Health News Roundup: Two test positive in Ghana for highly infectious Marburg virus; China reports 478 new COVID cases for July 7 vs 409 day earlier and more

Data from a mid-to-late stage study in November last year showed the antiviral medication was nearly 90% effective in preventing hospitalisations and deaths compared to a placebo, in adults at high risk of severe illness. Millions tested in Shanghai as China grapples COVID resurgence Millions of people in Shanghai queued for a third day of mass COVID-19 testing on Thursday as authorities in several Chinese cities scrambled to stamp out new outbreaks that have rekindled worries about growth in the world's second-largest economy.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Two test positive in Ghana for highly infectious Marburg virus

Two people in Ghana who later died tested positive for Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease similar to Ebola, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. Tests conducted in Ghana came back positive, but those results must be confirmed by a laboratory in Senegal for the cases to be considered confirmed, the WHO said in a statement.

China reports 478 new COVID cases for July 7 vs 409 day earlier

China reported 478 new coronavirus cases for July 7, of which 97 were symptomatic and 381 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Friday. That compared with 409 new cases a day earlier - 124 symptomatic and 285 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

Shanghai reopens cinemas but warns of COVID risks amid outbreaks

Shanghai reopened most cinemas on Friday, sticking to a plan of gradual resumption of daily activities after it lifted a two-month COVID-19 lockdown in June, while also trying, like several other Chinese cities, to contain resurgent infections. Seeking to avoid a repeat of the ordeal that the commercial hub of 25 million suffered in April and May, Shanghai's strategy rests on frequent COVID testing, thorough contact tracing and isolated lockdowns of residential buildings and other venues.

Africa CDC says it has signed MOU with Pfizer for COVID pill

Africa's top public health body said on Thursday it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Pfizer for countries on the continent to receive supplies of the Paxlovid pill to treat COVID-19. Data from a mid-to-late stage study in November last year showed the antiviral medication was nearly 90% effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths compared to a placebo, in adults at high risk of severe illness.

Millions tested in Shanghai as China grapples COVID resurgence

Millions of people in Shanghai queued for the third day of mass COVID-19 testing on Thursday as authorities in several Chinese cities scrambled to stamp out new outbreaks that have rekindled worries about growth in the world's second-largest economy. Unless local officials succeed in preventing the virus from spreading, they could be compelled to invoke prolonged, major restrictions on residents' movement, under China's "dynamic zero COVID" strategy.

Australia expands fourth COVID dose rollout amid fresh Omicron threat

Australia said on Thursday it would expand the rollout of the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccines from next week as it battles a steady rise in hospital admissions fuelled by the highly transmissible new Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5. The new subvariants have now become the dominant coronavirus strains in several countries, with pandemic experts warning they could lead to more hospitalizations and deaths because they spread more quickly than other coronavirus variants.

WHO reports two new monkeypox deaths, cases in new areas

The World Health Organization reported two new deaths from monkeypox since its previous disease update on June 27, bringing the total to three since the start of the year, and said the disease had spread to new areas. Cases have shot up 77 percent since the last report to 6,027, the WHO said, with the bulk of them reported in the European region. However, all three deaths have been reported in Africa, the report showed.

China COVID monitoring app cuts travel history scrutiny

China's national authorities are reducing scrutiny of citizens' travel history for COVID-19 monitoring, requiring that a mandatory mobile app shows the previous seven days of travel, down from 14, an adjustment likely to boost domestic tourism. The app, whose name translates to itinerary card, helped authorities to identify whether people visited areas with COVID infections, and to decide whether they should be tested for the virus or possibly placed in quarantine.

EU drugs regulator open to COVID boosters that target older Omicron offshoots

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is open to using next-generation COVID-19 vaccines that target older offshoots of the Omicron variant this fall, an official said on Thursday, amid a rise in cases due to new Omicron subvariants. While the existing coronavirus vaccines continue to provide good protection against hospitalization and death, vaccine effectiveness has taken a hit as the virus has evolved. The EMA expects new COVID vaccine boosters to be approved by September.

Wastewater study technique finds virus variants sooner; many patients are using meds affected by Paxlovid

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. A new wastewater study technique find variants earlier