Health News Roundup: Coronavirus pandemic; food allergies and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

UK conducts random coronavirus testing as part of early warning plan

Britain has started random tests for the new coronavirus on patients with flu-like symptoms as part of an early warning system in case the outbreak of COVID-19 becomes more widespread, a senior health official said. Britain has so far had 13 cases of people testing positive for infection with the new coronavirus. An outbreak in northern Italy worsened on Wednesday, and the epidemic has spread to Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia and France via visitors who were recently in northern Italy.

Allergists offer advice to parents of kids with food allergies

Parents of children with food allergies should acknowledge their kids' anxiety, as well as their own, a group of allergy experts advises. Food allergies affect children of different ages in different ways and can influence relationships with classmates, family and the general public, according to the study in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Greece confirms first coronavirus case, a woman back from Milan

A Greek woman who recently returned home from northern Italy became Greece's first coronavirus case and is being closely monitored, while authorities have ordered the closing of one school in Thessaloniki, the health ministry said on Wednesday. No further information was immediately available on the previous movements of the 38-year-old woman, though Greek media said she had returned to Greece from Milan by air on Feb. 23.

Worried Chinese turn to online doctor consultations amid coronavirus outbreak

Spooked by a sneeze or a cough, Chinese consumers are turning to online consultations in droves for advice about possible coronavirus symptoms - a boon for a fledgling industry that has struggled to win over customers. Due to the epidemic, hundreds of millions of Chinese are stuck at home due to quarantine restrictions imposed by authorities or companies. Even if not under quarantine, many are too worried to venture for long outside or to visit a hospital for other ailments as they fear they might catch the highly contagious virus.

Rouhani says no urban quarantines planned as Iran coronavirus toll hits 19

President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that Iran had no plans to quarantine any "cities and districts" in response to the country's coronavirus outbreak, which the health ministry said had killed 19 people, state TV reported. There were however plans to impose some restriction at holy Shi'ite sites and cancel some sermons on Friday, the Islamic Republic's traditional day of public prayer, said Health Minister Saeed Namaki.

U.S.-South Korea military drills postponed as coronavirus spreads faster outside China

The United States and South Korea postponed joint military drills on Thursday to limit the spread of coronavirus, as the number of infections outside China, the source of the outbreak, for the first time surpassed those appearing in the country. Taiwan raised its epidemic response level to the highest as it readied a $2 billion package to cushion the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on its export-reliant economy.

Carnival-going German couple contract coronavirus, authorities fear it has spread

A German couple who have contracted the coronavirus had taken part in local carnival celebrations and also visited the Netherlands in the 10 days before they were diagnosed, officials said on Wednesday. Authorities in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia are now racing to stop the coronavirus spreading and are tracking down people the couple have been in contact with in their home district of Heinsberg.

Trump says coronavirus risk in U.S. is low; CDC confirms first case of unknown origin

President Donald Trump told Americans on Wednesday that the risk from coronavirus remained "very low," and placed Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the U.S. response to the looming global health crisis. At a White House briefing, Trump defended his administration's handling of the crisis and said health experts were "ready, willing and able" to move quickly if the virus spreads.

Gilead starts two late-stage studies to test drug for coronavirus

Gilead Sciences Inc said on Wednesday it has started two late-stage studies to test its drug in patients with severe and moderate cases of the illness caused by the coronavirus, sending its shares up 4% in extended trading. Beginning March, the studies will test the experimental antiviral drug, remdesivir, among nearly 1,000 patients at medical centers across Asian countries, as well as in other nations with high numbers of diagnosed cases, the company said.

U.S. FDA official warns of possibility of coronavirus pandemic

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration official on Wednesday pointed to the spread of the new coronavirus to six of the world's seven continents as he warned of the potential for a global pandemic. "We have to be alert to the possibility of a pandemic," Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in an interview after a presentation at the SVB Leerink health-care conference in New York.

(With inputs from agencies.)