Health News Roundup: China reports fewer coronavirus infections; U.N. nuclear agency sending coronavirus testing gear and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

China reports fewer coronavirus infections, tallies asymptomatic cases

China, where the coronavirus outbreak first emerged in December, reported dwindling new infections on Wednesday and for the first time disclosed the number of asymptomatic cases, which could complicate how trends in the outbreak are read. Almost all of Tuesday's 36 new cases involved arrivals from overseas, the National Health Commission said, down from 48 a day earlier, and taking total infections to 81,554.

U.N. nuclear agency sending coronavirus testing gear to 40 countries

The U.N. atomic agency is sending an initial batch of equipment to about 40 countries with which they will be able to perform a standard test for the coronavirus involving a technique derived from nuclear science, it said on Wednesday. The technique, real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/how-is-the-covid-19-virus-detected-using-real-time-rt-pcr, or real time RT-PCR, is commonly used in developed countries to tell whether someone is infected. It detects the coronavirus's RNA, its genetic fingerprint, on a swab sample.

Shortage of drugs and equipment: Brussels hospitals sound the alarm

Hospitals in the Belgian capital called on the federal government on Wednesday to address a shortage of medicines and equipment, as COVID-19 patients continue to arrive at intensive care units that are starting to fill up. "Federal authorities do not seem to see or hear that the reality is that hospitals are in a massive shortage of all protective gear and drugs needed to treat COVID-19 patients and other categories of equipment like syringes," around 10 public and private hospitals said in a statement issued via the federation of hospitals and care homes for Belgium's regions of Brussels and Wallonia known as Santhea.

Italy coronavirus death rate slows but studies suggest true tally higher

Italy's daily death toll from coronavirus on Wednesday was the lowest for six days, authorities said, but the overall number of new infections grew and the government extended a national lockdown until at least the middle of April. The Civil Protection Agency said 727 people had died over the last 24 hours, down from 837 the day before, bringing total fatalities from the world's deadliest outbreak of the viral pandemic to 13,155.

France passes 4,000 coronavirus deaths, no end of lockdown in sight

France became the fourth country to pass the 4,000 coronavirus deaths threshold on Wednesday, after Italy, Spain and the United States, as the government scrambles to stay ahead of the curve regarding ventilator-equipped beds that are quickly filling up. French health authorities reported 509 new deaths from the disease, taking the total to 4,032. But, after speeding up the previous two days, the rate of increase of deaths has decelerated in France, which is now in its third week of lockdown to try to slow the spread of the virus.

Israelis told to wear face masks in public, mark religious holidays with close family only

All Israelis should wear face masks while in public as a precaution against the coronavirus, and upcoming Jewish, Muslim and Christian holidays should be marked only with immediate family, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday. In televised remarks, Netanyahu also announced curbs on movement around an ultra-Orthodox Jewish town that has experienced a disproportionately large outbreak.

COVID-19 infections growing exponentially, deaths nearing 50,000: WHO

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) voiced deep concern on Wednesday about "the rapid escalation and global spread" of COVID-19 cases from the new coronavirus, which has now reached 205 countries and territories. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that his agency, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) backed debt relief to help developing countries cope with the pandemic's social and economic consequences.

Chinese scientists seeking potential COVID-19 treatment find 'effective' antibodies

A team of Chinese scientists has isolated several antibodies that it says are "extremely effective" at blocking the ability of the new coronavirus to enter cells, which eventually could be helpful in treating or preventing COVID-19. There is currently no proven effective treatment for the disease, which originated in China and is spreading across the world in a pandemic that has infected more than 850,000 and killed 42,000.

Coronavirus can spread one to three days before symptoms appear: CDC study

People infected with the novel coronavirus can transmit the infection one-to-three days before symptoms start to appear, according to a study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study, which underscored the importance of social distancing to fight the coronavirus outbreak, looked at 243 cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, reported in Singapore between January 23 and March 16.

Tommy the robot nurse helps keep Italy doctors safe from coronavirus

He doesn't wear a mask but he is helping save lives from coronavirus just the same. Meet Tommy, the robot nurse. Tommy is one of six new robots helping flesh-and-blood doctors and nurses care for coronavirus patients at the Circolo Hospital in Varese, a city in the northern Lombardy region that is the epicenter of the outbreak in Italy.

(With inputs from agencies.)