Health News Roundup: Indonesia reports 862 new coronavirus infections; Russia reports fewer than 8,000 new cases and more

Brazil records nearly 50,000 coronavirus deaths as crisis deepens Nearly 50,000 people have died from the coronavirus in Brazil, the world No. 2 hotspot, with 1,022 fatalities in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Beijing can screen almost 1 million people daily for coronavirus, says official

The Chinese capital is capable of screening almost 1 million people a day for the coronavirus, an official said on Sunday, as testing continued across the city to try to contain the spread of a fresh outbreak. Beijing has been expanding testing in the city of 20 million since a cluster of infections linked to a food wholesale market erupted over a week ago.

Indonesia reports 862 new coronavirus infections, 36 new deaths

Indonesia reported 862 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, taking its total number of cases to 45,891. Health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said there were 36 more deaths reported, with total fatalities now at 2,465, the highest coronavirus death toll in East Asia outside of China.

India gives Hetero Labs approval to make Gilead's COVID-19 drug

India's drug regulator has given Hetero Labs the green light to manufacture and market its generic version of Gilead Science's experimental COVID-19 treatment remdesivir, the Indian pharmaceutical company said on Sunday. The drug, which will be marketed under the brand name Covifor, will likely be priced at 5,000 to 6,000 rupees ($66-$79) for a 100-milligram dose, Hetero said.

Australian state extends state of emergency as coronavirus cases spike

Australia's second-most populous state, Victoria, on Sunday extended its state of emergency for four more weeks to July 19, as it battles a spike in coronavirus infections with a pick-up in community transmission. The move came a day after the state said it would reimpose restrictions capping visitors to households to five people and outdoor gatherings to 10, starting Monday. The limits had been relaxed on June 1 to allow up to 20 people in households and public gatherings.

U.S. halts test of Trump-touted hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 patients

The U.S. National Institutes of Health said on Saturday it has halted a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The study found that hydroxychloroquine, which President Donald Trump has frequently touted a possible treatment, did not provide any benefit to the patients, even though it did no harm, NIH said in a statement.

Russia reports fewer than 8,000 new coronavirus cases

Russia on Sunday reported 7,728 new cases of the novel coronavirus, pushing its nationwide case tally to 584,680 since the crisis began. The national coronavirus response center said that 109 people had died in the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 8,111.

Brazil records nearly 50,000 coronavirus deaths as crisis deepens

Nearly 50,000 people have died from the coronavirus in Brazil, the world No. 2 hotspot, with 1,022 fatalities in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. A total of 49,976 people have officially died from COVID-19 in Brazil, according to the ministry, with a total of 1,067,579 confirmed cases. Only the United States has recorded more deaths and cases.

Chinese researchers launch a phase-2 human test for possible coronavirus vaccine

Chinese researchers have started a second phase human trial of a possible coronavirus vaccine, the Institute of Medical Biology at Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (IMBCAMS) said on Sunday, in efforts to further assess effectiveness and safety. About a dozen vaccines are in different stages of human tests globally, as the World Health Organization warns the coronavirus pandemic is accelerating and "the world is in a new and dangerous phase".

U.S. CDC reports 2,215,618 coronavirus cases

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday reported 2,215,618 cases of new coronavirus, an increase of 32,218 from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 690 to 119,055. 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 19 compared with its previous report released on Friday.

urges slowdown in COVID-19 testing, calling it a 'double-edged sword'

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday told thousands of cheering supporters he had asked U.S. officials to slow down testing for the novel coronavirus, calling it a "double-edged sword" that led to more cases being discovered. Trump said the United States had now tested 25 million people, far more than other countries.

(With inputs from agencies.)