Health News Roundup: Some Chinese cities relax COVID testing mandates; Macau locks down some buildings as COVID infections creep up and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Some Chinese cities relax COVID testing mandates

Several Chinese cities have scrapped or relaxed their COVID-19 testing mandates after China emerged from its worst regional outbreaks, with officials told not to cause too much disruption to people's lives while staying vigilant about the virus. China, whose economy has been hit hard by various COVID restrictions from March to May including a lockdown in Shanghai, faces high stakes to prevent another major outbreak.

Macau locks down some buildings as COVID infections creep up

Authorities in Macau have locked down several residential buildings as the world's biggest gambling hub tries to contain a rising number of COVID-19 cases that have ground the city to a halt, apart from casinos which mostly remain open.

The former Portuguese colony reported 39 new infections on Friday, bringing the total for its current outbreak to 149, with around a dozen buildings locked down and residents banned from leaving, the local government said in a statement.

Analysis-The next COVID booster shots will likely be updated for Omicron

COVID-19 vaccines this fall are likely to be based on the Omicron variant of the coronavirus rather than the original strain, although some experts suggest they may only offer significant benefits for older and immunocompromised people. Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax have been testing vaccines based on the first BA.1 Omicron variant that became dominant last winter, driving a massive surge in infections.

Analysis-Abortion pills over the counter? Experts see major hurdles in widening U.S. access

A pill used to terminate early pregnancies is unlikely to become available without a prescription for years, if ever, experts say, as the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court is expected to dramatically curb abortion rights in the coming weeks. The Biden administration is considering several options to increase access to so-called medication abortions, which can be administered at home, to help women in the many U.S. states that are expected to severely limit or outright ban abortions following the upcoming Supreme Court ruling.

India records 17,336 new coronavirus cases, a four-month high

India recorded 17,336 new daily infections of the coronavirus, the health ministry said on Friday, the highest single-day rise since Feb. 20, according to a Reuters tally. India's richest state of Maharashtra recorded more than 5,200 new infections on Wednesday, state authorities said, with 2,479 of those coming from the financial capital of Mumbai.

Sanofi, GSK variant-specific COVID shot found effective against Omicron

Late-stage data on an experimental COVID-19 vaccine from Sanofi and GSK has shown the shot confers protection against the Omicron variant of the virus, the companies said on Friday.

The so-called bivalent vaccine targets the Beta variant - first identified in South Africa - as well as the original Wuhan strain of the virus.

Roche skeptical about investing more in 'guided-missile' ADC cancer drugs

Roche remains skeptical about investing more in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which have been described as "guided-missile" cancer drugs, even as they attract heightened attention in the pharmaceutical industry. "There are quite a few companies that invest in this area. As for us, we still have rather limited interest," Chief Executive Severin Schwan told journalists at a briefing on Friday.

Germany abolishes Nazi-era abortion law

Germany on Friday abolished a Nazi-era law forbidding doctors from providing information about abortions. The Bundestag lower house of parliament voted to scrap the law, meaning doctors are now allowed to give out additional information about abortions without fear of prosecution.

Taiwan confirms first imported case of monkeypox

Taiwan's government on Friday confirmed its first imported case of monkeypox, a man in his 20s who had studied in Germany from January until June this year when he returned to the island. Taiwan's Centres for Disease Control said the man flew back to Taiwan on June 16 and returned home for mandatory COVID-19 quarantine for all arrivals.

White House: more COVID-19 tests available for blind and visually impaired people

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is making more COVID-19 tests available for people who are blind or visually impaired, White House COVID-19 response director Ashish Jha said on Thursday. The seven-day average of COVID-19 cases is down 4% from the prior week to 99,400 per day, said U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky, and the seven-day average of daily deaths was down 16% from the prior week.