Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Britain to provide anti-viral drug remdesivir to some COVID-19 patients

Britain will provide anti-viral drug remdesivir to certain COVID-19 patients that it is most likely to benefit as part of a collaboration with manufacturer Gilead Sciences, the health ministry said on Tuesday. The department of health said that early data from clinical trials around the world showed that the drug could shorten the recovery time of COVID-19 patients by four days. Fujifilm COVID-19 drug research spills into June, dashing hopes of quick approval

Fujifilm Holdings Corp will continue research on Avigan into June, Japan's government said on Tuesday, effectively dashing hopes by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the drug would be approved as a COVID-19 treatment this month. Abe had said he hoped the drug would be approved in May if its efficacy and safety could be confirmed. Healthineers ready to boost antibody test production to 50 million per month

Siemens Healthineers stands ready to ramp up production of its antibody test to more than 50 million per month from June as governments across the world are keen to identify those who may have developed immunity to the coronavirus. The German group, which previously laid out plans to supply more than 25 million tests from June, said on Monday it was poised to increase production further at sites in Walpole, Massachusetts and in Glasgow, Delaware, depending on how the pandemic evolves. What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: 'Jump up at any time' WHO warns of 'second peak' in areas where COVID-19 declining

Countries where coronavirus infections are declining could still face an "immediate second peak" if they let up too soon on measures to halt the outbreak, the World Health Organization said on Monday. The world is still in the middle of the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak, WHO emergencies head Dr Mike Ryan told an online briefing, noting that while cases are declining in many countries they are still increasing in Central and South America, South Asia and Africa. Fears of coronavirus second wave prompt flu push at U.S. pharmacies, drugmakers

U.S. pharmacy chains are preparing a big push for flu vaccinations when the season kicks off in October, hoping to curb tens of thousands of serious cases that could coincide with a second wave of coronavirus infections. CVS Health Corp , one of the largest U.S. pharmacies, said it is working to ensure it has vaccine doses available for an anticipated surge in customers seeking shots to protect against seasonal influenza. Covid-19 tests within 24 hours for symptomatic Bavarians: state premier

Bavaria, one of the German states hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, will guarantee that people with symptoms can get a virus test within 24 hours, Prime Minister Markus Soeder said on Tuesday. This way people will know after 48 hours at the latest if they are infected, Soeder added at a news conference in Munich. Tech companies target temperature-monitoring patches for COVID-19

A group of tech companies is working on a patch about the size of small bandage that could be worn to monitor for the elevated body temperatures that can sometimes signal the onset of COVID-19. The patch would be powered by a specially designed microchip that will be made in Minnesota at a chip factory operated by SkyWater Technology in collaboration with Ohio-based chip design firm Linear ASICs and New York investment firm Asymmetric Return Capital. The patch is intended to be worn on the skin and to connect wirelessly to a smart phone to monitor a person's body temperature, the companies said. Global fundraising for COVID-19 vaccine, drugs exceeds $10 billion, EU says

A global campaign to fund the development of vaccines and therapies against COVID-19 has so far raised 9.5 billion euros ($10.4 billion), the head of the European Commission said on Tuesday. "Great result, reaching 1st milestone of GlobalResponse pledging marathon led by EU Commission," Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter. Merck leaps into COVID-19 development fray with vaccine, drug deals

Merck & Co Inc, which has largely kept to the sidelines of the race for COVID-19 treatments, said it was buying Austrian vaccine maker Themis Bioscience and would collaborate with research nonprofit IAVI to develop two separate vaccines. It also announced a partnership with privately held Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to develop an experimental oral antiviral drug against COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

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