Health News Roundup: China sees European virus strain in Beijing; U.S. finds alternative partners to WHO and more

"The virus is still spreading fast, it is still deadly, and most people are still susceptible." Brazil to exceed 1 million COVID-19 cases as virus rages Brazil was on track to surpass 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, second only to the United States, with total deaths fast approaching 50,000 as the country struggles with a tense political climate and worsening economic outlook.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

China sees European virus strain in Beijing, WHO says more study needed

China said on Friday it had identified a European strain of coronavirus as having sparked the recent Beijing outbreak, while the World Health Organization said only that it had been imported from outside the city and needed further investigation. China has released genome sequencing data from samples taken in Beijing, which officials there said identified a European strain based on preliminary studies.

U.S. finds alternative partners to WHO, except for polio: U.S. official

The United States has found alternative partners for global health projects as it withdraws from the World Health Organization (WHO) except for polio eradication, an area where U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had credited the body for its good work. U.S. President Donald Trump last month announced that the United States was ending its relationship with the WHO over the body's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, accusing the U.N. agency of becoming a puppet of China.

U.S. hospitals in hard hit regions step up use of steroids on sickest COVID-19 patients

Several U.S. hospitals in states with fresh surges of COVID-19 cases have started treating their sickest patients with dexamethasone rather than await confirmation of preliminary results of a study by British researchers, who said the inexpensive steroid saves lives. The move illustrates how the pandemic is changing the way hospitals work, at least regarding COVID-19 patients.

Coronavirus pandemic accelerating with Americas worst warns WHO

The coronavirus pandemic is accelerating, with Thursday's 150,000 new cases the highest in a single day, and nearly half of those in the Americas, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. "The world is in a new and dangerous phase," Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing from WHO headquarters in Geneva. "The virus is still spreading fast, it is still deadly, and most people are still susceptible."

Brazil to exceed 1 million COVID-19 cases as virus rages

Brazil was on track to surpass 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, second only to the United States, with total deaths fast approaching 50,000 as the country struggles with a tense political climate and worsening economic outlook. Brazil confirmed its first case of the virus on Feb. 26. It has spread relentlessly across the continent-sized country, eroding support for right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro and raising fears of economic collapse after years of anemic growth.

WHO should change rules that led it to oppose travel restrictions, ex-head says

The World Health Organization should change guidelines that led it to oppose travel restrictions early in the coronavirus epidemic, said former WHO chief Gro Harlem Brundtland, who now chairs an independent watchdog that monitors the global body. The WHO's decision to oppose travel restrictions when it declared an international emergency on Jan. 30 has been one of the steps criticized by the United States, which has announced it will quit the U.N. agency.

U.S. CDC reports 2,178,710 coronavirus cases

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday reported 2,178,710 cases of new coronavirus, an increase of 23,138 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 733 to 118,365. 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 18 compared with its previous report released on Thursday.(https://bit.ly/30XDNtF)

German region risks lockdown if coronavirus outbreak not contained: premier

The Germany region of North Rhine Westphalia faces the threat of a renewed coronavirus lockdown amid a spiraling outbreak at a major slaughterhouse, the region's premier said on Friday. The outbreak near Gutersloh was first reported on Wednesday when 400 workers were tested positive. By Friday, that number had doubled to 803, Premier Armin Laschet said.

GSK in quest to be best, not first, in race for COVID-19 vaccine

There is a notable name missing from the frontrunners in the race to test experimental immunizations against the novel coronavirus: the world's largest vaccine maker GlaxoSmithKline. And that is absolutely fine according to the British group's chief medical officer for vaccines Thomas Breuer, who says the company prefers the slow and steady approach of focusing on an established technology that has the best chance of reaching the widest possible demographic.

Tennessee lawmakers pass 'heartbeat' abortion bill banning procedure after six weeks

Tennessee lawmakers passed one of the tightest abortion restrictions in the country on Friday, banning the procedure once a fetal heartbeat is detected at around six weeks, which is often before a woman realizes she is pregnant. The "heartbeat" bill follows a wave of similar strict anti-abortion measures passed by Republican-majority legislatures in an effort to prompt the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that guarantees a woman's constitutional right to abortion.