Health News Roundup: Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 2,639 to 303,258; India's coronavirus infections rise to 6.69 million and more

India's coronavirus infections rise to 6.69 million India's total coronavirus cases rose by 61,267 in the last 24 hours to 6.69 million on Tuesday morning, data from the health ministry showed. Victoria, Australia's second-most populous state, reported one death from the virus in the last 24 hours and 15 cases, its biggest daily rise in infections in five days.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

White House blocking strict guidelines for emergency release of coronavirus vaccine: NYT

White House officials are blocking new federal guidelines for the emergency release of a coronavirus vaccine, including one that would likely ensure that no vaccine could be authorized before the Nov. 3 presidential election, the New York Times reported https://nyti.ms/36DGIdI on Monday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration submitted the guidelines to the Office of Management and Budget more than two weeks ago, but they stalled with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, the Times reported, citing people familiar with the approval process.

New York governor closes schools in coronavirus hot spots

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday agreed to New York City's plan to close schools in nine coronavirus "hot spots" in Brooklyn and Queens, but said he was still discussing whether non-essential businesses should be shut down again in those areas. The closing of both private and public schools in those areas will begin on Tuesday, Cuomo said, bringing forward the plan announced by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio by a day.

Trump's medical status unclear as doctors say he could be discharged on Monday

President Donald Trump could be discharged from the hospital where he is being treated for COVID-19 as soon as Monday, according to his doctors, although his condition remains unclear and outside experts warn that his case may be severe. Sequestered at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington since Friday, Trump has released a series of videos in an effort to reassure the public that he is recovering from a pandemic that has infected 7.4 million Americans and killed more than 209,000.

COVID-19 cases surge in U.S. Midwest and Northeast

After crushing their COVID-19 outbreaks in the spring and keeping them in check all summer, states in the U.S. Northeast are now seeing infections accelerate, with New York reporting nearly 10,000 new cases last week. Compared with the previous seven days, new cases in New York rose 102% in the week ended Oct. 4, while new cases in Connecticut rose 61% to 1,710 and new cases in New Jersey rose 23% to 4,650, according to a Reuters analysis of state and county reports. (Open https://tmsnrt.rs/2WTOZDR in an external browser for a Reuters graphic with state-by-state details)

Virus-hunting trio win Nobel for hepatitis C discovery

Two Americans and a Briton won the 2020 Nobel Prize for Medicine on Monday for identifying the hepatitis C virus, in work spanning decades that has helped to limit the spread of the fatal disease and develop drugs to cure it. The discoveries by Harvey Alter, Charles Rice and Briton Michael Houghton mean there is now a chance of eradicating the hepatitis C virus - a goal the World Health Organization wants to achieve in the next decade.

India's coronavirus infections rise to 6.69 million

India's total coronavirus cases rose by 61,267 in the last 24 hours to 6.69 million on Tuesday morning, data from the health ministry showed. Deaths from COVID-19 infections rose by 884 to 103,569, the ministry said.

Hundreds of thousands of people shackled for mental health issues globally, Human Rights Watch says

Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children with mental health conditions are living chained up in roughly 60 countries, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday. Without mental health support or awareness, families or institutions often shackle people against their will, leaving them eating, sleeping, urinating and defecating in one small space, the rights watchdog said in a report.

Cases rise in Australia's virus hotspot, but most linked to known outbreaks

Australia's coronavirus hotspot of Victoria state on Tuesday reported a slight rise in new cases, but authorities sought to allay fears by saying they could link most of those infections to known outbreaks. Victoria, Australia's second-most populous state, reported one death from the virus in the last 24 hours and 15 cases, its biggest daily rise in infections in five days.

CDC revises guidance, says COVID-19 can spread through virus lingering in air

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday said COVID-19 can spread through virus lingering in the air, sometimes for hours, acknowledging concerns widely voiced by public health experts about airborne transmission of the virus. The CDC guidance comes weeks after the agency published – and then took down – a similar warning, sparking debate over how the virus spreads.

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 2,639 to 303,258: RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 2,639 to 303,258, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday. The reported death toll rose by 12 to 9,546, the tally showed.