Health News Roundup: Mexico overtakes U.S. coronavirus daily deaths; Sweden sees an increase in coronavirus infections and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Robot to safely swab for coronavirus developed by scientists in Denmark

Danish researchers have developed a fully automated robot that can take coronavirus swabs so that health care professionals are not exposed to the risk of infection. Researchers from Southern University of Denmark (SDU) and Lifeline Robotics hope their prototype 'swab robot' can soon be deployed to relieve health professionals of the potentially risky task of testing patients.

Deaths jump in Brazil's indigenous tribes as virus spreads

Coronavirus is spreading fast through Brazil's indigenous populations, with deaths caused by the disease increasing more than five-fold in the past month, according to data collected by a national association of first peoples. Many epidemiologists had hoped remote locations might protect the tribes, but the virus, which first took hold in Brazil's cosmopolitan state capitals of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, is increasingly devastating these far-flung communities where basic healthcare is often precarious.

Sweden sees an increase in coronavirus infections, fall in deaths

Coronavirus infections are increasing in Sweden, while the number of deaths and people treated at intensive care continues to fall, the Health Agency said on Thursday. Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said the increase in cases could not solely be explained by increased testing. Sweden has registered 41,883 cases in total.

Does drug tout by Trump work on COVID-19? After data debacle, we still don't know

Scientists are resuming COVID-19 trials of the now world-famous drug hydroxychloroquine, as confusion continues to reign about the anti-malarial hailed by U.S. President Donald Trump as a potential "game-changer" in fighting the pandemic. The renewed research push follows widespread criticism of the quality of data in a study published by The Lancet, an influential medical journal, which found high risks associated with the treatment.

Florida offers drive-through Botox to quarantined residents

Quarantined Florida residents worried about their laughter lines and crows' feet need frown no longer - Botox is back, and it's being offered at a drive-through. On May 4, the U.S. state allowed a partial relaxing of restrictions imposed to slow the coronavirus pandemic. That means certain elective medical procedures could resume, including Botox injections and cosmetic surgery.

Inovio plans human trials for potential COVID-19 vaccine in South Korea in June

Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Thursday it plans to begin human trials of its potential COVID-19 vaccine in South Korea later in June, with support from Seoul-headquartered partner, non-profit organization International Vaccine Institute. The company said the two-stage trial would assess the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in 40 healthy adults, and later expand to enroll an additional 120 people.

EU to use $2.7 billion funds to buy promising COVID-19 vaccines

The European Union is preparing to use an emergency 2.4-billion- euro ($2.7 billion) fund to make advance purchases of promising vaccines against the new coronavirus, EU officials told Reuters. The move was discussed at a meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday, after Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands said they were speeding up negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to secure access to vaccines currently under development.

Europe pins hopes on smarter coronavirus contact tracing apps

European countries cautiously emerging from the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic are looking to the second generation of contact tracing apps to help contain further outbreaks. The latest apps have big advantages over earlier ones as they work on Apple's iPhone, one of the most popular smartphones in Europe, and do not rely on centralized databases that could compromise privacy.

India's urban COVID-19 outbreak is morphing into a rural health crisis

Rural parts of India have begun to see a surge in novel coronavirus infections, as millions of migrant workers returning from big cities and industrial hubs bring the virus home with them, according to data collected from seven Indian states. Officials said the spike in cases was a fresh challenge for the country's health authorities, even as they struggle to check the outbreak in cities amid the easing of a months-long lockdown. Confirmed cases in India crossed the 200,000 marks on Wednesday. Some experts say that a peak remains weeks away.

Mexico overtakes U.S. coronavirus daily deaths, sets records

Mexico overtook the United States in daily reported deaths from the novel coronavirus for the first time on Wednesday, with the health ministry registering a record 1,092 fatalities it attributed to improved documenting of the pandemic. Latin American has emerged in recent weeks as a major center for coronavirus. Brazil, where the virus has hit hardest in the region, also reported a record number of deaths on Wednesday.