Health News Roundup: U.S. CDC reports 2,414,870 COVID cases and Scientists beginning to understand health problems by COVID 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 25 versus its previous report a day earlier. 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.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. CDC reports 2,414,870 coronavirus cases

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday reported 2,414,870 cases of new coronavirus, an increase of 40,588 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 2,516 to 124,325. 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 25 versus its previous report a day earlier.

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.

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 says $31.3 billion needed for tools to fight COVID-19

A World Health Organization-led coalition fighting the COVID-19 pandemic is asking government and private sector donors to help raise $31.3 billion in the next 12 months to develop and deliver tests, treatments and vaccines for the disease. Renewing its call on Friday for global collaboration against the pandemic, it said $3.4 billion had been contributed for the coalition to date, leaving a funding gap of $27.9 billion. Of that, $13.7 billion was "urgently needed".

Texas and Florida crack down on bars, reversing coronavirus reopening

With new coronavirus cases surging in Texas and Florida, officials on Friday ordered bars to close again and imposed tighter restrictions on restaurants, setting back efforts to reopen their economies. Governor Greg Abbott gave bars in Texas until midday Friday to shut and ordered restaurants to reduce capacity, while Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation told bars to immediately stop serving alcohol on their premises.

Coronavirus traces found in March 2019 sewage sample, Spanish study shows

Spanish virologists have found traces of the novel coronavirus in a sample of Barcelona waste water collected in March 2019, nine months before the COVID-19 disease was identified in China, the University of Barcelona said on Friday. The discovery of virus genome presence so early in Spain, if confirmed, would imply the disease may have appeared much earlier than the scientific community thought.

U.S. to ship remdesivir to states including California and Texas with rising COVID-19 cases

The U.S. government will ship more of Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral treatment remdesivir to states experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases including California, Texas, Florida and Arizona, according to the Department of Health and Human Services' website. The government reallocated remdesivir to states with increasing cases, White House task force coordinator Deborah Birx said during a briefing on Friday.

Coronavirus, spreading in Brazil's interior, threatens to 'boomerang' back to major cities

The novel coronavirus, now spreading through the smaller towns of Brazil's interior, risks returning to major cities in a so-called "boomerang effect," as a lack of specialized medical treatment forces patients into larger urban centers. The impact of a potential second wave of new cases in urban centers could complicate attempts to reopen businesses and get the economy going again, experts said.

Antibody test accuracy unclear; COVID-19 risks higher for pregnant women

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. COVID-19 antibody tests not backed by solid data.

Key U.S. medical group adds steroids to COVID-19 treatment guidelines

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has updated its treatment guidelines to include generic steroid pills for patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The only other drug the medical group recommends for COVID-19 patients outside of a clinical trial is remdesivir, the intravenous antiviral medication made by Gilead Sciences Inc.