Health News Roundup: Canada reports 10 new cases of monkeypox, including the first in Ontario; Cancer treatments may benefit from lessons of pandemic set-backs -AstraZeneca executive and more

That compares with 545 new cases a day earlier - 130 symptomatic and 415 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. Breakthrough infections may be less contagious; vaccine protection wanes faster in cancer patients The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 27-05-2022 10:35 IST | Created: 27-05-2022 10:29 IST
Health News Roundup: Canada reports 10 new cases of monkeypox, including the first in Ontario; Cancer treatments may benefit from lessons of pandemic set-backs -AstraZeneca executive and more
Representative Image Image Credit: ANI

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Canada reports 10 new cases of monkeypox, including the first in Ontario

The Public Health Agency of Canada has confirmed 10 new cases of monkeypox, including the first case in the province of Ontario, bringing the country's total to 26 cases, the agency said on Thursday. The province of Quebec has reported 25 cases, an increase of nine cases from Wednesday, the agency said. More cases are likely to be confirmed in the coming days after samples from "multiple jurisdictions" are tested, it said.

Cancer treatments may benefit from lessons of pandemic set-backs -AstraZeneca executive

Although cancer screening and the diagnosis were hit by the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in advances in medical technology and greater diversity in clinical trials could help treatments in the future, and AstraZeneca executive said. Testing and diagnosis rates for cancer dropped by 15% to 25% over the past two years as people skipped routine checkups, Dave Fredrickson, executive vice president of oncology at AstraZeneca, told the Reuters Global Markets Forum in Davos.

WHO asks countries to increase surveillance for Monkeypox

About 200 confirmed and more than 100 suspected cases of Monkeypox have been detected so far outside of the countries where it usually spreads, a World Health Organization official said on Thursday, urging countries to increase surveillance for the infectious disease. Monkeypox, a mild viral infection, is endemic in the African countries of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria.

China reports 444 new COVID cases on May 26 vs 545 a day earlier

Mainland China reported 444 new coronavirus cases on May 26, of which 102 were symptomatic and 342 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Friday. That compares with 545 new cases a day earlier - 130 symptomatic and 415 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

Breakthrough infections may be less contagious; vaccine protection wanes faster in cancer patients

The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Breakthrough infections may be less contagious

Beijing city offers elderly COVID shot-related health insurance to ease hesitancy

China's capital is offering elderly residents state-backed insurance for "medical accidents" linked to COVID-19 shots to ease vaccination hesitancy among those most vulnerable, as Beijing ramps up inoculations during its worst outbreak. Chinese officials have pointed to relatively lower vaccination rates among the elderly as a key weakness in its "dynamic zero-COVID" strategy.

U.S. FDA expands collaboration with Danone to boost baby formula supply

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it has expanded its collaboration with Danone's Nutricia business to boost supplies of specialized medical baby formula bottles to address its shortage among infants with certain allergies or critical health conditions. The health regulator said about 500,000 additional cans manufactured by Danone would be sent to the United States.

The next U.S. abortion battle is over pills, and it's already begun

The U.S. Supreme Court has not yet released its decision that looks set to dramatically scale back abortion rights, but one of the next legal battles has already begun in a Mississippi court. That is where the manufacturer of a pill used to carry out medication abortions, Las Vegas-based GenBioPro Inc, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the conservative state's restrictions on the pill, used in more than half of all U.S. abortions.

U.S. confirms 9 monkeypox cases in 7 states

The United States on Thursday said it had identified nine monkeypox cases in seven states, some in individuals who did not have a recent history of international travel. As of Wednesday, the nine cases were confirmed in Massachusetts, Florida, Utah, Washington, California, Virginia and New York, the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) told reporters.

Abbott developing test for monkeypox

Abbott Laboratories said on Thursday it is actively developing a test for monkeypox, as the disease spreads in various countries. The company will provide the test kits to partners of its Pandemic Defense Coalition, a network of scientific and public health partnerships aimed at identifying future pandemic threats, an Abbott spokesperson told Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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