Health News Roundup: Ukraine's daily COVID-19 deaths exceeds 100 first time since June; Australia COVID-19 cases rise but vaccination surge gives hope and more

The pass is a digital or paper certificate showing someone has received at least one vaccine dose, tested negative or recently recovered from the disease. Swedish PM says children aged 12-15 will be offered COVID vaccine Sweden will offer vaccine to children aged 12 to 15 years later this autumn, Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Ukraine's daily COVID-19 deaths exceeds 100 first time since June

The number of daily coronavirus-related deaths in Ukraine exceeded 100 over the past 24 hours for the first time since early June, when the country reported 118 deaths, the health ministry data showed on Thursday. Ukraine reported 101 death on Sept. 16 while the number of new infections rose to 5,744 from 4,640 a day earlier.

Australia COVID-19 cases rise but vaccination surge gives hope

Australia's Victoria state reported its biggest one-day rise in COVID-19 cases of the year on Thursday as a surge in vaccinations nationwide raised hope for easing restrictions with almost 70% of the adult population have had the first dose. Victoria, home to the city of Melbourne, detected 514 new infections, exceeding the year's previous daily high of 473 on Monday.

Asia supercharges vaccination efforts after slow start, U.S. lags

Several Asian nations are quickly ramping up vaccination campaigns from shaky starts to combat growing COVID-19 infections, as supply shipments roll in and people overcome the hesitancy in hopes of easing curbs and freeing up travel. Japan and South Korea have passed the United States in terms of those who have received at least one dose and are fast catching up with the second.

China should consider vaccinating children aged under 12 against COVID - China CDC expert

China should consider inoculating children aged under 12 to further boost its vaccination drive, an expert at China's disease control authority said on Thursday, as data showed over 70% of the population have received their COVID-19 shots. The country has completed giving full doses to 1.01 billion people, or around 72% of its 1.4 billion population as of Sept. 15, data from health authorities showed, making it among the countries most highly vaccinated against COVID-19 in the world.

Spain to give COVID-19 booster dose to nursing home residents

Spain will give a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to nursing home residents, organ transplant recipients and other vulnerable groups, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. Cancer patients undergoing chemo or radiotherapy and people with health conditions that require immunosuppressive treatment would also be eligible for a booster dose, the ministry said.

France suspends 3,000 health staff as Europe targets vaccine refusal

Hospitals, care homes and health centers have suspended around 3,000 workers across France for failing to comply with mandatory COVID vaccination, the government said on Thursday, as countries around Europe weigh how far to go to combat the pandemic.

While Italy is set to announce later on Thursday that proof of vaccination or a negative test will be compulsory for all workers, going further than any other country in the region, the Netherlands plans a similar step - but only to go to bars or clubs.

Italy readies law to make COVID health pass mandatory for all workers

Italy is poised to become the first country in Europe to make it obligatory for all workers to have a COVID-19 "Green Pass", with the cabinet due to approve the measure at a meeting later on Thursday, officials said. The pass is a digital or paper certificate showing someone has received at least one vaccine dose, tested negative or recently recovered from the disease.

Swedish PM says children aged 12-15 will be offered COVID vaccine

Sweden will offer vaccines to children aged 12 to 15 years later this autumn, Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Thursday. "It lowers the risk for severe and serious disease and the risk that you miss school," Lofven told a news conference.

Moderna says COVID-19 vaccine protection wanes, makes case for booster

New data from Moderna Inc's large COVID-19 vaccine trial shows that the protection it offers wanes over time, supporting the case for booster doses, the company said in a news release on Wednesday. "This is only one estimate, but we do believe this means as you look toward the fall and winter, at minimum we expect the estimated impact of waning immunity would be 600,000 additional cases of COVID-19," Moderna President Stephen Hoge said on a conference call with investors.

COVID-19 booster vaccine campaign begins in England

England launched its COVID-19 booster vaccination campaign on Thursday, the National Health Service (NHS) said, after officials and the government gave the go-ahead for the program earlier in the week. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday outlined how the booster program for over-50s and other priority groups will form a key plank of his plan to navigate the winter without further coronavirus lockdowns.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)