Health News Roundup: Mexico says WTO COVID vaccine deal should go beyond IP waiver; U.S. Senator Romney announces deal on $10 billion in COVID funding and more

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the chamber, hailed the deal but said he was disappointed that an agreement on $5 billion of global health funding had not also been reached. U.S. FDA advisers to discuss additional COVID vaccine shots, booster design The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's expert advisers will discuss the timing of additional COVID-19 vaccine boosters and the people eligible for the extra shots in a meeting later this week, the health agency said on Monday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Gilead's remdesivir fails to show benefit in European trial; no fetus risk seen with first trimester vaccination

The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Two promising drugs for COVID-19 fail to deliver

Lawmakers back $10 billion COVID funding deal -reports

Negotiators in Congress have agreed to an additional $10 billion in COVID-19 funding to address U.S. needs but have dropped international aid from the package, two U.S. media outlets said on Monday ahead of lawmakers' upcoming spring recess. Lawmakers could not agree on additional money in global aid to address the health crisis, the Washington Post said, citing two people familiar with the deal. Politico and the Wall Street Journal also separately reported the deal.

Mexico says WTO COVID vaccine deal should go beyond IP waiver

Any World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement on COVID-19 vaccines should include more than just a waiver on intellectual property, Mexico's representative to the trade body said, in a sign that consensus is proving tough to forge. The United States, the European Union, India and South Africa reached a provisional consensus on elements of a long-sought IP waiver for the vaccines, according to a document that circulated among governments last month.

Omicron sub-variant BA.2 makes up 72% of COVID variants in U.S. - CDC

The U.S. national public health agency said on Monday the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron was estimated to account for nearly three of every four coronavirus variants in the country.

Overall COVID-19 cases in the United States have dropped sharply after hitting record levels in January, but a resurgence in cases in parts of Asia and Europe has raised concerns that another wave could follow in the United States. The country's health experts, however, believe it is unlikely.

Shanghai to extend lockdown of 26 million people as it reviews COVID test results

Shanghai will remain under lockdown as it reviews results of an exercise to test all of its 26 million residents for COVID-19, authorities said on Monday. The city began its two-stage lockdown on March 28, initially in Shanghai's eastern districts, and later expanded to cover the whole city.

West Virginia says J&J, drugmakers created 'tsunami' of opioid addiction

West Virginia's attorney general on Monday urged a judge to hold Johnson & Johnson, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd, and AbbVie Inc's Allergan liable for causing a "tsunami" of opioid addiction in the state. The addiction crisis has affected the state's police forces, hospitals, foster care system and jails, with effects that will linger for more than a generation, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said during opening statements in Kanawha County Circuit Court.

White House says congressional deal on COVID aid won't meet all "dire" needs

The White House said on Monday said it welcomed progress on an emerging deal in Congress for additional COVID aid but said it would not meet all the "dire" needs that a higher amount of aid would achieve. "We are encouraged by the strong progress that Congress is making in finalizing a deal," White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said.

U.S. Senator Romney announces deal on $10 billion in COVID funding

An agreement to provide $10 billion in U.S. funding for COVID aid has been reached in the Senate, Republican Senator Mitt Romney said in a statement on Monday. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the chamber, hailed the deal but said he was disappointed that an agreement on $5 billion of global health funding had not also been reached.

U.S. FDA advisers to discuss additional COVID vaccine shots, booster design

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's expert advisers will discuss the timing of additional COVID-19 vaccine boosters and the people eligible for the extra shots in a meeting later this week, the health agency said on Monday. The independent advisers will also discuss at the April 6 meeting the FDA's role in how future versions of COVID vaccines are created to help fight new variants.

S.Africa's COVID state of disaster to end at midnight - Ramaphosa

South Africa's national state of disaster, in place for more than two years in response to COVID-19, will end from midnight local time on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said. The national state of disaster has been the government's main mechanism for managing the pandemic. Removing it will do away with the vast majority of remaining COVID-19 restrictions, aside from a few that will remain in place on a transitional basis, Ramaphosa said.