Health News Roundup: 'Whack-a-mole': Experts call Hong Kong's zero-COVID policy unsustainable; More Nigerians take up COVID shots after expired doses destroyed and more

Nigeria's vaccine rollout has slowly gained pace since then as public confidence increases and the government has assured citizens they will not receive expired doses. Scientists want Britain to back COVID patent waivers Scientists on Friday called on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to support the waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments in the wake of the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

'Whack-a-mole': Experts call Hong Kong's zero-COVID policy unsustainable

With thousands of people locked down in tiny apartments, government quarantine centres filling up and many businesses shuttered, Hong Kong is scrambling to sustain a zero-COVID policy that has turned one of the world's most densely packed cities into one of the most isolated. The economic and psychological tolls from the global financial hub's hardline approach - in line with China's strategy - are rapidly rising, residents say, with measures becoming more draconian than those first implemented in 2020.

More Nigerians take up COVID shots after expired doses destroyed

Abubakar Yusuf, an informal Nigerian trader, said he was scared to get a COVID-19 shot after hearing the country had stocks of expired vaccines. That changed, however, when health authorities destroyed more than a million expired doses last month. Nigeria's vaccine rollout has slowly gained pace since then as public confidence increases and the government has assured citizens they will not receive expired doses.

Scientists want Britain to back COVID patent waivers

Scientists on Friday called on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to support the waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments in the wake of the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. In a letter, also addressed to the British health, trade, business and foreign ministers, the scientists asked Johnson to support the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement.

German Omicron wave 'well under control,' fewer curbs possible after peak

Germany has the wave of infections from the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant "well under control" and may consider lifting some restrictions after a peak in late February, its health minister said on Friday. Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases reported 190,148 positive tests within 24 hours on Friday, 49,988 more than a week earlier, and 170 deaths in connection with the virus, bringing the death toll to 117,484.

Pfizer COVID pill gets final approval from European Commission

The European Commission on Friday approved Pfizer's antiviral pill for COVID-19 a day after the region's health regulator endorsed the tablet, a move that will ensure wide availability of the promising treatment to EU member states. The final go-ahead by the executive body of the European Union (EU) was tweeted by EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides as the region is beefing up its defences against the coronavirus amid the rapid spread of the new Omicron variant.

Merck's COVID-19 pill active against Omicron in lab studies

Merck & Co Inc and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said on Friday six lab studies showed their experimental oral COVID-19 drug molnupiravir was active against the fast-spreading Omicron variant. The data evaluated the antiviral activity of molnupiravir and other COVID-19 antiviral agents against COVID-19 variants of concern. Molnupiravir is yet to be studied against Omicron in human studies, the companies said.

WHO examining allegations official abused staff, leaked vaccine data to Japan

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is looking into allegations a regional director in Asia bullied staff, used racist language and leaked sensitive vaccine data to Japan, accusations the official denies. WHO said in a statement to Reuters on Thursday it "is aware of the allegations and is taking all appropriate steps to follow up on the matter," following a report on the complaints by the Associated Press.

Regeneron, Sanofi withdraw FDA application for cancer drug's expanded use

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and its partner Sanofi voluntarily withdrew their application with the U.S. drug regulator for the expanded use of their anti-cancer drug Libtayo in patients with advanced cervical cancer. The application for the monoclonal antibody as the second-line of treatment in the patients was withdrawn "after the companies and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration were not able to align on certain post-marketing studies", the companies said on Friday.

Boosters increase protection against death from Omicron in over-50s to 95% - UKHSA

COVID-19 boosters increase protection against death from the Omicron variant to 95% in people aged 50 or over, the UK Health Security Agency said on Thursday. The UKHSA said that around six months after a second dose of any of the COVID-19 vaccines, protection against death with Omicron was around 60% in those aged 50 and over. However, this increased to around 95% two weeks after receiving a booster vaccine dose.

Omicron behind nearly all infections in Italy, health body says

The highly contagious Omicron coronavirus now accounts for nearly all new infections in Italy, the National Health Institute (ISS) said on Friday, accounting for almost 96% of cases in a flash Jan. 17 survey. The previous survey from Jan. 3 showed Omicron responsible for 81% of cases.

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