Health News Roundup: Brazil reports 620 coronavirus deaths; U.S. tops 130,000 deaths from COVID-19 and more

Mexico reports 4,902 new coronavirus cases, 480 more deaths Mexico's health ministry on Monday reported 4,902 new confirmed coronavirus infections and 480 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 261,750 cases and 31,119 deaths.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Brazil reports 620 coronavirus deaths on Monday

Brazil registered 20,229 additional cases of the novel coronavirus over the last 24 hours and 620 new deaths, the Health Ministry said on Monday. The nation has now registered 1,623,284 total coronavirus cases and 65,487 deaths attributable to the virus.

U.S. EPA approves use of Lysol Disinfectant Spray against COVID-19

UK-based Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc said on Tuesday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved use of its Lysol Disinfectant Spray against COVID-19. The U.S. EPA said in a statement that the agency had approved two products, Lysol Disinfectant Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist, based on laboratory testing that showed the products were effective against COVID-19.

U.S. tops 130,000 deaths from COVID-19 after record surge in cases

The number of U.S. coronavirus deaths exceeded 130,000 on Monday, following a surge of new cases that has put President Donald Trump's handling of the crisis under the microscope and derailed efforts to restart the economy. The overall rate of increase in U.S. deaths has been on a downward trend despite case numbers surging to record levels in recent days, but health experts warn fatalities are a lagging indicator, showing up weeks or even months after cases rise.

South Korean COVID-19 patient recovering after double lung transplant

After a record 112 days on a specialised life-support system, a South Korean COVID-19 patient is recovering from double lung transplant surgery, doctors say, in only the ninth such procedure worldwide since the coronavirus outbreak began. The 50-year-old woman was diagnosed with the disease and hospitalised in late February and then spent 16 weeks on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, which involves circulating a patient's blood through a machine that adds oxygen to red blood cells.

India's coronavirus death toll hits 20,000 as infections surge

India's death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surpassed 20,000 on Tuesday and case numbers surged as the south Asian nation pushed ahead with relaxations to its almost two-month lockdown amid grim economic forecasts. The rate of both new virus infections and deaths are rising at the fastest pace in three months, as officials lift a vast lockdown of India's 1.3 billion people that has left tens of thousands without work and shuttered businesses.

U.S. health official Fauci says COVID-19 outbreak is 'serious situation'

U.S. health official Anthony Fauci said on Monday that the current state of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States "is really not good" and a "serious situation that we have to address immediately." The United States is still "knee-deep" in the first wave of the illnesses, having never gotten the case number as low as planned, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said during a live internet interview with National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins.

Mexico reports 4,902 new coronavirus cases, 480 more deaths

Mexico's health ministry on Monday reported 4,902 new confirmed coronavirus infections and 480 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 261,750 cases and 31,119 deaths. The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

WHO reviewing report urging new guidance over airborne spread of coronavirus

The World Health Organization (WHO) is reviewing a report urging it to update guidance on the novel coronavirus after more than 200 scientists, in a letter to the health agency, outlined evidence the virus can spread in tiny airborne particles. The WHO says SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spreads primarily through small droplets expelled from the nose and mouth of an infected person that quickly sink to the ground.

China reports eight new coronavirus cases in mainland as of end-July 6 vs four a day earlier

China reported eight new coronavirus cases in the mainland for July 6, up from four a day earlier, the health authority said. All of the new infections were imported cases, involving travelers entering China from abroad, while the capital city of Beijing reported zero new cases, the National Health Commission said in a statement on Tuesday. There were no new deaths.

Hospitalizations jump 50% in California as coronavirus infections soar

New coronavirus cases soared in California over the July Fourth weekend, stressing some hospital systems and leading to the temporary closure of the state capitol building in Sacramento for deep cleaning, officials said on Monday. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has increased by 50% over the past two weeks to about 5,800, Governor Gavin Newsom said at a briefing.