Health News Roundup: Eli Lilly starts human study of potential COVID-19 antibody treatment; Gilead's remdesivir shows modest improvement and more

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.

Gilead's remdesivir shows modest improvement in moderate COVID-19 patients

Gilead Sciences Inc on Monday reported that its antiviral drug remdesivir provided a modest benefit in patients with moderate COVID-19 given a five-day course of the treatment, while those who received the medicine for 10 days in the study did not fare as well. Gilead shares fell about 4%.

Egypt reports first decline in new coronavirus cases for a week

Egypt confirmed 1,399 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, the health ministry said, its first decline for a week. That is down from 1,536 reported the day before, but still, almost double the number on the same day a week ago.

WHO will decide on its hydroxychloroquine trial suspension in 24 hours

The World Health Organization (WHO) should have enough information in 24 hours to decide whether to continue suspending its trial of hydroxychloroquine for use against coronavirus, its chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Monday. Her comments come a week after the UN body paused its large study of the anti-malarial drug to treat COVID-19 due to concerns it increased death rates and irregular heartbeats in patients.

In-home antibody test shows promise; recovering surgery patients at risk from coronavirus

The following is a brief roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. In-home COVID-19 antibody test shows high accuracy.

WHO and other experts say no evidence of coronavirus losing potency

World Health Organization experts and a range of other scientists said on Monday there was no evidence to support an assertion by a high-profile Italian doctor that the coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic has been losing potency. Professor Alberto Zangrillo, head of intensive care at Italy's San Raffaele Hospital in Lombardy, which bore the brunt of Italy's epidemic, on Sunday told state television that the new coronavirus "clinically no longer exists".

In single Brazilian state, some 2,400 meat plant workers catch coronavirus, officials say

More than a quarter of the confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul are among meat plant workers, the labor prosecutors' office said on Monday. The prosecutors said in a statement that an estimated 2,399 employees from 24 slaughterhouses in 18 municipalities of the state have been infected. That equates to 25.7% of the 9,332 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Rio Grande do Sul as of Sunday, according to health ministry statistics.

U.S. health experts, officials warn protests may add to virus spread

Public health experts and government officials, including New York's governor, are warning that large street protests over racial inequities and excessive police force could worsen the spread of the novel coronavirus. The protests over the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday, have spread to cities including New York, Los Angeles, and Baltimore.

French health ministry says COVID-19 cases in hospitals slips

The French health ministry said on Monday that people should continue taking protective measures against the coronavirus even as cases in hospitals and intensive care continue to fall. As France readies for a second phase of easing restrictions from Tuesday, with parks, bars, restaurants, and beaches expected to reopen, the ministry said "good news should not make us forget the danger of the virus".

U.S. awards new $628 million contracts 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 the disease, the United States is looking to secure manufacturing capacity under its "Operation Warp Speed" program announced in May to accelerate vaccine development.

(With inputs from agencies.)