Health News Roundup: Shanghai targets June 1 return to normal as COVID lockdowns cool economy; Sanofi ordered to compensate the French family for epilepsy drug side effects and more

Last week brought the North's first acknowledgment of an "explosive" outbreak, with experts warning it could wreak devastation in a country with limited medical supplies and no vaccine programme. China reports 1,227 new COVID cases for May 15 vs 1,789 a day earlier Mainland China reported 1,227 new coronavirus cases for May 15, of which 151 were symptomatic and 1,076 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Shanghai targets June 1 return to normal as COVID lockdowns cool economy

Shanghai set out plans on Monday for the return of more normal life from June 1 and the end of a painful COVID-19 lockdown that has lasted more than six weeks and contributed to a sharp slowdown in China's economic activity. In the clearest timetable yet, Deputy Mayor Zong Ming said Shanghai's reopening would be carried out in stages, with movement curbs largely to remain in place until May 21 to prevent a rebound in infections, before a gradual easing.

Sanofi ordered to compensate the French family for epilepsy drug side effects

A French court has ordered Sanofi to pay more than 400,000 euros ($416,440) in damages to a family whose child suffered from a form of autism caused by its epilepsy drug Valproate, saying the drugmaker failed to inform about known side effects. The link, alongside physical malformation, had also been recognized in a landmark class-action ruling in January, which could potentially lead to hundreds of millions of euros in compensation, though Sanofi said it would file an appeal.

N.Korea's Kim orders military to stabilize supply of COVID-19 drugs

Leader Kim Jong Un has ordered North Korea's military to stabilize the distribution of COVID-19 medicines in the capital, Pyongyang, in the battle on the country's first confirmed outbreak of the disease, state media said. Last week brought the North's first acknowledgment of an "explosive" outbreak, with experts warning it could wreak devastation in a country with limited medical supplies and no vaccine program.

China reports 1,227 new COVID cases for May 15 vs 1,789 a day earlier

Mainland China reported 1,227 new coronavirus cases for May 15, of which 151 were symptomatic and 1,076 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That compares with 1,789 new cases a day earlier, consisting of 239 symptomatic and 1,550 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

(With inputs from agencies.)