Health News Roundup: Omicron BA.5 makes up 82% of COVID variants in U.S. - CDC; Monkeypox emergency could last months, with window closing to stop the spread, experts say and more

The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) emergency task force - an advisory body tasked with handling regulatory activities during a public-health emergency - now will tackle both COVID-19 and monkeypox, the regulator said on Wednesday. U.S. may require nearly $7 billion to combat monkeypox outbreak - WaPo The Biden administration estimates it may need nearly $7 billion to deal with the monkeypox outbreak in the United States, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Omicron BA.5 makes up 82% of COVID variants in U.S. - CDC

The BA.5 subvariant of Omicron was estimated to make up 81.9% of the circulating coronavirus variants in the United States for the week ended July 23, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday. This was higher than the 75.9% prevalence estimated in the preceding week.

Monkeypox emergency could last months, with window closing to stop the spread, experts say

Scientists advising the World Health Organization (WHO) on monkeypox say the window is closing to stop its spread, with cases currently doubling every two weeks, raising concerns that it will take several months for the outbreak to the peak. WHO Europe has forecast just over 27,000 monkeypox cases in 88 countries by Aug. 2, up from 17,800 cases in nearly 70 countries at the latest count.

Pfizer starts a mid-stage trial for a vaccine against Omicron subvariant

Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech SE said on Wednesday they had started a mid-stage study of a modified COVID-19 vaccine that targets both the original as well as the BA.2 Omicron subvariant. Pfizer said the vaccine is in an initial proof-of-concept study to gather more data.

COVID infections fall in New Zealand, worst case scenario likely avoided

New Zealand's government said on Wednesday that new COVID-19 cases were trending down and it looked likely the country would avoid a feared worst-case scenario of 20,000 infections daily. In the last seven days, there were on average 8,111 new cases daily of COVID, down from a seven-day rolling average of 9,367 new cases in the week prior, according to Health Ministry data released on Wednesday. Currently, 808 people were in the hospital with COVID, which was also a lower number than earlier, data showed.

No new daily COVID cases in Macau for first time in over a month

Authorities in Macau reported no new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday for the first time since mid-June, after the city's worst outbreak of the disease led to a 12-day closure of casinos and locked down most of the world's biggest gambling hub. The tally of infections since June 18 stood at 1,816, the government said in a statement, as the city grapples with the fast-spreading Omicron variant for the first time.

EU urges intensified effort to combat monkeypox

The European Commission urged the 27 EU members on Wednesday to take a more forceful and coordinated approach toward monkeypox now that the World Health Organization has declared it a global health emergency. In a letter to national health ministers, seen by Reuters, European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides noted that the European Union was the epicenter of detected cases and that the bloc needed to work together to control the outbreak.

EU drugs regulator beefs up monkeypox response after the emergency declaration

The European drugs regulator is bolstering its response to escalating cases of monkeypox, days after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global health emergency. The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) emergency task force - an advisory body tasked with handling regulatory activities during a public-health emergency - now will tackle both COVID-19 and monkeypox, the regulator said on Wednesday.

U.S. may require nearly $7 billion to combat monkeypox outbreak - WaPo

The Biden administration estimates it may need nearly $7 billion to deal with the monkeypox outbreak in the United States, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday. The funding estimate was part of a memo marked to President Joe Biden outlining a series of options, as opposed to a formal funding request, the report said. (https://wapo.st/3oxXimZ)

Exclusive-Cassava Sciences faces U.S. criminal probe tied to Alzheimer's drug, sources say

The U.S. Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Cassava Sciences Inc involving whether the biotech company manipulated research results for its experimental Alzheimer's drug, two people familiar with the inquiry said. The Justice Department personnel conducting the investigation into Austin, Texas-based Cassava specialize in examining whether companies or individuals have misled or defrauded investors, government agencies or consumers, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The sources did not provide details of the focus of the probe and whether the department was looking into any specific individuals.

Teva reaches proposed $4.35 billion settlement of U.S. opioid lawsuits

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries on Tuesday announced a $4.35 billion proposed nationwide settlement that could resolve thousands of lawsuits over the drugmaker's alleged role in the U.S. opioid epidemic. The proposal calls for Teva to pay state and local governments up to $3.7 billion in cash over 13 years plus a contribution of $1.2 billion worth of the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone. Israel-based Teva also will pay approximately $100 million to Native American tribes and pay attorneys fees incurred by the states, local governments and tribes.

(With inputs from agencies.)