Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Moderna expects mid-stage trials for COVID-19 vaccine to begin shortly

Moderna Inc said on Thursday it expects mid-stage trials for its COVID-19 vaccine to begin shortly while late-stage trials are expected to begin early summer, as the drug developer accelerates its efforts to combat the pandemic. The drug developer had previously said it expected mid-stage trials to begin in the current quarter, with the aim to start late-stage studies in the fall. WHO guidelines for frontline PPE use designed to protect people, conserve gear

As the coronavirus began to spread around the world, a global shortage of masks and other protective equipment emerged, especially for frontline medical staff. How those supplies are used is crucial, experts say. 'Like a science experiment': A New York family learns the limits of coronavirus tests

After a week or so sick in bed in their New York City apartment in March, members of the Johnson-Baruch family were convinced they had been stricken by the novel coronavirus. Subsequent test results left them with more questions than answers. Tests both for the virus itself and for the antibodies the immune system produces to fight the infection are becoming more widely available, but they are not perfect. The tests can come back with false positives, false negatives or confoundingly ambiguous results. Doctors cannot always offer definitive explanations. Factbox: Latest on the worldwide spread of the new coronavirus

More than 3.76 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 262,458 have died, according to a Reuters tally as of 0503 GMT on Thursday. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS Exclusive: Virus exposes gaping holes in Africa’s health systems

African nations are facing a surge of COVID-19 cases with less than one intensive care bed and one ventilator per 100,000 people, a Reuters survey has found. Even in a best-case scenario, the continent could need at least 10 times the number it has now as the outbreak peaks, an analysis of researchers' projections showed. Calls to domestic violence hotlines soar amid lockdowns, WHO Europe says

Calls to domestic violence hotlines in Europe are up by as much as three-fifths as alcohol and drug abuse combine with close confinement in coronavirus lockdowns to fuel abuse of the most vulnerable, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. The stress and anxiety bred by weeks of restrictions on public life have made uncertainty, separation, and fear part of daily life for many, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said. U.S. scientists scramble to study life-threatening syndrome in kids linked to coronavirus

U.S. scientists are working to understand a rare, life-threatening inflammatory syndrome in children associated with exposure to the new coronavirus by quickly assembling clinical trials and patient registries. Cases were first reported in Britain, Italy and Spain, but now doctors in the United States are seeing clusters of kids with the disorder, which can attack multiple organs, impair heart function and weaken heart arteries. What do studies on new coronavirus mutations tell us?

A series of studies of the genomes of thousands of samples of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 show that it is mutating and evolving as it adapts to its human hosts. Here's what experts are saying about those findings and how they might affect the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to develop vaccines and treatments. Japan approves Gilead Sciences' remdesivir as COVID-19 drug

Japan has approved Gilead Sciences Inc's remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19, the health ministry said on Thursday, making it the country's first officially authorized drug for the coronavirus disease. Japan reached the decision just three days after the U.S. drugmaker filed for fast-track approval for the treatment. What you need to know about coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Now Trump talks of coronavirus "attack"