Health News Roundup: COVID-19 deaths in Eastern Europe surpass 1 million; UK reports record 189,213 COVID cases, 332 deaths and more

Case numbers were up from the previous record of 183,037 on Wednesday, and the deaths figures of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 within 28 days also includes a backlog of deaths that were not reported properly during the festive period. Experts warn of U.S. Omicron 'blizzard' in weeks ahead U.S. health experts on Thursday urged Americans to prepare for severe disruptions in coming weeks as the rising wave of COVID-19 cases led by the Omicron variant threatened hospitals, schools and other sectors impacting their daily lives.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

COVID-19 deaths in Eastern Europe surpass 1 million

Coronavirus deaths in Eastern Europe topped 1 million on Thursday, according to a Reuters tally, as the Omicron variant threatened to batter the region. Three out of the five countries reporting the highest number of daily deaths in Europe are from the East, including Russia, Poland and Ukraine, Reuters data through Thursday showed.

U.S. FDA expected to clear Pfizer boosters for 12-15-year-olds Monday -NYT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans on Monday to authorize booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with FDA deliberations. U.S. regulators also plan to cut the time gap for both adolescents and adults to get a booster shot of Pfizer's vaccine to five months after a second dose, from the current six months, the newspaper reported.

UK reports record 189,213 COVID cases, 332 deaths

The United Kingdom recorded 189,213 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, a daily record, and 332 deaths, government data showed. Case numbers were up from the previous record of 183,037 on Wednesday, and the deaths figures of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 within 28 days also includes a backlog of deaths that were not reported properly during the festive period.

Experts warn of U.S. Omicron 'blizzard' in weeks ahead

U.S. health experts on Thursday urged Americans to prepare for severe disruptions in coming weeks as the rising wave of COVID-19 cases led by the Omicron variant threatened hospitals, schools and other sectors impacting their daily lives. The warning came as the United States reached a record high in COVID-19 cases, while federal officials issued more travel warnings and reportedly prepared to authorize booster shots for 12 to 15-year-olds next week.

Ireland relaxes COVID-19 testing rules, cuts isolation period

Ireland on Thursday became the latest country to cut the isolation period for some people who contract COVID-19 and relax requirements for tests as a record number of cases for the fourth time in a week overwhelmed testing facilities. With the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus accounting for 92% of all infections, the health department reported 20,554 new cases, more than double the record in any previous wave to bring the 14-day infection rate to 2,300 per 100,000 people.

Scientists to test high dexamethasone doses in severely ill COVID-19 patients

British scientists will be studying whether higher doses of a cheap and widely used steroid called dexamethasone could work better for patients with severe COVID-19 compared to the standard low doses, they said on Thursday. Last year, the same scientists conducting the large trial, dubbed RECOVERY, showed that dexamethasone was able to save the lives of COVID-19 patients in what was called a "major breakthrough" in the coronavirus pandemic.

Drugmaker Teva fueled opioid addiction in New York, jury finds

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd fueled opioid addiction in New York state, a jury found on Thursday, a setback for a company still facing thousands of other opioid-related lawsuits around the United States. The verdict, which followed a nearly six-month New York state court trial in a case brought by the state and two of its counties, does not include damages, which will be determined later. The jury deliberated more than eight days before reaching a verdict.

South Africa lifts curfew as it says COVID-19 fourth wave peaks

South Africa has lifted a midnight to 4 a.m. curfew on people's movement with immediate effect, believing the country has passed the peak of its fourth COVID-19 wave driven by the Omicron variant, a government statement said on Thursday. The country made the changes based on the trajectory of the pandemic, levels of vaccination in the country and available capacity in the health sector, according to a press release issued by Mondli Gungubele, a minister in the presidency.

Israel approves fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot for most vulnerable

Israel is to go ahead with second COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for people with weakened immune systems, the top government health official said on Thursday, but a final decision on wider usage is still pending. An Israeli hospital administered fourth shots to a test group of health workers on Monday, in what it called the first major study into whether a second round of boosters will help contend with the Omicron coronavirus variant. Results are expected within two weeks.

Canada's Ontario to shorten COVID-19 isolation period for vaccinated patients

Ontario will from Friday shorten the isolation period for vaccinated individuals with COVID-19 to five days from the onset of symptoms, the Canadian province's chief medical officer said on Thursday. Ontario residents, with proper masking and physical distancing, would be allowed to stop isolating after five days if their symptoms resolve or if they are improving for at least 24 hours, the chief medical officer, Kieran Moore, told reporters at a briefing.

(With inputs from agencies.)