Health News Roundup: U.S. renews COVID-19 public health emergency; Italy reports 62,037 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, 155 deaths and more

Still the draconian restrictions were unable to contain the coronavirus, and with more than 8,600 deaths of mostly elderly, unvaccinated people, many just in the past two months, Hong Kong's citizens are reckoning with the costs of some of the world's most stringent social distancing rules on their mental health and livelihoods. Pfizer's Bourla: COVID vaccines for new variants possible for Fall Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said on Wednesday that the company could possibly develop a new vaccine that protects against the Omicron variant as well as older forms of COVID-19 by autumn.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. renews COVID-19 public health emergency

The United States on Wednesday renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency, allowing millions of Americans to keep getting free tests, vaccines, and treatments for at least three more months. The public health emergency was initially declared in January 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic began. It has been renewed each quarter since and was due to expire on April 16.

Italy reports 62,037 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, 155 deaths

Italy reported 62,037 COVID-19 related cases on Wednesday, against 83,643 the day before, the health ministry said, while the number of deaths fell to 155 from 169. Italy has registered 161,187 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February 2020, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the eighth highest in the world. The country has reported 15.5 million cases to date.

Kentucky lawmakers block abortion access with the new law, effective immediately

Kentucky effectively suspended legal abortion access on Wednesday as the legislature enacted a sweeping anti-abortion law that took effect right away and forces providers to stop offering abortions until they can meet certain requirements. The impact of the law makes Kentucky the first U.S. state without legal abortion access since the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade established the right to end a pregnancy before the fetus is viable, abortion providers say.

U.S. life expectancy fell by 2 years in 2020, the sharpest drop among high-income peers

Life expectancy in the United States fell by nearly two years in 2020 to about 77 years amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the sharpest drop compared to 21 other high-income countries, according to a global study. Americans on average are now expected to live for 76.99 years from 78.86 years in 2019, according to the study, which looked at national death and population counts in 2019 and 2020 to calculate the mortality rate ratio.

Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

China's race to stop the spread of COVID-19 is clogging highways and ports, stranding workers, and shutting countless factories - disruptions that are rippling through global supply chains for goods ranging from electric vehicles to iPhones. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

U.S. extends transit mask mandate through May 3 amid COVID uptick

U.S. health officials on Wednesday extended by 15 days a U.S. mandate requiring travelers to wear masks on airplanes, trains, and in transit hubs, saying they needed time to assess the impact of a recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Industry groups and Republican lawmakers want the administration to immediately end the 14-month-old mask mandate. The latest extension would keep the requirements, which had been set to expire on April 18, in place through May 3 amid an increase in COVID cases.

Mexico plans vaccinations for more children, presses for COVAX doses

Mexico will vaccinate more children against COVID-19, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday, urging global health authorities to deliver the doses it had ordered for the purpose. Mexico last year began inoculating some at-risk children, and children with disabilities, but has so far held back from rolling out a broader vaccination program for minors.

Hong Kong questions costs of COVID rules on mental health, livelihoods

To fight COVID, Hong Kong shut schools and businesses, nearly sealed its borders for two years, banned more than two people from gathering, and quarantined whole buildings. Still, the draconian restrictions were unable to contain the coronavirus, and with more than 8,600 deaths of mostly elderly, unvaccinated people, many just in the past two months, Hong Kong's citizens are reckoning with the costs of some of the world's most stringent social distancing rules on their mental health and livelihoods.

Pfizer's Bourla: COVID vaccines for new variants possible for Fall

Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said on Wednesday that the company could possibly develop a new vaccine that protects against the Omicron variant as well as older forms of COVID-19 by autumn. "It's easy to do something only against Omicron. What is scientifically and technically more challenging ... is to be effective against everything known so far, so you don't have two different vaccines for different variants," Bourla said, speaking at a press conference held by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations.

Bausch Health under investigation over the marketing of dermatology drugs- STAT

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Bausch Health Companies in connection with its marketing of four drugs used to treat different skin conditions, health news website STAT reported on Wednesday. The justice department last year sought information from Bausch Health, previously known as Valeant Pharmaceuticals, under a civil investigative demand about its activities involving the promotion of the drugs for uses not approved by regulators, the report said.