Health News Roundup: U.S. CDC reports 2,374,282 coronavirus cases; CDC head warns pregnant women with COVID-19 face greater risks and more

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 24, versus its previous report a day earlier.(https://bit.ly/2BROCTB) CDC head warns pregnant women with COVID-19 face greater risks Pregnant women have increased risk of severe COVID-19 compared to women who are not pregnant, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention Robert Redfield told reporters on Thursday, warning that states with rising coronavirus cases need to take action.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. CDC reports 2,374,282 coronavirus cases

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday reported 2,374,282 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 37,667 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 692 to 121,809. 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 24, versus its previous report a day earlier.

CDC head warns pregnant women with COVID-19 face greater risks

Pregnant women have increased risk of severe COVID-19 compared to women who are not pregnant, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention Robert Redfield told reporters on Thursday, warning that states with rising coronavirus cases need to take action. The CDC has found that pregnant women are more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit and to be put on mechanical ventilators than non-pregnant women, he said.

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 477 to 192,556 - RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 477 to 192,556, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday. The reported death toll rose by 21 to 8,948, the tally showed.

Coronavirus may have infected 10 times more Americans than reported, CDC says

Government experts believe more than 20 million Americans could have contracted the coronavirus, 10 times more than official counts, indicating many people without symptoms have or have had the disease, senior administration officials said. The estimate, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is based on serology testing used to determine the presence of antibodies that show whether an individual has had the disease, the officials said.

U.S. sets one-day record for COVID-19 cases, Texas pauses reopening

The governor of Texas temporarily halted the state's reopening on Thursday as COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations surged and the country set a new record for a one-day increase in cases. Texas, which has been at the forefront of efforts to reopen devastated economies shut down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, has seen one of the biggest jumps in new cases, reporting more than 6,000 in a single day on Monday.

Mainland China reports 13 new coronavirus cases, including 11 in Beijing

China's health authority on Friday reported 13 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for June 25, down from 19 a day earlier. Of the new infections, 11 were in Beijing, the National Health Commission said in a statement, down from 13 a day earlier.

Fashion masks a hit as Indonesians, Malaysians seek style in safety

With no sign of the global coronavirus threat easing anytime soon, protective masks are fast becoming fashion accessories for Indonesians and Malaysians keen to add some style and humor to healthcare essentials. Bespoke masks are catching on in Indonesia, with customers ordering designs with their own faces printed on reusable neoprene material, some with smiling faces, or big red lips, like the one made for 46-year-old Heni Kusmijati.

Brazil registers 39,483 new cases of coronavirus, 1,141 deaths

Brazil recorded 39,483 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours as well as 1,141 deaths, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. Brazil has registered more than 1.2 million cases since the pandemic began, while cumulative deaths total 54,971, according to the ministry.

U.S. watchdog finds flaws in government pandemic response, chews out Transport Department, SBA

A U.S. government watchdog gave a blunt review of the shortcomings in the government's response to the pandemic on Thursday that included the sending of nearly $1.4 billion to deceased Americans, and the collection of incomplete and inconsistent virus-testing data. The report issued by the Government Accountability Office marked the first review of the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic and made recommendations to lawmakers on how to improve the fight to come out of the crisis.

Thailand reports four imported coronavirus cases; no local transmission in 32 days

Thailand on Friday confirmed four new coronavirus cases, all of which were imported from abroad, marking 32 days without community transmission. The four new cases were found in quarantine among Thais returning from Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, said a spokesman for government's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.