Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Eli Lilly starts human study of potential COVID-19 antibody treatment

Eli Lilly and Co said on Monday it had started an early-stage trial to test its potential treatment for COVID-19, in the world's first study of an antibody treatment against the disease. Lilly is one of the several drugmakers and research institutions that are working on vaccines, antivirals and other treatments to help those infected with the fast-spreading novel coronavirus, which has already killed over 370,000 worldwide. FDA approves emergency use of Abiomed heart pump for COVID-19 patients

Abiomed Inc said on Monday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization for its temporary invasive heart pump to help patients suffering from COVID-19 related right heart failure. The device, Impella RP, provides circulatory support to patients who develop right side ventricular failure, and is authorized to be used by healthcare providers in the hospital setting. Gilead says remdesivir helped moderate COVID-19 patients improve

Gilead Sciences Inc said on Monday results from a study showed its antiviral drug remdesivir demonstrated significantly greater clinical improvement in patients with moderate COVID-19. Remdesivir is being closely watched after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization on May 1, citing results from another study run by the National Institutes of Health that showed the drug reduced hospitalization stays by 31%, or about four days, compared to a placebo. Tanzanian recycling plant starts making face shields from plastic bottles

A recycling plant in Tanzania's port city of Dar es Salaam has traded paper for plastic bottles and started making anti-coronavirus face shields that are being snatched up by hospitals and health centres nationwide. Until earlier this year, Zaidi Recyclers had a thriving business in processing waste paper which it exported to customers in China and India, earning it around $37,000 in revenues monthly, according to its founder Allen Kimambo. Scientists hunt pandemic hotspots in race to test vaccines

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic may be waning. For vaccine developers, that could be a problem. Scientists in Europe and the United States say the relative success of draconian lockdown and social distancing policies in some areas and countries means virus transmission rates may be at such low levels that there is not enough disease circulating to truly test potential vaccines. Exclusive: Russia to roll out its first approved COVID-19 drug next week

Russia will start giving its first drug approved to treat COVID-19 to patients next week, its state financial backer told Reuters, a move it hopes will ease strains on the health system and speed a return to normal economic life. Russian hospitals can begin giving the antiviral drug, which is registered under the name Avifavir, to patients from June 11, the head of Russia's RDIF sovereign wealth fund told Reuters in an interview. He said the company behind the drug would manufacture enough to treat around 60,000 people a month. Thailand races to create COVID vaccine, eyes possible medical tourism boost

Momentum is building behind Thailand's push to create its own coronavirus vaccine, with more manpower and resources dedicated to the effort amid hopes it could boost medical tourism. Thai trials of an experimental vaccine using monkeys started last month, one of at least 100 potential vaccines being developed globally. The government is hopeful it will have a cost-effective vaccine ready for next year. Congo confirms new Ebola case, 1,000 km from eastern outbreak

Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed a case of Ebola in the western province of Equateur, over 1,000 km (620 miles) away from the ongoing outbreak in the country's east, Health Minister Eteni Longondo told journalists on Monday. The diagnosis presents a fresh challenge to health authorities. In April, Congo was days from declaring the end of the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record when a new chain of infection was confirmed in the east. What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Scientists hunt pandemic hotspots U.S. awards new $628 million contract to boost output of potential COVID-19 vaccine

The U.S. government on Monday entered into a $628 million contract with drugmaker Emergent BioSolutions to boost manufacturing capacity for a potential COVID-19 vaccine. As drugmakers race to develop vaccines, tests and therapies for COVID-19, the United States is looking to secure manufacturing capacity under its "Operation Warp Speed" program announced in May to accelerate vaccine development.