Health News Roundup: Moderna shares jump on $1.5 billion; U.S. CDC reports 5,119,711 coronavirus cases and more

From one hotspot to another: Twin ER doctors on COVID-19 front lines in New York, Miami At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in New York City in April, physician Michael D'Urso was scrambling to care for the seemingly ever-increasing number of patients being wheeled into the emergency room where he worked.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Moderna shares jump on $1.5 billion U.S. contract for COVID-19 vaccine

Shares of Moderna Inc rose more than 5% on Wednesday after analysts said a $1.5 billion coronavirus vaccine supply agreement with the U.S. government could lead to similar deals with other countries. The United States and Moderna announced the agreement for 100 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine late on Tuesday.

U.S. CDC reports 5,119,711 coronavirus cases

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday reported 5,119,711 cases of coronavirus, an increase of 55,540 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 1,244 to 163,651. 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 Aug. 11 versus its previous report a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/2UkMHx9)

German agency does not expect COVID vaccine in autumn, withdraws report

Germany's public health agency does not expect a COVID-19 vaccine to be available by the autumn, an agency spokeswoman said, withdrawing a report it issued earlier on Wednesday, which she said had been published in error. The document, which has now been removed from the Robert Koch Institute's website, was an out-of-date version of a document being worked on by the agency, she added.

Russia says medics to get anti-COVID shots in two weeks, some Russians wary

Russia said on Wednesday the first batch of the world's first COVID-19 vaccine would be rolled out within two weeks and rejected as "groundless" safety concerns aired by some experts over Moscow's rapid approval of the drug. The vaccine, called "Sputnik V" in homage to the world's first satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, has yet to complete its final trials and some scientists said they feared Moscow may be putting national prestige before safety.

From one hotspot to another: Twin ER doctors on COVID-19 front lines in New York, Miami

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in New York City in April, physician Michael D'Urso was scrambling to care for the seemingly ever-increasing number of patients being wheeled into the emergency room where he worked. In Miami, his identical twin brother Dennis, also an emergency room doctor, listened to Michael's experiences on the front lines, providing support and encouragement, while bracing for the onslaught to hit his own state. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-twindoctors/parallel-lives-twin-brother-er-doctors-fight-covid-19-in-new-york-miami-idUSKBN22B1ZM

Surge in Spain's virus cases prompts regional smoking ban, field hospital

Coronavirus cases in Spain jumped by nearly 1,700 on Wednesday, part of a surge that has prompted the construction of a military field hospital in the hard-hit Aragon region and led authorities in Galicia to practically ban smoking in public places. Health ministry data showed 1,690 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed in the 24 hours to Wednesday, up from the 1,418 reported on Tuesday and bringing the cumulative total to 329,784. The new daily number excluded Madrid, which did not provide fresh data due to technical difficulties.

Brazilian state agrees to produce Russian COVID-19 vaccine

The Brazilian state of Parana on Wednesday reached a deal with Russia to produce a COVID-19 vaccine that Moscow has touted as the first to market, the state's press office said, although details of the agreement were not immediately available. Parana state had said on Tuesday it was in talks to produce the vaccine, although it was unclear if the state's research institute would get the necessary regulatory approvals from Brazil's federal government.

UK's COVID-19 death toll lowered to 41,000 after methodology change

Britain's official death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic was lowered by over 5,000 on Wednesday because the government adopted a new way of counting fatalities after concerns were raised that the old method overstated them. From now on, the authorities will publish on a daily basis the number of deaths that occurred within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test result, the Department of Health said.

COVID-19 tied to muscle-weakening disease; vaping risk documented

The following is a 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. Neuromuscular disease may be triggered by COVID-19.

White House to unveil new anti-coronavirus steps for reopening U.S. schools, aide says

The Trump administration will unveil eight new measures on Wednesday for U.S. schools to follow as they reopen to increase protection against the coronavirus pandemic, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said. "We want them (schools) to open soon and safely, and we're coming up with eight measures or so on how to do that, which will be announced today," Conway said in an interview with Fox News Channel.

(With inputs from agencies.)