Health News Roundup: Hong Kong reports 6,646 new coronavirus infections; Germany plans to relax COVID quarantine rules as cases soar and more

But testing has slowed since January, Walgreens executives said, adding it remains a steady source of business as travel resumes. Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus Germany plans to end mandatory quarantine for most people who catch COVID-19, the health ministry proposed on Thursday, as numbers isolating with the infection top four million.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Rare upsurge in bird flu makes for worst-ever crisis in France

France is facing its worst bird flu crisis in history as a rare rebound in outbreaks of the highly contagious virus reached the country's largest poultry producing regions with cullings topping more than 12 million birds. The spread of bird flu has raised concern among governments and the poultry industry due to the ravages it can cause to flocks, potential trade restrictions and a risk of human transmission.

Walgreens' upbeat Q2 fails to perk up 2022 profit view; co shares slide

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc kept its 2022 earnings forecast unchanged even as it beat estimates for second-quarter results, sending the drugstore chain's shares down 7% on fears of slower-than-expected growth for the rest of the year. An Omicron-led surge in COVID-19 cases during the second quarter had boosted demand for vaccines and testing at Walgreens. But testing has slowed since January, Walgreens executives said, adding it remains a steady source of business as travel resumes.

Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

Germany plans to end mandatory quarantine for most people who catch COVID-19, the health ministry proposed on Thursday, as numbers isolating with the infection top four million. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

Pakistan disbands COVID-19 response body as infections at lowest

Pakistan has disbanded the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC), which was overseeing the COVID-19 response in the country, as the infection’s numbers were at the lowest since the start of the outbreak early in 2020, the prime minister said on Thursday. The South Asian country reported 244 positive COVID-19 cases on Thursday, with a 0.82% positivity rate.

Analysis-Governments want COVID vaccine developers to aim higher in hunt for better shots

As governments prepare to live with COVID-19, some are questioning how much to rely on drugmakers to adapt vaccines to ward off future virus variants amid signs of tension between companies and regulators over the best approach, according to several sources familiar with the matter. Some vaccine experts say government agencies should fund and help develop a new generation of COVID shots, and seek innovation from smaller developers, as they did to identify current vaccines.

Hong Kong reports 6,646 new coronavirus infections

Hong Kong reported 6,646 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, down from 6,981 the previous day, and 119 deaths as daily infections continue to decline in the global financial hub, which is gradually easing restrictions.

Germany plans to relax COVID quarantine rules as cases soar

Germany plans to end mandatory quarantine for most people who catch COVID-19, the health ministry proposed on Thursday, as numbers isolating with the infection top four million. Under the existing rules, people with COVID must quarantine for at least seven days.

Depression, suicidal thoughts prevalent in high school students during pandemic -U.S. study

More than a third of high school students surveyed in the United States experienced stress, anxiety or depression, and nearly a fifth said they seriously considered suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday. The first nationwide survey of its kind found that 44% of students reported feeling sad or hopeless every day for two consecutive weeks or more during the prior year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study.

Bayer to invest 2 billion euros in drug production over next 3 years

German drugmaker Bayer said it would invest around 2 billion euros ($2.23 billion) at pharmaceutical manufacturing sites over the next three years, mainly to bolster production of biotechnology drugs as well as cell and gene therapies. The sites to be upgraded include Berkeley, California, as well as Berlin, Leverkusen and Bergkamen in Germany.

France's Sanofi offers 1.5 billion euro bond linked to access to medicine

French healthcare group Sanofi said it had priced a first sustainability-linked bond issue that will be indexed on access to medicines, and worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion).

The company said the costs of financing would be linked to achieving concrete targets in terms of a cumulative number of patients being provided with essential medicines over the next five years.

(With inputs from agencies.)