Health News Roundup: SA records first neonatal COVID-19 deaths; Low-income areas of NY show high COVID-19 positive and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

South Africa records first neonatal coronavirus death, toll jumps to 339

South Africa recorded its first neonatal coronavirus death on Wednesday, as the death toll jumped by 27 to 339, the health ministry said. The two-day old baby was born prematurely and had lung difficulties which required ventilation support immediately after birth, Health minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement.

Low-income areas of New York City show high COVID-19 positive rates: governor

New York City residents from low-income communities tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies at a much higher rate than the general population, according to data disclosed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday. Cuomo told a daily briefing that 27 percent of the 8,000 people tested from low-income communities were positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared with 19.9 percent in the general population in New York City.

U.S. CDC reports 1,528,235 coronavirus cases, 91,664 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday reported 1,528,235 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 23,405 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 1,324 to 91,664. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on May 19, compared with its count a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/2SGLijD)

Apple-Google contact tracing tech draws interest in 23 countries, some hedge bets

Authorities in 23 countries across five continents have sought access to contact tracing technology from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google, the companies announced on Wednesday as they released the initial version of their system. But authorities would have to stop requiring phone numbers from users under the companies' rules, one of several restrictions that have left governments fighting the novel coronavirus frustrated that the world's top two smartphone software makers undercut the technology's usefulness by prioritizing user privacy.

Gilead-Galapagos's drug meets main goals of ulcerative colitis study

Gilead Sciences Inc and partner Galapagos NV said on Wednesday a higher dose of their experimental drug filgotinib showed greater effectiveness than placebo in a mid-stage study testing it in ulcerative colitis patients. Filgotinib is being tested for inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. (https://reut.rs/2Tmy9fO)

A nurse struggled with COVID-19 trauma

Becoming a nurse in 2018 was a dream come true for William Coddington. He loved helping people and feeling needed at his West Palm Beach, Florida hospital. The 32-year-old was on the upswing of a decade-long battle with opioid addiction and other substance abuse, according to friends and family, who said he was committed to his recovery.

Swedish antibody study shows long road to immunity as COVID-19 toll mounts

A Swedish study found that just 7.3 percent of Stockholmers developed COVID-19 antibodies by late April, which could fuel concern that a decision not to lock down Sweden against the pandemic may bring little herd immunity in the near future. The strategy was championed by Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, whose recommendation for voluntary measures against the virus, rather than a mandatory lockdown like those imposed by many other countries, has divided opinion at home and abroad.

WHO reports most coronavirus cases in a day as cases approach five million

The World Health Organization expressed concern on Wednesday about the rising number of new coronavirus cases in poor countries, even as many rich nations have begun emerging from lockdown. The global health body said 106,000 new cases of infections of the novel coronavirus had been recorded in the past 24 hours, the most in a single day since the outbreak began.

Peru coronavirus cases surpass 100,000 as demand sends drug prices soaring

Peru's number of confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed 104,000, the Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday, as the outbreak puts pressure on the demand for medicines, whose prices have soared in recent days. There are 104,020 confirmed cases in the South American country, and the death toll rose to 3,024, up from 2,914 a day earlier, the ministry said.

U.S. nursing homes plagued by infection control issues pre-COVID-19: report

U.S. nursing homes have been plagued with infection control deficiencies even before the coronavirus pandemic turned them into hotspots for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, a government report said on Wednesday. Eighty-two percent of all nursing homes had an infection prevention and control deficiency cited in one or more years from 2013-2017, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.