Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Daily coronavirus death toll in France slows to 441

The number of people who died from coronavirus infections in France over the past 24 hours slowed to 441 from a high of 588 the previous day, France's health ministry director told a news conference on Saturday. Jerome Salomon said the death toll in French hospitals and nursing homes since the start of the outbreak now stood at 7,560. 5G coronavirus conspiracy theory is dangerous fake nonsense, UK says

A conspiracy theory that links 5G mobile telecommunications masts to the spread of the novel coronavirus is dangerous fake news and completely false, Britain said on Saturday after masts in several parts of the country were torched. When asked by a reporter about the so called "theory" that 5G telecommunications masts could play a role in the spread of the disease, British Cabinet Officer Minister Michael Gove said: "That is just nonsense, dangerous nonsense as well." Turkey's coronavirus death toll rises above 500: minister

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Turkey rose by more than 3,000 to 23,934 on Saturday with deaths related to COVID-19 rising by 76 to 501 people, Heath Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter. In the last 24 hours, 19,664 tests were conducted bringing the total performed in Turkey so far to 161,380, Koca, said. Exclusive: Amazon in contact with coronavirus test makers for potential screenings on employees

Amazon.com Inc has been in contact with the CEOs of two coronavirus test makers as it considers how to screen its staff and reduce the risk of infection at its warehouses, according to internal meeting notes seen by Reuters. The chief executives of Abbott Laboratories and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc have told Amazon they would like to work with the e-commerce company, though the U.S. government is taking up all of their testing capacity at present, the notes said. Algeria to speed up customs procedures for food, health equipment over coronavirus

Algeria, seeking to avoid shortages of health products and basic foodstuffs during the coronavirus pandemic, has taken "exceptional measures" to accelerate customs procedures for importers, customs said on Saturday. All health products, medical equipment and staple foods will be taken from ports on arrival, and customs formalities will take place "at a later time", it said in a statement. Number of coronavirus intensive care patients in Italy drops for first time

Italy reported its lowest daily rise in COVID-19 deaths for nearly two weeks on Saturday and said the number of patients in intensive care had fallen for the first time. Officials urged the country not to flout strict lockdown measures they said were starting to show results, although new cases rose by 4,805 on Saturday which was slightly higher than recent daily increases. Portugal's coronavirus cases grow, half a million workers at risk of lay off

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Portugal pushed past the 10,000 mark on Saturday, while government data showed more than half a million Portuguese workers were at risk of being temporarily laid off due to the outbreak. "This fight is not a 100-meter (109.3-yard) race; it is a long marathon," Health Minister Marta Temido told a news conference, urging citizens to step up their fight against the outbreak as there was still "no light at the end of the tunnel." UK coronavirus death rate to stay high top medic says, as toll passes 4,300

High fatalities from the coronavirus will continue in the United Kingdom for at least another week or two even if people comply with stringent isolation measures, health authorities said on Saturday as the country's death toll jumped to 4,313. The toll went up by 708 in 24 hours, the highest daily rise so far in Britain. A 5-year-old child with an underlying health problem was among the dead, along with at least 40 who had no known previous known conditions. U.S. CDC reports 277,205 coronavirus cases, 6,593 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday reported 277,205 cases of coronavirus, an increase of 37,926 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 1,150 to 6,593. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET on April 3 compared to its count a day ago. (https://bit.ly/348yQ0J) Exclusive: Pressed by Trump, U.S. pushed unproven coronavirus treatment guidance

In mid-March, President Donald Trump personally pressed federal health officials to make malaria drugs available to treat the novel coronavirus, though they had been untested for COVID-19, two sources told Reuters. Shortly afterward, the federal government published highly unusual guidance informing doctors they had the option to prescribe the drugs, with key dosing information based on unattributed anecdotes rather than peer-reviewed science.