Health News Roundup: Hungarian village firm takes global role; North Dakota becomes 35th state to require masks and more

North Dakota joined 38 other states this month in reporting record daily jumps in new cases, 17 others with record deaths and 25 others with a record number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals, according to a Reuters tally.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

In COVID-19 vaccine race, Hungarian village firm takes global role

In an unassuming house in rolling hills east of the Hungarian capital, a small family firm is helping oil the wheels of the world's big pharmaceutical companies on the path to a coronavirus vaccine. Biologist Noemi Lukacs, 71, retired to Szirak, her birth village, to establish English & Scientific Consulting (SciCons) and manufacture a genetic sensor so sensitive that a few grams can supply the entire global industry for a year.

As U.S. pandemic intensifies, North Dakota becomes 35th state to require masks

North Dakota has become the 35th U.S. state to require face coverings be worn in public, as governors across the country grapple with a surge in coronavirus infections that threatens to swamp their health care systems. North Dakota joined 38 other states this month in reporting record daily jumps in new cases, 17 others with record deaths and 25 others with a record number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals, according to a Reuters tally.

Italy reports 33,979 new coronavirus cases in 24-hours, 546 deaths

Italy has registered 33,979 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Sunday, down from 37,255 on Saturday. The ministry also reported 546 COVID-related deaths, from 544 the day before.

Exclusive: Drugmakers offer Canada C$1 billion to scrap some pending pricing rules

The pharmaceutical industry has made a last-ditch C$1 billion ($761 million) proposal to the Canadian government in hopes of fending off parts of a drug pricing crackdown set to go into effect on Jan. 1, according to industry documents reviewed by Reuters. The remaining regulations would still reduce drugmakers' revenue by at least C$19.8 billion ($15.1 billion) over 10 years, according to an industry estimate.

India to fly in medical staff, ramp up testing amid rising cases in Delhi

India will fly doctors in from other regions, double the quantity of tests carried out and ensure people wear masks in efforts to contain the coronavirus spread in the capital New Delhi, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday. "Amit Shah also directed that the hospital capacity and availability of other medical infrastructure should be ramped up considerably," the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement on Sunday.

France records 27,228 new COVID-19 cases, 302 more deaths

France has registered 27,228 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and a further 302 deaths from the disease in the last 24 hours, health ministry data showed on Sunday, although there were signs of a fall in the rate of new cases. France has now recorded 1,981,827 confirmed COVID-19 cases in all, while 44,548 people have died from the virus - the seventh-highest death toll in the world.

Coronavirus emerged in Italy earlier than thought, Italian study shows

The new coronavirus was circulating in Italy since September 2019, a study by the National Cancer Institute (INT) of the Italian city of Milan shows, signaling that COVID-19 might have spread beyond China earlier than previously thought. The World Health Organization has said the new coronavirus and COVID-19, the respiratory disease it causes, were unknown before the outbreak was first reported in Wuhan, in central China, in December.

U.S. CDC reports 244,810 deaths from coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported 10,846,373 cases of the novel coronavirus, an increase of 155,708 from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 1,252 to 244,810. The CDC reported its tally of COVID-19 cases as of 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 14, compared with its previous report released a day earlier.

Biden advisers urge immediate COVID-19 action as infections mount

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's top advisers on Sunday called for urgent action to address the nation's "deeply alarming" COVID-19 epidemic and warned that Republican President Donald Trump's transition delay could further jeopardize the battle against the virus, including vaccine distribution planning. They also urged Congress to immediately pass bipartisan financial relief even before Biden, a Democrat, takes office on Jan. 20, as daily COVID-19 cases shattered U.S. records and strained hospitals nationwide, forcing a wave of new restrictions heading into the U.S. holiday season.

Washington state governor imposes sweeping restrictions amid COVID-19 surge

Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced sweeping new restrictions on gatherings and businesses on Sunday, including a ban on indoor service at restaurants and bars, to combat a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the state. The restrictions, most of which will take effect Monday at 11:59 p.m. and last for one month, come as the average daily tally for cases has doubled in the past two weeks, Inslee told a news conference.