Health News Roundup: First foreign COVID vaccines head to China from Germany; U.S. FDA approves Roche's COVID-19 antibody and more

It is the first FDA-approved monoclonal antibody to treat COVID-19, Roche said. WHO says China may be struggling to keep a tally of COVID cases China may be struggling to keep a tally of COVID-19 infections as the country experiences a big spike in cases, a senior World Health Organization official said on Wednesday, amid concerns about a lack of data from the country.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

First foreign COVID vaccines head to China from Germany

Berlin has sent its first batch of BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to China to be administered initially to German expatriates, a German government spokesperson said on Wednesday, the first foreign coronavirus vaccine to be delivered to the country. No details were available on the timing and size of the delivery, although the spokesperson said Berlin is pushing for foreigners other than German nationals, estimated at about 20,000, to be allowed access to the shot if they want it.

U.S. FDA approves Roche's COVID-19 antibody

Roche Holding AG said on Wednesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved its monoclonal antibody for treating COVID-19 in hospitalized adult patients. The intravenous anti-inflammatory drug, Actemra, is a monoclonal antibody that reduces inflammation and was approved in 2010 to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It is the first FDA-approved monoclonal antibody to treat COVID-19, Roche said.

WHO says China may be struggling to keep a tally of COVID cases

China may be struggling to keep a tally of COVID-19 infections as the country experiences a big spike in cases, a senior World Health Organization official said on Wednesday, amid concerns about a lack of data from the country. Official figures from China have become an unreliable guide as less testing is being done across the country following the recent easing of the strict "zero-COVID" policy.

BioNTech doses first patient in herpes vaccine candidate clinical trial

BioNtech has dosed the first patient with its BNT163 herpes vaccine candidate designed to prevent genital lesions as part of a first-in-human Phase 1 clinical research study, the German vaccine maker said on Wednesday. The vaccine candidate is meant to prevent HSV-2, the herpes simplex virus that causes genital herpes, and potentially HSV-1, which causes oral herpes and can lead to genital herpes.

U.S. taps stockpile to increase supply of flu drug

The United States has released doses of the antiviral flu drug Tamiflu through a national stockpile for the flu season amid surging demand, the health department said on Wednesday. The country is seeing a spread in influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as temperatures fall, presenting a triple epidemic threat along with COVID-19 during the year-end holiday period.

Injectable HIV treatment offers hope to Ugandan patients

Ever since Gerald Muwonge tested positive for HIV eight years ago, keeping his viral load in check has meant carrying around vials of pills for his daily treatment regimen while dodging the stigma this could mean for a gay man in Uganda. But he hopes that could soon change thanks to an injectable treatment that only needs to be taken once every two months.

BioNtech ready to ship first mRNA vaccine factory kit to Africa

Germany's BioNTech said on Wednesday it has completed construction of its first vaccine factory-made from shipping containers called 'BioNtrainer' being sent to Africa. The COVID-19 vaccine maker said the BioNtrainer is expected to arrive in Kigali, Rwanda in the first quarter of 2023.

China takes COVID vaccination drive to villages as cases surge

Recuperating after receiving her fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot, Xu Yafa, a 64-year-old retiree living in a small village on the outskirts of Shanghai, was very clear about the reasons why she needed a booster jab. "Because I am afraid!" she told Reuters.

Chinese cities give out free fever drugs as COVID flares

Cities in China began distributing free anti-fever drugs to the public, as COVID-19 sweeps through the world's most populous country largely unchecked for the first time after an abrupt shift in the country's containment policies. After widespread protests and a relentless rise in cases, China this month began dismantling its "zero-COVID" regime.

Bird flu situation is worsening in France, ministry says

The spread of bird flu has accelerated in the past weeks in France, the European Union's second-largest poultry producer, the farm ministry said on Wednesday, raising concern of further shortages. France had already detected a rise in bird flu outbreaks over the summer after seeing its worst wave of the disease last season that lead to the culling of about 20 million chickens, ducks and turkeys and a sharp fall in poultry and foie gras output.