Health News Roundup: India's coronavirus cases cross 200,000; Thailand reports one new coronavirus case and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Exclusive: Lonza sets new goal to make Moderna COVID-19 vaccine ingredients

Lonza aims to speed completion of two commercial production lines for Moderna Inc's trial COVID-19 vaccine so manufacturing could start four to six weeks earlier than planned if the project is successful, the Swiss drugmaker's chairman said on Tuesday. Lonza, which hopes to make smaller batches of active ingredients for the U.S. biotechnology company's experimental vaccine by July, now aims to finish a commercial production line in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a month or so earlier than its original December 2020 target, Albert Baehny told Reuters.

Germany says coronavirus infections rise 342 to 182,370

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 342 to 182,370, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Wednesday. The reported death toll rose by 29 to 8,551, the tally showed.

Reasonable to expect some coronavirus vaccine by year-end, Pentagon researcher says

A senior U.S. Army vaccine researcher said on Tuesday it was reasonable to expect that some sort of coronavirus vaccine could be available to part of the U.S. population by the end of the year. Defense Secretary Mark Esper vowed on May 15 that the U.S. military and other parts of the government would, in collaboration with the private sector, produce a vaccine at scale to treat the American people and partners abroad by year-end.

U.S. temporarily to allow certain impurities in hand sanitizer

The Trump administration said this week it will temporarily allow some impurities in alcohol-based hand sanitizer to ensure access to the product during the coronavirus pandemic, reversing course after having tightened restrictions in April. The move will provide clarity on impurity limits for a slew of fuel ethanol companies that had switched to producing hand sanitizer during the outbreak, after regulators discovered some of the impurities, including cancer-causing acetaldehyde, several weeks ago.

Thailand reports one new coronavirus case, no deaths

Thailand on Wednesday reported one new coronavirus infection and no new deaths, bringing the country's total to 3,084 confirmed cases and 58 fatalities since the outbreak started in January. The new case is a 26-year-old Thai man who recently returned from Saudi Arabia, said Panprapa Yongtrakul, a spokeswoman for the government's coronavirus task force.

Study panning anti-malaria drug Trump took against COVID faces new questions

British medical journal the Lancet on Tuesday said it had concerns about data behind an influential article that found hydroxychloroquine increased the risk of death in COVID-19 patients, a conclusion that undercut scientific interest in the medicine championed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Hydroxychloroquine - which has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties - inhibited the coronavirus in laboratory experiments but has not been proven effective in humans, particularly in placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials considered the gold standard for data.

Coronavirus reaches maximum intensity in Mexico, health official says

Mexico's deputy health minister said on Tuesday that the novel coronavirus had reached its maximum intensity in the country after the ministry reported a record increase in daily cases. The ministry said on Tuesday there were an additional 3,891 cases of the coronavirus and 470 more deaths.

South Korea approves emergency use of Gilead's anti-viral drug to treat COVID-19

South Korea said on Wednesday it has approved the emergency use of Gilead Sciences Inc's remdesivir to treat COVID-19 after a government panel last week cited positive results for the anti-viral drug in other countries. Remdesivir, which is administered intravenously in hospital, is the first drug to show improvement in COVID-19 patients in formal clinical trials.

Thai clinic offers mini face mask for up-close beauty treatments

As Thai businesses modify their work practices after coming out of lockdown, a beauty clinic in Bangkok has devised a mini face mask for clients receiving up close and personal cosmetic treatments during the era of the coronavirus. The idea of the mask, which uses a narrower protective strip to expose more of the face, is so that doctors can conduct procedures while limiting contact with the nose and mouth."At first, I thought it was weird but it is actually really great because it's specifically designed to keep us safe during facial treatments," said Kannika Sae-Ngow, a customer at the Waleerat Clinic was receiving laser treatment on Tuesday.

India's coronavirus cases cross 200,000, peak still weeks away

India's coronavirus infections crossed 200,000, the health ministry said on Wednesday, and a peak could still be weeks away in the world's second-most populous country. Cases jumped by 8,909 over the previous day in one of the highest single-day spikes, taking the tally to 2,07,615. Six other nations, from the United States to Britain and Brazil, have a higher caseload.