Health News Roundup: WHO team visits Wuhan market; South Africa to receive extra 20 million COVID-19 vaccines and more

South Africa to receive extra 20 million COVID-19 vaccines, paper says South Africa has secured an additional 20 million coronavirus vaccines manufactured by Pfizer, national newspaper The Sunday Times reported on Sunday, citing an interview with the health minister.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Israel sees delay in COVID-19 turnaround, political wrangling could hamper fresh lockdown

Israel predicted a turnaround in the COVID-19 crisis could be weeks later than previously thought on Sunday as coronavirus variants offset its vaccination drive and a large funeral crowd of ultra-Orthodox Jews defied a five-week-old national lockdown. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promoted a speedy vaccination of Israel's most vulnerable cohorts - around 24% of 9 million citizens - and the lockdown as dual pathways to a possible reopening of the economy in February.

UK confident of COVID vaccinations after securing EU guarantees

Britain is confident its COVID-19 vaccination programme is secure after receiving guarantees from the European Union, the trade minister said on Sunday, trying to smooth over a row about supplies. Just a month after Britain completed its departure from the bloc, ties with Brussels were severely tested on Friday when the EU's plan for export controls on vaccines included triggering an emergency clause in the earlier Brexit deals.

Northern territories, home to many of Canada's indigenous people, lead COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Canada's northern territories have achieved much higher COVID-19 vaccination rates than its more populous provinces despite geographic challenges in a sign that prioritizing vaccine rollout in indigenous and rural communities is paying off. Two government policies helped drive this early success. A robust outreach to indigenous communities sought to overcome mistrust arising from decades of ill treatment by the Canadian government. In addition, officials have shipped more doses per capita to the Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, home to many of Canada's indigenous people, than to other provinces.

Saudi Arabia urges compliance as COVID-19 cases rise again

Saudi Arabia's health minister said on Sunday that complacency around coronavirus restrictions had led to a notable increase in daily cases in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia recorded 270 new infections on Saturday, 105 of them in the capital Riyadh.

WHO team visits Wuhan market where first COVID infections detected

A World Health Organization-led team of experts investigating the origins of COVID-19 visited Huanan market on Sunday, the now-shuttered wholesale seafood centre in the Chinese city of Wuhan where the new coronavirus was initially detected. The team arrived at Huanan amid heavy security, with additional barricades set up outside a high blue fence surrounding the market, and left in a convoy after about one hour. The experts did not take questions from journalists.

U.S. distributes 49.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, administers 31.1 million shots -CDC

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had administered 31,123,299 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Sunday morning and distributed 49,933,250 doses. The doses are for both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines as of 6 a.m. ET (1100 GMT) on Sunday, the agency said.

South Africa to receive extra 20 million COVID-19 vaccines, paper says

South Africa has secured an additional 20 million coronavirus vaccines manufactured by Pfizer, national newspaper The Sunday Times reported on Sunday, citing an interview with the health minister. Africa's most advanced economy has been one of the slowest among major emerging market nations to secure enough vaccines for the majority of its population and is due to begin administering first shots next month.

German military to send medical staff and equipment to Portugal

Germany's military will send medical staff and equipment to Portugal, where space in hospital intensive care units is running out after a surge in coronavirus infections, the defence ministry in Berlin said on Sunday. Portugal, which said on Saturday that only seven of 850 ICU beds set up for COVID-19 cases on its mainland were vacant, had asked the German government for help.

Perth in lockdown, ending Australia's two-week run without COVID-19

The Australian city of Perth was ordered into lockdown on Sunday after a security guard working in hotel quarantine tested positive for COVID-19, ending the country's longest coronavirus-free run. From Sunday evening until Friday, people in the city of 2 million must stay home, except for essential work, healthcare, grocery shopping or exercise, with visits to hospitals and nursing homes banned, said Western Australia state Premier Mark McGowan.

EU's Von der Leyen says AstraZeneca will deliver 9 million more vaccine doses

AstraZeneca will deliver nine million more doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union in the first quarter of this year, making a total of 40 million for the period, and will start deliveries one week earlier than expected, the president of the European Commission said on Sunday. The Anglo-Swedish company unexpectedly announced earlier this month that it would cut supplies to the EU of its vaccine candidate in the first quarter, sparking a row over supplies.