Health News Roundup: Denmark plans to cull its mink population; Biogen Alzheimer's drug closer to approval with U.S. FDA and more

Britain prepares for COVID-19 vaccine as Oxford forecasts result this year Late-stage trial results of a potential COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca could be presented this year as the British government prepares for a possible vaccination rollout in late December or early 2021.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Denmark plans to cull its mink population after coronavirus mutation spreads to humans

Denmark will cull its mink population of up to 17 million after a mutation of the coronavirus found in the animals spread to humans, the prime minister said on Wednesday. Health authorities found virus strains in humans and in mink which showed decreased sensitivity against antibodies, potentially lowering the efficacy of future vaccines, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.

Biogen Alzheimer's drug closer to approval with U.S. FDA staff backing, shares jump 40%

Biogen Inc has shown "exceptionally persuasive" evidence that its experimental Alzheimer's disease drug is effective, U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff said on Wednesday, elevating its chances of a swift approval and sending company shares soaring. An FDA approval could come by March, which would make the drug, aducanumab, the first new treatment for the disease in decades, and the first that appears to be able to slow progression of the fatal, mind-wasting condition that affects millions of people.

Britain prepares for COVID-19 vaccine as Oxford forecasts result this year

Late-stage trial results of a potential COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca could be presented this year as the British government prepares for a possible vaccination rollout in late December or early 2021. A vaccine is seen as a game-changer in the battle against the coronavirus, which has killed more than 1.2 million people worldwide, shuttered swathes of the global economy, and turned normal life upside down for billions of people.

Chilean president says regulators okay AstraZeneca COVID vaccine trial

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said on Wednesday the country's health regulators had given the go-ahead to a clinical trial of the AstraZeneca PLC COVID-19 vaccine. Pinera said the AstraZeneca trial would follow one by America's Johnson & Johnson that is already underway and another by China's Sinovac, whose first vaccine doses arrived in Chile on Wednesday.

NYC first responders have high COVID-19 rates

 NYC first responders have high COVID-19 rates EU drug watchdog won't set minimum efficacy levels for potential COVID-19 vaccines

France registers over 40,000 new COVID-19 cases, warns of under-reporting

France registered 40,558 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, compared with 36,330 on Tuesday and a record of 52,518 on Monday, health ministry data showed. The total number of cases increased to 1,543,321 but the ministry added that the number of new cases reported on Wednesday was a minimum number that could increase due to problems with data gathering.

Italy locks down financial capital Milan and much of industrial north

Italy's latest restrictions to try to rein in the coronavirus include a partial lockdown of its richest and most populous region Lombardy around the financial capital Milan, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Wednesday. Earlier, the government published its new package of measures which toughen up nationwide curbs and divide the country into three zones - red, orange, and yellow, according to the intensity of the epidemic.

Delivery timetable of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has slipped, UK official says

The timetable for delivery of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine candidate has slipped and Britain will receive just 4 million doses of the shot this year, the head of the UK's vaccine procurement programme said on Wednesday. In May, Britain agreed a deal for 100 million doses of the vaccine, developed by Oxford University and licensed to AstraZeneca, with 30 million doses estimated for delivery by September 2020.

UK lawmakers approve month-long lockdown plan for England

British lawmakers approved a month-long lockdown in England, voting on Wednesday in favour of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to try to prevent COVID-19 running out of control and overwhelming health services. People will be ordered to stay at home from 0001 GMT on Thursday to combat a surge in new infections that could, if unchecked, cause more deaths than a first wave which forced a three-month lockdown earlier this year.

(With inputs from agencies.)