What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the pandemic right now: Shanghai finds cases after five days of 'zero COVID' Shanghai announced its first new COVID cases outside quarantined areas in five days on Friday, triggering stricter curbs and mass testing in one district but plans to end a prolonged city-wide lockdown on June 1 appeared on track.

Here's what you need to know about the pandemic right now: Shanghai finds cases after five days of 'zero COVID'

Shanghai announced its first new COVID cases outside quarantined areas in five days on Friday, triggering stricter curbs and mass testing in one district but plans to end a prolonged city-wide lockdown on June 1 appeared on track. The commercial hub of 25 million found three new cases in the same family in Qingpu district. All had taken three doses of vaccine and their infections were discovered during regular testing, authorities said.

The three had not left their district town over the past 14 days but had visited at least four places, including a supermarket, all of which were sealed off and were being disinfected. North Korea hails 'good results' on COVID

North Korea said on Friday it was achieving "good results" in its fight against its first confirmed COVID outbreak, as the number of people with fever symptoms rose past 2 million. A wave of COVID infections, which North Korea first confirmed last week, has fanned worry about a lack of medical resources and vaccines in the isolated country heavily sanctioned for its nuclear weapons program.

Thailand to lift curbs on nightlife from June Thailand will allow nightclubs and karaoke bars to resume regular hours starting in June, a senior official said on Friday, dropping most of its remaining pandemic restrictions as daily infections decline.

Thailand's nightlife is a major attraction for tourists, but most entertainment venues have been shuttered or faced a strict curfew since the pandemic began, with some bars forced to convert to restaurants to stay in business. U.S. CDC backs COVID boosters for children 5 to 11

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday recommended the COVID vaccine booster for children ages five to 11 after an advisory panel voted to back them, at least five months after completing their primary vaccination course. "With over 18 million doses administered in this age group, we know that these vaccines are safe, and we must continue to increase the number of children who are protected," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said.

UK vaccine advisers eye autumn boosters for over-65s Britain's vaccine advisers on Thursday said that an anticipated autumn COVID booster campaign would be aimed at people aged over 65, care home residents, frontline health and social care workers, and all adults in a clinical risk group.

Britain is offering a spring booster to the over-75s, care home residents, and immunosuppressed people, and ministers have spoken openly of plans for a further booster campaign in the autumn. EU health regulator backs using AstraZeneca shot as a booster

The European health regulator on Thursday endorsed the use of AstraZeneca's COVID vaccine, Vaxzevria, as a booster. The recommendation, made by a committee of the European Medicines Agency, encompasses adults who have either been previously vaccinated by Vaxzevria or an mRNA vaccine, such as the ones made by Pfizer and BioNTech or Moderna.

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