Health News Roundup: China's new coronavirus cases fall; Dutch report lowest daily corona death and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Russia reports record daily rise in coronavirus cases

Russia on Sunday reported a record rise of 6,060 new coronavirus cases over the previous 24 hours, bringing its nationwide tally to 42,853, the Russian coronavirus crisis response center said. The number of coronavirus cases in Russia began rising sharply this month, although it had reported far fewer infections than many western European countries in the outbreak's early stages.

Spain's coronavirus death toll slows, with the lowest increase in about a month

Spain's death toll from the new coronavirus outbreak rose by 410 on Sunday, down from 565 on Saturday, the Health Ministry said, the lowest daily increase in about a month in one of the world's hardest-hit countries. The total number of deaths reached 20,453.

New York Governor sounds optimistic note as coronavirus numbers improve

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday that a recent drop in hospitalizations and other improving metrics indicated the state may be past the peak of its coronavirus crisis and on a path toward stabilizing its battered healthcare system. Cuomo's cautiously upbeat report at a daily briefing came as the daily death toll across the state, the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States, dropped to 540 on April 17, down from 630 a day earlier and the lowest in more than two weeks.

U.S. CDC reports 690,714 coronavirus cases, 35,443 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday reported 690,714 cases of new coronavirus, an increase of 29,002 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 2,394 to 35,443. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on April 17, compared with its count a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/2IVY1JT)

Swiss coronavirus death toll rises to 1,135, confirmed infections hit 27,740

The Swiss death toll from the novel coronavirus has reached 1,135 people, the country's public health agency said on Sunday, rising from 1,111 on Saturday. The number of people showing positive tests for the disease increased to 27,740, it said, up from 27,404.

Delivery of protective healthcare equipment to the UK delayed

A delivery of protective equipment for British health workers that was due on Sunday from Turkey has been delayed, a British government official said, as medics on the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak increasingly report shortages of gear. Ministers had on Saturday highlighted an 84-tonne consignment that was due to arrive from Turkey containing personal protective equipment (PPE), including 400,000 protective gowns.

U.S. stay-at-home frustration spreads; coronavirus-battered New York says may be past the worst

Demonstrations to demand an end to stay-at-home measures that have pummelled the U.S. economy spread to Texas on Saturday as the governor at the for April 17, down from 630 a day earlier and the lowest daily tally since April 1. 'I thought I would never wake up,' Belgian doctor says after surviving COVID-19

A Belgian urologist epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus crisis said his state of New York may finally be past the worst. New York, which has recorded nearly half the country's deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the highly infectious virus, on Saturday reported 540 coronavirus-related deaths spoken of his "incredible" experience, having survived COVID-19 and been discharged from intensive care after three weeks in a coma. "I was seeing my end," Antoine Sassine said from his room at Brussels' Delta Chirec hospital, where he used to work. "I thought I was going to die and would never wake up."

Dutch report lowest daily corona death rate in over 3 weeks

The number of deaths caused by the novel coronavirus in the Netherlands has risen by 83, Dutch health authorities said on Sunday, which was the smallest reported daily increase since March 26. The total number of deaths among people known to have been infected with the coronavirus increased to 3,684, while the number of confirmed infections rose by 1,066 to 32,655.

China's new coronavirus cases fall, eyes on the northeastern province

China on Sunday reported 16 new coronavirus cases but no deaths while authorities remained on guard against a major resurgence and monitored the spread of cases in Heilongjiang province. The National Health Commission on Sunday also issued a notice asking for improvement in testing capacity and quality nationwide.