Health News Roundup: U.S. savages WHO as it promises pandemic review; T cells play a role in fighting coronavirus and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. savages WHO as it promises pandemic review, but China pledges $2 billion

The World Health Organization said on Monday an independent review of the global coronavirus response would begin as soon as possible and it received backing and a hefty pledge of funds from China, in the spotlight as the origin of the pandemic. But the WHO's chief critic, the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump, decried an "apparent attempt to conceal this outbreak by at least one member state".

T cells play a role in fighting coronavirus; COVID-19 affects children differently

The following is a brief roundup of some 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. Immune system's T cells play a role in attacking the coronavirus.

Exclusive: CDC plans sweeping COVID-19 antibody study in 25 metropolitan areas

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans a nationwide study of up to 325,000 people to track how the new coronavirus is spreading across the country into next year and beyond, a CDC spokeswoman and researchers conducting the effort told Reuters. The CDC study, expected to launch in June or July, will test samples from blood donors in 25 metropolitan areas for antibodies created when the immune system fights the coronavirus, said Dr. Michael Busch, director of the nonprofit Vitalant Research Institute.

Trump says WHO has done 'a very sad job,' statement 'in near future'

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he would issue a statement about the World Health Organization in the near future and said it had "done a very sad job" in its handling of the coronavirus. Trump told a White House event he would make a decision about U.S. WHO funding soon, and that he had he considered reducing it to $40 million, but some felt that was too much. Asked why he had not addressed a virtual ministerial meeting of the WHO earlier in the day, he replied.

Trump reveals he is taking hydroxychloroquine as hedge against virus

U.S. President Donald Trump revealed on Monday he is taking hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that he has touted despite medical warnings about its use, as preventive medicine against the coronavirus. "I've been taking it for the last week and a half. A pill every day," Trump told reporters. He said he has been having "zero symptoms" from it.

Trump says big announcements made and coming on therapeutics, vaccines

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that some big announcements have been made and are coming on therapeutics and vaccines for dealing with the coronavirus. "This was a very big day therapeutically cure-wise and vaccine-wise. Tremendous progress has been made. Some big announcements are coming and have just come out and the market's up almost 1,000 points," Trump told a round-table meeting with restaurant executives and industry leaders at the White House.

U.S. states press on with reopenings, markets boosted by virus vaccine potential

Nearly all 50 U.S. states were at some stage of reopening on Monday as authorities eased restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the new coronavirus and stock markets opened higher on optimism about a potential vaccine trial. Markets were also encouraged by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's remarks over the weekend on a gradual economic recovery, and his affirmation that more monetary stimulus was on the way if required.

Roche's Tecentriq wins FDA approval as first-line therapy for some lung cancer forms

Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG's Genentech unit said on Monday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Tecentriq as a standalone therapy for an advanced form of lung cancer. Tecentriq has won the agency's approval for use in previously untreated adults with certain types of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, the company said. (https://reut.rs/2ZcrfxH)

AstraZeneca in talks with other governments to replicate UK vaccine deal

AstraZeneca Plc said it was in talks with governments around the world to strike coronavirus vaccine production deals similar to one it agreed with Britain over the weekend. "AstraZeneca is engaged with international organizations... as well as governments around the world with the aim of delivering a safe, effective and globally accessible vaccine as quickly as possible," a spokesman told Reuters.

U.S. CDC reports 1,480,349 coronavirus cases, 89,407 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday reported 1,480,349 cases of the coronavirus and said the number of deaths had risen to 89,407. Over the weekend, the CDC updated its case count to 1,467,065 and said 88,709 people had died across the country, but that the numbers were preliminary and had not been confirmed by individual states.