Reuters Health News Summary

WHO-led coalition needs $31.3 billion to fight COVID-19 The World Health Organization-led coalition fighting the coronavirus needs $31.3 billion over the next 12 months to develop and roll out tests, treatments and vaccines, it said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. 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. EU drug regulator endorses Vertex's triple-combo cystic fibrosis treatment

Europe's health regulator said on Friday its panel has recommended approval of Vertex Pharmaceuticals' triple-combination treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF), a deadly disease that causes build-up of thick mucus in some parts of the body. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said its human medicines committee (CHMP) recommended the therapy for patients who are 12 years of age or older and have either of the two types of mutations that make up majority of the CF cases. (https://bit.ly/3dBB7oj) Scientists just beginning to understand the many health problems caused by COVID-19

Scientists are only starting to grasp the vast array of health problems caused by the novel coronavirus, some of which may have lingering effects on patients and health systems for years to come, according to doctors and infectious disease experts. Besides the respiratory issues that leave patients gasping for breath, the virus that causes COVID-19 attacks many organ systems, in some cases causing catastrophic damage. J&J scraps late-stage study testing Stelara for lupus

Johnson & Johnson's Janssen unit said on Friday it would discontinue a late-stage study testing its psoriatic arthritis drug Stelara as a treatment for lupus as it was not found to be effective against the auto-immune disease. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or lupus, causes inflammation in connective tissues, such as cartilage and the lining of blood vessels. Factbox: Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

Some powerful U.S. Senators are pushing back against an attempt by the Trump administration's Treasury Department to weaken a watchdog panel involved with overseeing $2.4 trillion in pandemic aid, according to three congressional aides. The Trump administration has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to invalidate the Obamacare law that added millions to the healthcare safety net, seeking to scrap coverage during the novel coronavirus crisis. Special Report: As world approaches 10 million coronavirus cases, doctors see hope in new treatments

Dr. Gopi Patel recalls how powerless she felt when New York's Mount Sinai Hospital overflowed with COVID-19 patients in March. Guidance on how to treat the disease was scant, and medical studies were being performed so hastily they couldn’t always be trusted. WHO-led coalition needs $31.3 billion to fight COVID-19

The World Health Organization-led coalition fighting the coronavirus needs $31.3 billion over the next 12 months to develop and roll out tests, treatments and vaccines, it said on Friday. It said $3.4 billion had been contributed to date, leaving a funding gap of $27.9 billion, of which $13.7 billion was "urgently needed". Japanese startup creates 'connected' face mask for coronavirus new normal

As face coverings become the norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, Japanese startup Donut Robotics has developed an internet-connected "smart mask" that can transmit messages and translate from Japanese into eight other languages. The white plastic "c-mask" fits over standard face masks and connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone and tablet application that can transcribe speech into text messages, make calls, or amplify the mask wearer's voice. Argentine doctors eye tough weeks ahead as COVID-19 cases near peak

Argentine doctors and health officials are predicting that coronavirus cases will peak in coming weeks as the southern hemisphere winter sets in, straining hospital intensive care units after confirmed cases accelerated past 50,000. The South American nation, which outperformed many of its neighbors early on controlling the virus with a tough lockdown, has seen cases rise fivefold since mid-May with over 2,600 new cases on Thursday alone. The death toll stands at around 1,150. Vaxart says potential COVID-19 vaccine picked for 'Operation Warp Speed'

Vaxart Inc said on Friday it would test its potential COVID-19 vaccine on monkeys in a study organized by the Trump Administration's vaccine-acceleration program called "Operation Warp Speed". Shares of the U.S. vaccine developer jumped 63% before the opening bell.