Health News Roundup: New Mexico town delays banning abortion; U.S. flu hospitalizations highest in 10 years, officials say and more

New locally transmitted cases rose to 3,871 on Thursday, according to regular data released by the National Health Commission, the highest since early May when Shanghai was fighting its worst outbreak and Beijing was scrambling to contain one. Indonesia gives emergency use approval to home-grown COVID-19 vaccine Inavac Indonesia has approved its home-grown coronavirus vaccine Inavac for emergency use, its food and drug agency said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. flu hospitalizations highest in 10 years, officials say

An early fall spike in influenza cases has pushed U.S. hospitalization rates for the illness to the highest in a decade for this time of year, U.S. health officials said on Friday, noting that vaccination rates are down. The rising flu cases come alongside pressure on hospitals from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID cases, officials said, urging people to get vaccinated and offering to assist states that may need additional support.

China COVID cases surge to 6-month high as tensions in affected cities build

China on Friday reported the highest daily count of new local COVID cases in six months as outbreaks widened, pushing policymakers to walk an even finer line between holding the virus at bay while keeping a lid on social and economic angst. New locally transmitted cases rose to 3,871 on Thursday, according to regular data released by the National Health Commission, the highest since early May when Shanghai was fighting its worst outbreak and Beijing was scrambling to contain one.

Indonesia gives emergency use approval to home-grown COVID-19 vaccine Inavac

Indonesia has approved its home-grown coronavirus vaccine Inavac for emergency use, its food and drug agency said on Friday. The vaccine is the second locally made shot after Indovac, which was approved in September.

No indication of risk due to COVID-19 booster shot bubbles -Swissmedic

Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic said on Friday that an analysis of bubbles that formed in vials of BionTech-Pfizer's COVID-19 booster shot revealed no indication of risk. Swissmedic said the batch in question can still be used for vaccinations and there is no risk to anyone who may have already been vaccinated.

Lilly, Boehringer say Jardiance slows kidney disease progression in trial

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly said their diabetes drug Jardiance was shown to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as they seek to catch up with market segment leader AstraZeneca. In a statement on Friday, the two partners said Jardiance cut the risk of kidney disease progression and cardiovascular death by 28%, citing results from a late-stage trial which included people with and without diabetes.

German expats in China will have access to BioNTech vaccine, says Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced an agreement on Friday to let expatriates in China use the COVID-19 vaccine from Germany's BioNTech and pressed for Beijing to allow the shot to be made freely available to Chinese citizens. On his first visit to China since becoming chancellor and the first by a G7 leader since the pandemic, Scholz said China and Germany had different approaches to fighting the virus but had a joint responsibility to eliminate it.

Pfizer/BioNTech Omicron shot shows strong response after a month

U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech SE said on Friday their Omicron-tailored shot targeting the BA.4/5 subvariants produced a strong antibody response in older adults than the original shot after one month. In October, the companies had released data which showed the vaccine produced higher virus-neutralizing antibodies in humans after a week, but did not disclose the levels of antibodies produced in the study.

U.S. Supreme Court to hear Amgen bid to revive cholesterol drug patents

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear Amgen Inc's bid to revive patents on its cholesterol drug Repatha that were invalidated due to a legal challenge by rivals Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Sanofi SA. The justices took up Amgen's appeal of the lower court ruling that threw out the Repatha patents. Amgen and other drugmakers have called the case a test of their ability to earn and defend patents for important drugs.

New Mexico town delays banning abortion

The city commission of Clovis on Thursday put off a vote on an ordinance designed to ban abortions within the New Mexico town near the Texas border, fearing challenges to the move in a state where the procedure remains legal. Clovis was set to become the first town to pass a so-called "sanctuary city for the unborn" ordinance in a state controlled by the Democratic Party, according to anti-abortion advocates, who say it is part of a national push into "blue" states.

China to make 'substantial' COVID policy changes soon - ex-govt expert

China will make substantial changes to its "dynamic-zero" COVID-19 policy in coming months, a former Chinese disease control official told a conference hosted by Citi on Friday, according to a recording of the session heard by Reuters. Separately, three sources familiar with the matter said China may soon further shorten quarantine requirements for inbound travellers.