Health News Roundup: Trump's COVID-19 disinfectant ideas horrify health experts; Britain nears milestone of 20,000 coronavirus hospital deaths and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Trump's COVID-19 disinfectant ideas horrify health experts

U.S. President Donald Trump's musings on whether injecting disinfectants might treat COVID-19 horrified medical professionals on Friday and raised fresh concerns that his stream-of-consciousness briefings could push frightened people to poison themselves with untested treatments. An international chorus of doctors and health experts urged people not to drink or inject disinfectant after Trump on Thursday suggested that scientists should investigate inserting the cleaning agent into the body as a way to cure COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus.

Britain nears milestone of 20,000 coronavirus hospital deaths

Britain could hit the grim milestone of 20,000 COVID-19 deaths later on Saturday, when the daily count is added to the current toll of 19,506 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus and died in hospital. As the death toll rises, the government is facing growing criticism over its response to the pandemic. It was slower to impose a lockdown than European peers and is struggling to raise its testing capacity.

Serbia sends four planes carrying medical equipment to Italy

Serbia sent four planes carrying medical equipment including gloves, masks and protective suits to Italy on Saturday as a donation to help the EU member state tackle the spread of coronavirus. Another four equipment-laden planes will be sent in the next two days, also donated by the Serbian government, President Aleksandar Vucic said.

Tokyo confirms 103 new coronavirus cases on Saturday: Kyodo

Tokyo reported 103 new cases of coronavirus infections on Saturday, Kyodo News reported, amid concerns that the start of a holiday season could lead to an increase in infections. The latest figures bring total coronavirus infections in Japan's capital city to 3,836 cases, Kyodo reported. Saturday's daily increase was less than 161 new infections on Friday and was the lowest since April 20.

U.S. FDA warns against malaria drugs Trump championed for COVID-19

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday cautioned against the use of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients even as President Donald Trump, who has touted it as a "game-changer," advocated for an additional review. The drug, first approved in 1955, provided no benefit and a potentially higher risk of death for patients at U.S. veterans hospitals, according to an analysis that has been submitted for an expert review on Tuesday.

Nearly 150 total coronavirus cases confirmed on cruise ship in Japan

Nearly 150 cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed among crew members of an Italian cruise ship docked in Japan after health authorities finished testing everyone on board, an official said on Saturday. The Nagasaki prefecture official said 57 more crew had tested positive, bringing the total infections on board the Costa Atlantica to 148, roughly one quarter of the vessel's 623 crew members.

Indonesia reports 396 new coronavirus cases, 31 more deaths

Indonesia reported on Saturday 396 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number to 8,607, data provided by health ministry official Achmad Yurianto showed. Thirty one more people who had tested positive for the virus died, taking the total number of deaths to 720, according to the data.

Coronavirus and COVID-19: Fact versus fiction

U.S. President Donald Trump's musings about whether disinfectants and ultraviolet light can be inserted into patients' bodies to treat COVID-19 have alarmed doctors and drawn warnings from the makers of Lysol, Dettol and Clorox.

Here are some other claims that have circulated about how to treat COVID-19 or stop the transmission of the new coronavirus, and the facts according to doctors and health experts:

"No evidence" that recovered COVID-19 patients cannot be reinfected: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that there was currently "no evidence" that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second coronavirus infection. In a scientific brief, the United Nations agency warned governments against issuing "immunity passports" or "risk-free certificates" to people who have been infected as their accuracy could not be guaranteed.

Iran's coronavirus death toll rises by 76 to 5,650: Health Ministry

Iran's death toll from the new coronavirus rose by 76 during the last 24 hours to reach a total of 5,650, a Health Ministry spokesman said on state TV on Saturday. The total number of people diagnosed with the virus is 89,328, of whom 3,096 are in a critical condition, the spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said.

(With inputs from agencies.)