Reuters Health News Summary

The last patient being treated for Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo was discharged on Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, bringing the 19-month-old outbreak closer than ever to an end. The patient's release from hospital in the eastern city of Beni, feted by hospital staff who sang, danced and drummed on trash cans, marks the first time there have been no active cases since the outbreak was declared in August 2018. Any U.S. citizen can be tested for coronavirus at doctor's orders under new guidance: Pence

Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday that U.S. public health authorities had issued new guidance to make clear that a doctor's order was all that would be needed for any American to be tested for the novel coronavirus. "We're issuing new guidance, effective immediately, from the CDC that will make it clear that any clinician on health authority can administer the test," Pence told reporters at the White House, referring to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Coronavirus more deadly than flu but containable: WHO's Tedros

About 3.4% of confirmed cases of COVID-19 have died, far above seasonal flu's fatality rate of under 1%, but the novel coronavirus can be contained, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, urged countries to prepare for patients with the virus turning up in their hospitals and ensure that health workers are protected. WHO warns of global shortage of medical equipment to fight coronavirus

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday warned of a global shortage and price gouging for protective equipment to fight the fast-spreading coronavirus and asked companies and governments to increase production by 40% as the death toll from the respiratory illness mounted. Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates on Tuesday in an emergency move to try to prevent a global recession and the World Bank announced $12 billion to help countries fight the coronavirus, which has taken a heavy toll on air travel, tourism and other industries, threatening global economic growth prospects.