories of cells. In the 41-patient pilot study released on Tuesday, for three of 21 patients who received the drug, AXA1125, their physical fatigue scores returned to normal levels after 28 days of treatment, Axcella Chief Medical Officer Margaret Koziel said in a phone interview.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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