Health News Roundup: China reports 16 new COVID-19 cases; Brazil passes the half million mark for COVID-19 cases and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Thailand reports one new coronavirus case, no new deaths

Thailand reported one new coronavirus case on Monday and no new deaths, taking the total number of infections to 3,082, of which 57 were fatalities. The new infection was found in quarantine and was a patient who had arrived from Russia nearly two weeks ago, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's Covid-19 Administration Centre.

U.S. sends Brazil 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine, drug touted by Trump

The United States has supplied Brazil with 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine for use against the coronavirus, the two governments said on Sunday, despite medical warnings about risks associated with the anti-malaria drug. The White House released a joint announcement on the drug, whose use has been touted both by U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, just days after the World Health Organization suspended testing it in COVID-19 patients because of safety concerns.

China reports 16 new COVID-19 cases, highest in nearly three weeks

China reported the highest daily increase in coronavirus cases in nearly three weeks with 16 new infections discovered on May 31, as the number of so-called imported cases jumped in southwestern Sichuan province. The National Health Commission (NHC) said in a statement on Monday that all the new cases involved travelers from overseas, 11 of which were reported in Sichuan. China reported two confirmed cases on May 29, both of which were imported.

Brazil passes the half million mark for COVID-19 cases

Brazil registered 16,409 new cases of novel coronavirus on Sunday, raising the total of infected cases to 514,849 in the second-worst outbreak of COVID-19 in the world after the United States, the health ministry said. It said there were 480 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours in Brazil, for a total death toll of 29,314, the fourth highest in the global pandemic after the United States, Britain, and Italy.

South Korea's Celltrion says COVID-19 drug shows drop in viral load in animal testing

South Korea's Celltrion Inc said on Monday its experimental treatment of COVID-19 demonstrated a 100-fold reduction in viral load of the disease in animal testing. Drugmakers worldwide are rushing to develop treatments and vaccines for the illness that has caused more than 371,000 deaths globally.

Hong Kong reports first local COVID-19 cases in two weeks

Hong Kong has confirmed its first locally transmitted coronavirus cases in more than two weeks, fuelling concerns over its spread as restrictions on movement are relaxed. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Sunday it was investigating two confirmed cases of coronavirus, taking the number of cases so far to 1,085. Four people have died of the disease in Hong Kong.

Armed with disinfectant and admonishments, South Korean robot fights coronavirus spread

A self-driving robot equipped with cameras and an LED screen greets visitors at the lobby in the headquarters of South Korea's largest mobile operator, checking their temperature, dispensing hand sanitizer and disinfecting the floor. "Please take part in social distancing," the white robot firmly but politely reminds three SK Telecom employees who stand chatting nearby.

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 333 to 181,815: RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 333 to 181,815, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday. The reported death toll rose by 11 to 8,511, the tally showed.

Workers living in Mexico helping California's pandemic health response

Hundreds of Mexicans and Americans who live south of the border enter southern California's hospitals every day. But these are not the patients they are medical workers and support staff keeping a saturated healthcare system running amid the coronavirus pandemic.

New coronavirus losing potency, top Italian doctor says

The new coronavirus is losing its potency and has become much less lethal, a senior Italian doctor said on Sunday. "In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy," said Alberto Zangrillo, the head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan in the northern region of Lombardy, which has borne the brunt of Italy's coronavirus contagion.

(With inputs from agencies.)