Health News Roundup: CDC reports 1,193,813 coronavirus cases; New coronavirus spread swiftly around world and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

CDC reports 1,193,813 coronavirus cases, 70,802 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday reported 1,193,813 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 22,303 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 2,523 to 70,802. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET on May 5, compared with its count a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/2SGLijD)

New coronavirus spread swiftly around world from late 2019, study finds

A genetic study of samples from more than 7,500 people infected with COVID-19 suggests the new coronavirus spread quickly around the world after it emerged in China sometime between October and December last year, scientists said on Wednesday. Scientists at University College London's Genetics Institute found almost 200 recurrent genetic mutations of the new coronavirus - SARS-CoV-2 - which the UCL researchers said showed how it is adapting to its human hosts as it spreads.

Over 90,000 health workers infected with COVID-19 worldwide: nurses group

At least 90,000 health-care workers worldwide are believed to have been infected with COVID-19, and possibly twice that, amid reports of continuing shortages of protective equipment, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) said on Wednesday. The disease has killed more than 260 nurses, it said in a statement, urging authorities to keep more accurate records to help prevent the virus from spreading among staff and patients.

French coronavirus death toll close to 26,000, new infections jump

The number of people who have died after contracting the new coronavirus in France increased by 278 or 1.1% to 25,809 on Wednesday, just eight fewer than in Spain, which saw its virus toll rise by 204 or 0.8% to 25,817, official data showed. The number of people in intensive care units fell by 283 or 8.3% to 3,147 in the biggest daily fall in four straight weeks of declines, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

UK misses COVID-19 testing target for fourth day running

Britain failed to meet its target of conducting 100,000 daily COVID-19 tests for a fourth day running, data released on Wednesday showed, as questions persist over the way it briefly manage to do so at the end of April. Last week, health minister Matt Hancock claimed victory in his quest to expand Britain's testing programme to 100,000 a day by the end of last month when he announced the government had conducted more than 122,000 tests on April 30.

New coronavirus adapts to populations; vaccine works in monkeys

The following is a brief roundup of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. New coronavirus is adapting to different populations.

Italy's daily coronavirus death toll and new cases' tally both rise

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 369 on Wednesday, against just 236 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new infections also rose, increasing by 1,444 against 1,075 on Tuesday. The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 now stands at 29,684 the agency said, the third highest in the world after the United States and Britain. The number of confirmed cases amounts to 214,457.

FDA approves Novartis drug for a hard-to-treat type of lung cancer

Novartis AG on Wednesday received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval for its drug to treat patients with a tough-to-treat form of lung cancer, the drugmaker said. The drug, Tabrecta, has been approved to treat patients with a MET exon14 skipping-mutated non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, the agency said. (https://bit.ly/2xKvaqc)

WHO warns against rushed end to coronavirus lockdowns

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday that countries emerging from restrictions to halt the new coronavirus must proceed "extremely carefully" or risk a rapid rise in new cases. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said countries needed to ensure they had adequate measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 respiratory disease like tracking systems and quarantine provision.

Will Gilead price its coronavirus drug for public good or company profit?

Gilead Sciences Inc faces a new dilemma in deciding how much it should profit from the only treatment so far proven to help patients infected with the novel coronavirus. The drugmaker earned notoriety less than a decade ago, when it introduced a treatment that essentially cured hepatitis C at a price of $1,000 per pill.