Health News Roundup: Shenzhen reports no new local COVID cases for Sept 18; Brazil approves Pfizer vaccine for children as young as six months and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Shenzhen reports no new local COVID cases for Sept 18 China's southern technology hub of Shenzhen reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Sunday, down from one symptomatic case and one asymptomatic case a day earlier, the Shenzhen Health authority said on Monday. Brazil approves Pfizer vaccine for children as young as six months Brazilian national health regulator Anvisa has approved the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech for children aged between six months and four years, the government body said in a statement Friday night.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Shenzhen reports no new local COVID cases for Sept 18

China's southern technology hub of Shenzhen reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Sunday, down from one symptomatic case and one asymptomatic case a day earlier, the Shenzhen Health authority said on Monday.

Brazil approves Pfizer vaccine for children as young as six months

Brazilian national health regulator Anvisa has approved the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech for children aged between six months and four years, the government body said in a statement Friday night. The move broadens the availability of the vaccine, which is sold under the brand name Comirnaty for adults and is already available in Brazil for older age groups.

China reports 990 new COVID cases for Sept 18 vs 1,189 a day earlier

China reported 990 new COVID-19 infections for Sept. 18, of which 147 were symptomatic and 843 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That compares with 1,189 new cases a day earlier – 154 symptomatic and 1,035 asymptomatic infections - which China counts separately.

Teva Pharm expects to start paying U.S. opioid settlement in 2023

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries expects to finalize an opioid settlement in the United States by year-end and start paying in 2023, its chief executive said on Sunday, while confirming he was unlikely to renew his contract next year. After years of negotiations, Israel-based Teva in July proposed a $4.35 billion nationwide settlement - mostly cash and partly medicines that will amount to $300 million to $400 million over 13 years - to resolve its opioid lawsuits.

Beijing reports no new local COVID cases for Sept 18

China's capital Beijing reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections for Sept. 18, local government authorities said on Monday. This compared with zero symptomatic and asymptomatic cases the day before.

Don't touch foreigners to reduce monkeypox risk, says, senior Chinese health official

A senior Chinese health official advised people to avoid physical contact with foreigners to prevent possible monkeypox infection after the first known case of the virus on mainland China was reported on Friday. "To prevent possible monkeypox infection and as part of our healthy lifestyle, it is recommended that 1) you do not have direct skin-to-skin contact with foreigners," Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention posted on his official Weibo page on Saturday.

Biden says 'the pandemic is over' even as the death toll, costs mount

U.S. President Joe Biden said in an interview aired on Sunday that "the pandemic is over," even though the country continues to grapple with coronavirus infections that kill hundreds of Americans daily. "The pandemic is over," Biden said during an interview conducted with CBS' "60 Minutes" program on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show, an event that drew thousands of visitors.

(With inputs from agencies.)