Health News Roundup: Mexico's confirmed coronavirus deaths near 75,000; Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 2,143 to 278,070 and more

U.S. CDC reports 200,275 coronavirus deaths The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday reported 6,874,982 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 49,285 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 813 to 200,275.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

UK's new COVID measures met with scepticism, confusion

The British government on Wednesday defended its new, stricter coronavirus measures against criticism that they did not got far enough, saying it was trying to balance supporting the economy while protecting health. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told citizens on Tuesday to work from home if possible and ordered restaurants and bars to close early, in an effort to slow a fast-spreading second wave of COVID-19, saying restrictions would likely last six months.

Trump says may block stricter FDA guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he may or may not approve any new, more stringent FDA standards for an emergency authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine, saying such a proposal would appear political. Trump has repeatedly said a vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, could be ready for distribution ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election.

Most Americans to be vaccinated for COVID-19 by July, CDC chief expects

A top U.S. health official told a U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday that he expects COVID-19 vaccinations to take place over many months and that most Americans could be vaccinated by July of 2021 at the latest. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention head Robert Redfield said he expects there to be about 700 million doses of vaccines available by late March or April, enough for 350 million people.

U.S. CDC reports 200,275 coronavirus deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday reported 6,874,982 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 49,285 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 813 to 200,275. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET on Sept. 22 compared with its previous report a day earlier.

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 2,143 to 278,070 - RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 2,143 to 278,070, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Thursday. The reported death toll rose by 19 to 9,428, the tally showed.

Exclusive: Top adviser steps aside from FDA COVID-19 vaccine reviews over potential conflict

A physician who heads the influential U.S. Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisory committee recused herself from the panel's review of COVID-19 vaccines because of her role overseeing a clinical trial for Moderna Inc's candidate, her spokeswoman told Reuters. Hana El Sahly, associate professor of virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, last year became chairwoman of the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee - the panel of outside experts that will make recommendations on whether coronavirus vaccines should be approved.

Mexico's confirmed coronavirus deaths near 75,000: health ministry

Mexico's confirmed coronavirus caseload rose to 710,049 on Wednesday, according to updated data from the health ministry, along with a reported death toll of 74,949. Authorities reported 4,786 new cases along with 601 deaths on Wednesday, but the true figures are likely significantly higher due to little testing.

Possible virus vulnerability discovered; about 20% of people with COVID-19 remain asymptomatic

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.

"Pocket" in virus' spike protein could be treatment target J&J kicks off study of single-shot COVID-19 vaccine in 60,000 volunteers

Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday began a 60,000-person trial of an experimental single-shot COVID-19 vaccine that, if proven effective, could simplify distribution of millions of doses compared with leading rivals requiring two doses. The company expects results of the Phase III trial by year end or early next year, Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J's chief scientific officer, said in a joint news conference with officials from the National Institutes of Health and the Trump administration.

Houston study: More contagious coronavirus strain now dominates

The first study to analyze the structure of the novel coronavirus from two waves of infection in a major city found that a more contagious strain dominates recent samples, researchers from Houston Methodist Hospital said on Wednesday. They examined more than 5,000 genomes from viruses recovered in the earliest phase of the pandemic in Houston, an ethnically diverse city of 7 million, and from an ongoing more recent wave of infections.

(With inputs from agencies.)