Health News Roundup: Americans misusing disinfectants to prevent coronavirus; UK government orders expanded use of face maks and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Gargling with bleach? Americans misusing disinfectants to prevent coronavirus, survey finds

More than a third of Americans misused cleaners and disinfectants to try to prevent infection by the coronavirus, according to a survey taken shortly after President Donald Trump publicly asked whether injecting such products could treat COVID-19. Washing food with bleach, using household cleaning or disinfectant products on bare skin, and intentionally inhaling or ingesting these products were some of the most commonly reported "high-risk" practices in a May 4 online survey of 502 U.S. adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported.

UK government orders expanded use of face masks in English hospitals

All visitors to hospitals in England will be required to wear face coverings and all hospital staff must wear surgical masks from June 15, health minister Matt Hancock said on Friday. The announcement comes a day after the government said it would make face coverings mandatory on public transport.

AstraZeneca blood cancer drug shows signs of helping COVID-19 patients

AstraZeneca's cancer drug Calquence has shown initial signs of helping hospitalized COVID-19 patients get through the worst of the disease, as researchers scramble to repurpose existing treatments to help fight the deadly infection. Results from the preliminary research involving 19 patients, which was backed by the United States National Institutes of Health, encouraged the British drugmaker to explore the drug's new use in a wider clinical trial announced in April.

Wear masks in public says WHO, in update of COVID-19 advice

The World Health Organization (WHO) updated its guidance on Friday to recommend that governments ask everyone to wear fabric face masks in public areas where there is a risk of transmission of COVID-19 to help reduce the spread of the pandemic disease. In its new guidance, prompted by evidence from studies conducted in recent weeks, the WHO stressed that face masks were only one of a range of tools that can reduce the risk of viral transmission, and should not give a false sense of protection.

COVID-19 epidemics in India, South Asia growing but not exploding: WHO

The number of COVID-19 cases in India has been doubling every three weeks but the epidemic is not growing exponentially in the country and South Asia region, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday "In South Asia, not just in India, but in Bangladesh and... Pakistan and other countries of South Asia with large dense populations, the disease has not exploded, but there is always the risk of that happening," Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO's top emergency expert, told a news conference.

U.S. CDC reports 1,862,656 coronavirus cases

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday reported 1,862,656 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 20,555 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 1,035 to 108,064. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on June 4 versus its previous report released on Thursday. (https://bit.ly/2zcg3qg)

'It's not over': COVID-19 cases rise in some nations easing lockdowns: WHO

Some countries have seen "upticks" in COVID-19 cases as lockdowns ease, and populations must protect themselves from the coronavirus while authorities continue testing, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. The epicentre of the pandemic is currently in countries of Central, South, and North America, particularly the United States, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said.

Medical waste from coronavirus epidemic worries Spaniards

Spaniards are concerned about a new problem resulting from the coronavirus epidemic - how to safely get rid of vast amounts of disposable masks, gloves, and other sanitary equipment. A special prosecutor for environmental issues said on Friday that as the use of such items has soared, so had public concern about the mismanagement of contaminated waste.

Blood pressure drugs linked to lower death risk; more sensitive test recommended for blood clot risk

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. Taking blood pressure medicines linked to lower COVID-19 mortality.

WHO continues hydroxychloroquine trial after UK test halts

The World Health Organization is continuing its clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine, after British scientists halted a large trial that had been exploring use of the drug to treat patients with COVID-19 when initial results showed no evidence of benefit. "There are two distinct trials with their own protocols, their own oversight committees. Therefore we will continue for now," Soumya Swaminathan, the WHO's chief scientist, told an online news briefing when asked about the British trial halt.