Health News Roundup: Ending England's lockdown in December; UK records 397 COVID deaths and more

UK records 397 COVID deaths, highest daily toll since May The United Kingdom reported 397 new deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday, the highest daily figure since May 27, as the government prepares to introduce a national lockdown in England to stop a wave of infections threatening the health service.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Ending England's lockdown in December is realistic, says medical chief

It is realistic that England's forthcoming national lockdown can end on Dec. 2, chief medical officer Chris Whitty said on Tuesday, as it is designed reduce COVID-19 transmission rates enough to move into less stringent measures. Whitty said that any decision on whether to extend the lockdown, due to come into force on Thursday, would be for government, but he had faith that the public would adhere to the new restrictions.

UK records 397 COVID deaths, highest daily toll since May

The United Kingdom reported 397 new deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday, the highest daily figure since May 27, as the government prepares to introduce a national lockdown in England to stop a wave of infections threatening the health service. The UK, which has the biggest official death toll in Europe from COVID-19, is grappling with more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases a day. Scientists have warned a worst-case scenario of 80,000 dead could be exceeded this winter.

Brazil allows Johnson & Johnson to resume trial of COVID-19 vaccine

Brazilian health regulator Anvisa has authorized resumption of a clinical trial of Johnson & Johnson's experimental COVID-19 vaccine, according to a statement from the government agency on Tuesday. The J&J vaccine is one of four being tested in Brazil, which has the world's third worst outbreak behind the United States and India, and the second-highest COVID-19 death toll.

UK in talks with Palantir over COVID-19 test-and-trace program: FT

The British government is in talks with U.S. data analytics company Palantir Technologies Inc in an attempt to strengthen its test-and-trace program for COVID-19, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. Officials have been in talks with the tech company about using its Foundry software to manage sensitive contact tracing data, the FT reported https://on.ft.com/3oNU121, citing people familiar with the matter.

U.S. FDA warns about false positive results from COVID-19 antigen tests

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it is alerting clinical laboratory staff and healthcare providers that false positive results can occur with COVID-19 antigen tests. The decision was made following reports of false positive results associated with the tests used in nursing homes.

Canadian province of Ontario plans to allow indoor dining, gyms to reopen in Toronto

Indoor dining and gyms in Canada's financial capital, Toronto, will reopen on Nov. 14, pending confirmation from public health experts on Friday, Premier Doug Ford said on Tuesday, while the country's top doctor for the first time recommended the use of three-layer non-medical masks. The announcement by Ford was part of a reopening framework unveiled on Tuesday and comes as COVID-19 case counts rise in the province as in much of Canada. But recent modeling out of Ontario suggests the surge will not overwhelm hospital capacity in the country's most populous province.

McKesson says states seek $21 billion from drug distributors in opioid settlement

McKesson Corp on Tuesday said it and two other major U.S. drug distributors could be expected to pay up to $21 billion under a new proposal to resolve thousands of lawsuits alleging they helped fuel the U.S. opioid crisis. McKesson and rivals AmerisourceBergen Corp and Cardinal Health Inc last year proposed paying a combined $18 billion to resolve the roughly 3,200 lawsuits, with drugmaker Johnson & Johnson paying another $4 billion.

France reports more than 850 daily COVID-19 deaths

French health authorities on Tuesday reported 36,330 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, well below the 52,518 record set on Monday, but the 854 daily death toll linked to the disease was the highest since April 15. That tally was double Monday's 416 figure and the total number of fatalities now stands at 38,289.

U.S. CDC reports 230,893 deaths from coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday reported 9,268,818 cases of the novel coronavirus, an increase of 86,190 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 510 to 230,893. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19 as of 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 2, compared with its previous report released a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/3mA7Hfa)

Johnson & Johnson fails to overturn $2.12 billion baby powder verdict, plans Supreme Court appeal

Missouri's highest court on Tuesday refused to consider Johnson & Johnson's appeal from a $2.12 billion damages award to women who blamed their ovarian cancer on asbestos in its baby powder and other talc products. The Missouri Supreme Court let stand a June 23 decision by a state appeals court, which upheld a jury's July 2018 finding of liability but reduced J&J's payout from $4.69 billion after dismissing claims by some of the plaintiffs.