Health News Roundup: Wuhan says conducted 887,321 COVID-19 tests; Britain agrees on deal on antibody tests and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

China's Wuhan says conducted 887,321 COVID-19 tests on May 20

The city of Wuhan, the original epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak in China, conducted 887,321 nucleic acid tests on May 20, the local health authority said on Thursday, compared with 856,128 a day earlier. Wuhan kicked off a campaign on May 14 to look for asymptomatic carriers - infected people who show no outward sign of illness - after confirming on May 9-10 its first cluster of COVID-19 infections since its release from a virtual lockdown on April 8.

Exterminate! UV robot sent to Singapore mall to zap coronavirus

A shopping mall in Singapore is deploying a newly developed smart robot to fight the novel coronavirus, not with chemicals - but with light. While spraying has become the norm in many places around the world, the robot uses ultraviolet lamps to disinfectant not only surfaces but tricky-to-reach crevices and even the air.

Britain agrees deal on antibody tests: PM's spokesman

Britain has agreed a deal to acquire antibody tests, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday, saying the tests would be free and health and care workers would be prioritized. "Have we now agreed on a deal on the antibody testing? The answer to that is yes," the spokesman told reporters, adding that health minister Matt Hancock would offer more details later.

One in six Spanish children depressed during a pandemic: survey

Nearly one in six Spanish children have felt regularly depressed during the coronavirus crisis, with those from poorer backgrounds suffering worse, a charity said on Thursday. Spain has had one of the world's strictest lockdowns, including keeping children behind doors for weeks, to curb the outbreak which has killed nearly 28,000 people.

Coronavirus catastrophe unfolding in south Yemen: medical charity MSF

The main coronavirus treatment center in southern Yemen has recorded at least 68 deaths in just over two weeks, the medical charity running the site said on Thursday, more than double the toll announced by Yemeni authorities so far. The spokesperson for the Yemeni government coronavirus committee in Aden, the south's main city and port, was not immediately available for comment.

South Africa scientists say up to 50,000 COVID-19 deaths possible

South Africa could see up to 50,000 coronavirus deaths and as many as 3 million infections by the end of the year as the southern hemisphere winter leads to a higher rate of infection, scientific models showed on Thursday. The country already has the highest number of infections and deaths on the continent, with more than 18,000 identified cases and 339 deaths, but a national lockdown entering its sixth week had slowed infections.

CVS Health ramps up COVID-19 drive-through test sites in 14 U.S. states

CVS Health Corp said on Thursday it was expanding drive-through testing sites for COVID-19 to 350 locations in 14 U.S. states with an aim to open 1,000 sites nationwide by the end of May. The drugstore chain, which has been operating large-scale testing sites since early April, said the objective is to process up to 1.5 million tests per month, subject to availability of supplies and lab capacity.

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: "A long way to go" Tech firms deploy Bluetooth chips for coronavirus contact tracing in office

Technology companies are developing their own contact tracing systems to help prevent coronavirus outbreaks in their offices as countries begin to ease lockdown measures and a return to the workplace is in the offing. Silicon Valley company Juniper Networks Inc plans to equip its about 10,000 employees with work identification badge holders that have a Bluetooth chip that will help to record a worker's movements and interactions in the office, company vice president Jeff Aaron said in an interview.

U.S. secures 300 million doses of potential AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

The United States has secured almost a third of the first one billion doses planned for AstraZeneca's experimental COVID-19 vaccine by pledging up to $1.2 billion, as world powers scramble for medicines to get their economies back to work. While not proven to be effective against the coronavirus, vaccines are seen by world leaders as the only real way to restart their stalled economies, and even to get an edge over global competitors.

(With inputs from agencies.)