Health News Roundup: Sanofi's Dupixent gets U.S. approval to treat eczema in young children; Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 account for up to 13% of COVID variants in U.S. - CDC and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Sanofi's Dupixent gets U.S. approval to treat eczema in young children

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc's anti-inflammation drug Dupixent to treat eczema in young children, the two companies said on Tuesday. Dupixent is now the first approved treatment for moderate-to-severe eczema in young children, Sanofi and Regeneron said.

Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 account for up to 13% of COVID variants in U.S. - CDC

The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron are estimated to make up nearly 5% and 8% of the coronavirus variants in the United States as of June 4, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday. The two sublineages, which were added to the World Health Organization's monitoring list in March and designated as variants of concern by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), were present in all U.S. regions.

U.S. CDC removes mask recommendation from monkeypox travel notice to avoid confusion

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday it had removed a mask recommendation from its monkeypox travel notice to avoid "confusion" over the disease, which primarily spreads through direct contact. "Late yesterday, CDC removed the mask recommendation from the monkeypox Travel Health Notice because it caused confusion," a CDC spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Food shortages are the next global health crisis - expert

Growing food shortages may represent the same health threat to the world as the COVID-19 pandemic, a leading global health figure has warned. Rising food and energy prices, in part sparked by the war in Ukraine, could kill millions both directly and indirectly, Peter Sands, the executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.

N.Korea reports 54,610 more people with fever symptoms - KCNA

North Korea on Wednesday reported more than 54,610 new people showing fever symptoms amid the reclusive nation's first-ever COVID-19 outbreak, state media KCNA said.

Novavax says COVID vaccine for U.S. to be manufactured by India's Serum

Novavax Inc said on Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccine initially available in the United States if authorized, will be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. "So all vaccines that are being distributed globally commercially are being made in a single facility by our partners (the Serum Institute in India) that includes the vaccines which are being deployed around the world as well as the ones that will be initially deployed in the U.S.," said Chief Medical Officer Filip Dubovsky.

Novavax COVID shot, aimed at vaccine skeptics, overwhelmingly backed by FDA panel

Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to recommend that the agency authorize Novavax Inc's COVID-19 vaccine for use in adults, which the drugmaker hopes can become the shot of choice among some American vaccine skeptics. The panel of outside vaccine experts voted 21-0 with one abstention in favor of the vaccine for those 18 and older after discussing whether the shot's benefits outweigh risks, including rare occurrences of heart inflammation that may be associated with the vaccine.

FACTBOX-Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 529.84 million, death toll at 6,710,944

More than 529.84 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 6,710,944​ have died, according to a Reuters tally. Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

Bluebird bio's blood disorder therapy effective - FDA staff

Bluebird bio's blood disorder treatment demonstrates "clinically meaningful" benefit in patients, staff reviewers at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in briefing documents published on Tuesday. The company has applied for approval of beti-cel as one-time gene therapy for the treatment of Beta-thalassemia patients dependent on blood transfusions.

Canada issues monkeypox-related travel notice warns of potential delays returning home

Canada issued a monkeypox-related travel notice on Tuesday, advising travelers to over two dozen countries, including Australia, Britain and the United States, to take precautions and warned of potential delays returning home if they fell ill. In a level 2 notice - one grade below a call to avoid non-essential travel - the Public Health Agency of Canada said travelers may be subject to procedures to limit the spread of monkeypox, such as isolation, should they become infected.

(With inputs from agencies.)