Health News Roundup: GM begins mass production of ventilators for U.S.; New York nurses greet reinforcements from U.S. and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

GM begins mass production of ventilators for U.S. government

General Motors Co said on Tuesday it has started mass production of ventilators needed to treat severely sick coronavirus patients and would deliver the first batch of the medical equipment to the United States government this month. Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded GM a contract worth $489.4 million to make 30,000 ventilators by the end of August.

With cheers, New York nurses greet reinforcements from across the U.S.

With loud cheers and applause, medical staff at New York's Northwell Health network greeted 46 nurses on Tuesday who had arrived from all over the United States to reinforce hospitals as they battle the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. deaths from the novel coronavirus topped 24,000 on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally. There were nearly 583,000 confirmed cases, over 200,000 of which were in New York state alone.

Trump's May 1 target too optimistic for U.S. coronavirus reopening, Fauci says

President Donald Trump's May 1 target for restarting the economy is "overly optimistic," his top infectious disease adviser said on Tuesday after a battle erupted between Trump and state governors over who has the power to lift restrictions aimed at curbing the coronavirus pandemic. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said public health officials must be able to test for the virus quickly, isolate new cases and track down new infections before social-distancing restrictions can be eased.

Spain, Austria ease coronavirus curbs, U.S. debates risks

Spain and Austria allowed partial returns to work on Tuesday but Britain, France and India extended lockdowns to rein in the new coronavirus while the United States, where the death toll exceeded 25,000, debated how to reopen its economy. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that infections had "certainly" not yet peaked.

'Isolated within isolation': keeping out coronavirus in the frozen Antarctic

In the frozen and desolate expanse of Antarctica, Alejandro Valenzuela Pena is used to a feeling of isolation. Now, however, that has taken on a new meaning as the only continent still free from the coronavirus looks to keep the pandemic out. The global spread of the disease, with almost 2 million cases and 120,000 deaths, has put the Antarctic region into lockdown, with researchers hunkering down in their bases and tourist visits canceled.

New York hospitalizations fall for first time in coronavirus pandemic: governor

The total number of people hospitalized in New York fell for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus outbreak, a further sign the state at the epicenter may be at the peak of its crisis, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday. He told a daily briefing that President Donald Trump had inaccurately asserted the president had total authority over when states reopen schools and businesses but added that he did not want, or have the time, to fight with Trump.

Explainer: How smartphone apps can help 'contact trace' the new coronavirus

A global race is on to develop smartphone apps and other types of mobile phone surveillance systems to track and contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. The process known as "contact tracing," which is used to control the spread of infectious diseases, was boosted last week when the top two smartphone software makers, Alphabet Inc's Google and Apple Inc, said they were collaborating on apps that can identify people who have crossed paths with a contagious patient and alert them.

Trump announces ventilator loan plan to fight virus

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a loan program on Tuesday with the aim of making as many as 60,000 ventilators available to help coronavirus patients. Since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, the need for ventilators has skyrocketed to aid patients struggling to breathe. Trump and his coronavirus task force have fought to find enough of the machines to help people survive.

Explainer: What is contact tracing and how can it help fight the new coronavirus?

Contact tracing has been used for decades to control the spread of infectious diseases. The basic idea is simple: track down infected people, then find everyone who has been near them and encourage those people to stay home until it is clear they are not sick. Right now, stay-at-home orders are being used worldwide to minimize the potential for people infected with the novel coronavirus to spread it. When restrictions are lifted and normal activities resume, extensive contact tracing will be needed to prevent new outbreaks.

Exclusive: Emails reveal breakdowns in U.S. drive-through virus testing

As coronavirus infections exploded in New Orleans, state and local officials repeatedly told the Trump administration that its new drive-through testing effort wasn't going well. Those tested often waited more than a week for results, and local officials had no information on who had been notified by a federally contracted call center, according to emails between local and federal officials reviewed by Reuters. As deaths mounted, local officials requested details on the notifications as they increasingly fielded calls by those left in limbo - including health workers. But Washington officials largely brushed off their concerns, according to the correspondence, which has not been previously reported.