Health News Roundup: Pfizer seeks emergency approval for COVID-19 vaccine; Most of California to be under stay-at-home orders and more

Mainland China reports 18 new COVID-19 cases for Dec. 5 Mainland China reported 18 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 5, up from 17 cases from a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Sunday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Pfizer seeks emergency approval for COVID-19 vaccine in India, media say

Pfizer Inc has applied for emergency use authorisation of its coronavirus vaccine in India, media said on Sunday, the first to do so in a country with the world's second-highest number of infections. The U.S. company, whose vaccine was recently approved by the British government, has written to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), CNN-News18 reported citing a government source.

Most of California to be under stay-at-home orders as COVID-19 surges

California's two most densely inhabited regions and its agricultural breadbasket will be under stay-at-home orders by Sunday night as the COVID-19 pandemic strains hospitals in the most populous U.S. state, officials said. Designed to kick in when intensive care units in any of five regions have little remaining capacity, the order affecting Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley will close bars, hair salons and barbershops, and allows restaurants to remain open only for takeout and delivery service.

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 17,767: RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 17,767 to 1,171,323, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Sunday. The reported death toll rose by 255 to 18,772, the tally showed.

Australian state eases restrictions for 'COVID safe' summer

Australia's Victoria state eased COVID-19 restrictions on Sunday after the country's pandemic hotspot recorded 37 days without any new coronavirus infections, moving toward a "COVID-safe" holiday season. From midnight on Sunday, up to 100 people will be able to attend public gatherings such as weddings, with density rules of one person per two square metres remaining in place, while 50% of office workers will be able to return to workplaces by Jan. 11, up from 25% now, the state's premier said.

Britain gets ready for roll-out of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine this week

Britain is preparing to become the first country to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week, initially making the shot available at hospitals before distributing stocks to doctors' clinics, the government said on Sunday. The first doses are set to be administered on Tuesday, with the National Health Service (NHS) giving top priority to vaccinating the over-80s, frontline healthcare workers and care home staff and residents.

Moscow rolls out Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine to most exposed groups

Moscow began distributing the Sputnik V COVID-19 shot via 70 clinics on Saturday to the most exposed groups, marking Russia's first large-scale vaccination against the disease, the city's coronavirus task force said. The Russian-made vaccine will first be made available to doctors and other medical workers, teachers and social workers because they run the highest risk of exposure to the disease.

U.S. CDC reports 277,825 deaths from coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday reported 14,255,535 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 214,099 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 2,439 to 277,825. 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 Dec. 4 versus its previous report a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/36f8EUx)

South Korea urges vigilance as COVID-19 clusters emerge in third wave

South Korean authorities urged vigilance on Saturday as small coronavirus clusters emerged in a third wave, centred in the Seoul area, with infections near nine-month highs. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 583 new coronavirus infections, down from the 629 reported on Friday, which was the highest since the first wave peaked in February and early March.

Mainland China reports 18 new COVID-19 cases for Dec. 5

Mainland China reported 18 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 5, up from 17 cases from a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Sunday. The National Health Commission said in a statement that 17 of the new cases were imported infections. The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, fell to 2 from 12 a day earlier.

South Korea to consider new curbs as coronavirus cases hit 9-month high

South Korea on Sunday reported 631 new coronavirus cases, the highest in nine months, ahead of an expected government decision on whether to further tighten social distancing curbs as health authorities struggle to contain a third wave of outbreaks. After implementing tighter restrictions on Saturday, the government is to decide on Sunday whether to impose new measures in a country that had seen initial success through aggressive contact tracing and other steps.