Reuters Health News Summary

The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on July 13 versus its previous report a day earlier.(https://bit.ly/2C3KbWi) FDA panel votes in favor of approving GSK's multiple myeloma drug An independent panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday voted in favor of approving GlaxoSmithKline's experimental treatment for a common form of blood cancer, saying the benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Asia ramps up coronavirus curbs as new clusters erupt

Australian states tightened borders and restricted pub visits on Tuesday, while Disney prepared to close its Hong Kong theme park and Japan stepped up tracing as a jump in novel coronavirus cases across Asia fanned fears of a second wave of infections. Many parts of Asia, the region first hit by the coronavirus that emerged in central China late last year, are finding cause to pause the reopening of their economies, some after winning praise for their initial responses to the outbreak. WHO seeks to help poor Latam nations get 'subsidized' COVID-19 vaccine

The World Health Organization (WHO) is working to ensure vulnerable Latin American nations receive a "subsidised" vaccine at an "affordable" price once it is available, WHO's regional director for the Americas, Carissa Etienne, said on Tuesday. The Latin America region has become the latest pandemic epicentre, with coronavirus deaths in the region on Monday surpassing the North American death toll for the first time since the start of the outbreak. U.S. CDC reports 3,355,457 coronavirus cases, 135,235 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday reported 3,355,457 cases of the coronavirus, an increase of 58,858 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 351 to 135,235. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on July 13 versus its previous report a day earlier.(https://bit.ly/2C3KbWi) FDA panel votes in favor of approving GSK's multiple myeloma drug

An independent panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday voted in favor of approving GlaxoSmithKline's experimental treatment for a common form of blood cancer, saying the benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks. Approval for belantamab mafodotin as a treatment for multiple myeloma is seen as important for GSK's growing oncology portfolio. The drug is a rival to Johnson & Johnson and Genmab's Darzalex treatment. Swiftly waning COVID-19 immunity poses vaccination challenge

Emerging evidence that the body's immune defence against COVID-19 may be short-lived makes it even harder for vaccine developers to come up with shots fully able to protect people in future waves of infection, scientists said on Tuesday. Preliminary studies in China, Germany, Britain and elsewhere have found that patients infected with the novel coronavirus make protective antibodies as part of their immune system's defences, but these appear to last only a few months. Iraqi children's hospital fighting to keep cancer patients safe from COVID-19

Basra Children's Hospital which specialises in cancer treatment has cut admissions by half since May due to the novel coronavirus, its director said, and is battling to keep children safe from infection with a new isolation ward and testing of staff. Hospital director Ali Abulhussein al-Idani said that since June, five children were diagnosed with the illness upon admission to the hospital, including a six month-old child, who died of complications. More U.S. schools go online-only as coronavirus cases and deaths rise

With coronavirus infections and deaths rising in many parts of the country, U.S. educators from California to Wisconsin are opting for online learning rather than a return to classrooms when the school year begins in a few weeks. Schools from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Fort Bend County, Texas, joined California's two largest school districts, Los Angeles and San Diego, in announcing plans to keep teachers and students from the close contact that classrooms demand. Moderna expects to start late-stage COVID-19 vaccine trial on July 27

Moderna Inc said on Tuesday it plans to start a late stage clinical trial for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate on or around July 27, according to its listing for the phase 3 study at clinicaltrials.gov. Moderna said it will conduct the trial at 87 study locations, all in the United States. Merck CEO says raising COVID-19 vaccine hopes 'a grave disservice' - report

COVID-19 vaccines under development are not guaranteed to work and people who say to expect a vaccine before year-end are doing a "grave disservice to the public," Merck & Co Inc's chief said, according to a Harvard Business Review report. The potential vaccines may not have the qualities needed to be rapidly deployed in large numbers of people, Chief Executive Kenneth Frazier said in an interview published on Monday. AstraZeneca ties up with IQVIA to speed up studies of COVID-19 vaccine candidate

Life sciences company IQVIA Holdings Inc said on Tuesday it would collaborate with AstraZeneca Plc to speed up clinical studies of the British drugmaker's potential COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. The collaboration is part of the U.S. government's Operation Warp Speed to accelerate the development of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.