Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Coronavirus vaccine from Moderna appears safe, shows promise in data from eight people

Moderna Inc's experimental COVID-19 vaccine, the first to be tested in the United States, produced protective antibodies in a small group of healthy volunteers, according to very early data released by the biotech company on Monday. The data comes from eight people who took part in a 45-subject safety trial that kicked off in March. The Moderna vaccine is one of more than 100 under development intended to protect against the novel coronavirus that has infected more than 4.7 million people globally and killed over 317,000. Pandemic-related vaccination drop raises concern about U.S. measles outbreak

Researchers have documented a drop in child vaccination rates in Michigan since restrictions were imposed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, raising concern about outbreaks of other diseases such as measles, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report on Monday. The findings by the CDC researchers indicated that stay-at-home orders during the pandemic like those imposed in Michigan and other U.S. states may be reducing accessibility to routine immunization services and exposing children to risks from vaccine-preventable diseases. Thailand reports two new coronavirus cases, no additional deaths

Thailand on Tuesday confirmed two new coronavirus cases and no additional deaths, bringing its total to 3,033 infections, a senior official said. The two new cases were in the south in a province bordering Malaysia, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said at a daily briefing. Nicaragua reports more pneumonia deaths, some tied to COVID-19

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said on Monday that 309 people have died of pneumonia since January in the Central American country, 87 more people than in the same period last year, but that only some deaths were linked to the coronavirus. Nicaraguan authorities have reported only eight deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and 25 total cases of infection. 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. Australia's coronavirus death toll reaches 100

Australia's death toll from the novel coronavirus reached 100 on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally of official data, a fatality rate much lower than in North America and Europe despite its earlier exposure to the outbreak. The 100th fatality was a 93-year-old woman from a care home outside Sydney, the origin of 19 deaths, media reported. India coronavirus infections surge past 100,000, deaths top 3,000

Coronavirus cases in India reached 100,000 on Tuesday, matching the number of intensive care unit beds in the country, while the rate of growth of new infections showed little sign of slowing. India reported 4,970 new cases over the past 24 hours, taking the total from the outbreak to 101,139. Deaths rose by 134 to 3,163. New Zealand reports no new coronavirus cases for second straight day

New Zealand recorded no new coronavirus cases for the second straight day on Tuesday, but authorities said it was premature to discuss moving the country to "level one" in its scale of alert. The Pacific nation, home to more than 5 million, moved to "level 2" last week, allowing cafes, shops and restaurants to reopen under strict social distancing rules. 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. China reports six new coronavirus cases, including one in Wuhan

China reported six confirmed coronavirus cases for May 18, including a new case in Wuhan, the health authority said on Tuesday, compared to seven a day earlier. The National Health Commission (NHC) said in its daily bulletin that three of the six new cases were imported. The imported cases were all in the northern Chinese region of Inner Mongolia.