Health News Roundup: Northwell Health sets up mental health center for employees; India reports more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases and more

The meeting between Moderna and the maker of specialty drugs took place on Tuesday, the sources said. J&J COVID-19 vaccine in limbo as U.S. panel delays vote on resuming shots Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine remained in limbo on Wednesday as a U.S. health panel called for more data before making a decision on how and whether to resume use of the one-dose shot, putting off a vote for a week or more.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

New York's largest hospital system sets up mental health center for employees

New York's largest healthcare provider Northwell Health has opened a center to offer resilience and traumatic stress services to its 76,000 healthcare employees and their families impacted by COVID-19. Three Northwell Health frontline health professionals shared their experience of working at the height of the pandemic at a news conference on Wednesday.

India reports more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases for first time

India reported a record 200,739 COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, according to data issued by the health ministry on Thursday. Deaths stood at 1,038, taking the total to 173,123, the data showed.

Moderna discusses COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing with Nexus Pharmaceuticals: sources

Moderna Inc, looking to boost production of its COVID-19 vaccine, met with Nexus Pharmaceuticals to discuss manufacturing the shot at the company's new plant in Wisconsin, which has the capacity to process and fill 30 million doses a month, sources with knowledge of the matter said. The meeting between Moderna and the maker of specialty drugs took place on Tuesday, the sources said.

J&J COVID-19 vaccine in limbo as U.S. panel delays vote on resuming shots

Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine remained in limbo on Wednesday as a U.S. health panel called for more data before making a decision on how and whether to resume use of the one-dose shot, putting off a vote for a week or more. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory panel decided to delay a vote on how best to use the J&J shot even after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientist told advisers he believed warnings could mitigate the risk of extremely rare but serious blood clots.

Healthcare collapse imminent, Brazil's Sao Paulo warns, as COVID-19 cases surge

SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's richest and most populous state, Sao Paulo, has warned its ability to care for seriously ill COVID-19 patients was on the verge of collapse as it ran perilously low on key drugs, according to a letter to the federal government seen by the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper. Sao Paulo state said it expects to run out of crucial intubation drugs, needed to sedate patients, in the next few days, the paper reported on Wednesday.

China reports 10 new mainland COVID-19 cases vs 12 a day earlier

Mainland China reported 10 new COVID-19 cases on April 14, down from 12 cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Thursday. The National Health Commission, in a statement, said all of the new cases were imported infections originating from overseas. The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, rose to 15 from 12 a day earlier.

Thailand reports record daily rise with 1,543 new coronavirus cases

Thailand reported 1,543 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, the sharpest increase since the start of the pandemic and the fourth record rise this week, amid a third wave of infections in the Southeast Asian country. No new deaths were reported. The new cases took the total number of infections to 37,453, with deaths remaining at 97.

Moderna vaccines promising vs. variants in mouse study; no higher risk for poor outcomes found with UK variant

The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Vaccines designed for virus variants show promise in mice

Ex-leaders, Nobel winners urge U.S. to back COVID vaccine waiver

More than 60 former heads of state, including former leaders of Britain and France, and over 100 Nobel Prize winners called on U.S. President Joe Biden to back a waiver of intellectual property rules for COVID-19 vaccines. A waiver would boost vaccine manufacturing and speed up the response to the pandemic in poorer countries which otherwise might have to wait years, they said in a joint letter to Biden sent to news organisations on Wednesday.

Fauci says pause on J&J COVID-19 shot should not prompt vaccine hesitancy

Top U.S. health officials urged Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 on Wednesday, saying U.S. regulators' pause on Johnson & Johnson shots, following reports it can cause blood clotting, should boost confidence in the vaccines' safety. U.S. federal health agencies on Tuesday recommended pausing use of J&J's COVID-19 vaccine for at least a few days after six women under 50 developed rare blood clots after getting the shot.

(With inputs from agencies.)