Reuters Health News Summary
Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
German labs did 332,414 coronavirus tests last week: association
German labs processed 332,414 tests for the coronavirus last week, up 5.9% from a week earlier, a trade group said on Tuesday, adding that the industry had some spare capacity for more intense diagnostic activity if required by healthcare policy makers. The ALM association of certified laboratories in Germany said in a media briefing that its tally covered about 85%-90% of all coronavirus testing carried out in Germany.
WHO warns against easing coronavirus measures too early
The World Health Organization has no blanket recommendation for countries and regions for easing measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, but urged them not to lift them too early, a spokesman said on Tuesday. "One of the most important parts is not to let go of the measures too early in order not to have a fall back again," said WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier in a virtual briefing.
What you need to know about the coronavirus right now
Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Who has the UK nuclear button? No comment
Global health fund calls for $8 billion to begin COVID-19 exit strategy
A leading global health fund has asked international businesses and governments to provide $8 billion to support development and production of COVID-19 tests, drugs and vaccines. British-based Wellcome Trust said the initiative, dubbed COVID-Zero, is aimed at the private sector and it is urging chief executives of multinational companies to join the coalition and save lives.
Special Report: Doctors embrace drug touted by Trump for COVID-19, without hard evidence it works
The decades-old drug that President Donald Trump has persistently promoted as a potential weapon against COVID-19 has within a matter of weeks become a standard of care in areas of the United States hit hard by the pandemic — though doctors prescribing it have no idea whether it works. Doctors and pharmacists from more than half a dozen large healthcare systems in New York, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Washington and California told Reuters they are routinely using hydroxychloroquine on patients hospitalized with COVID-19. At the same time, several said they have seen no evidence that the drug, used for years to treat malaria and autoimmune disorders, has any effect on the virus.
U.S. officials brace for 'peak death week' in coronavirus
U.S. officials on Monday girded the country for a "peak death week" from the coronavirus pandemic as the accelerating American death toll closed the gap with Italy and Spain, the countries with the most fatalities to date. "It's going to be the peak hospitalization, peak ICU week and unfortunately, peak death week," Admiral Brett Giroir, a physician and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday.
Eli Lilly lowers insulin costs as coronavirus crisis deepens
Drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co said on Tuesday it has capped the out-of-pocket cost for insulin to $35 per month to help diabetes patients across the United States, many of whom are facing financial difficulties due to the coronavirus outbreak. The new co-pay scheme covers most of Lilly's insulins, including widely-used Humalog injection, and can be availed by people with commercial insurance as well as those without insurance.
Walgreens to expand drive-through COVID-19 testing sites
Walgreens Boots Alliance is working to expand its drive-through testing for COVID-19 to 15 new sites in seven states, the drugstore chain said on Tuesday. (https://reut.rs/2RiC1NT) The new sites will use Abbot Laboratories's COVID-19 diagnostic tests, which deliver positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results within 13 minutes.
Switzerland working on scenarios for progressive confinement easing: president
Switzerland's president said on Tuesday that the government was working on different scenarios for easing confinement measures in the country "when the time comes" but that the situation was "still very far from normal". "Various departments are working on different scenarios to ease the measures," said Simonetta Sommaruga, adding that a decision would be made by the Federal Council when the time is right and that it would be done progressively. "We are still very far from normal," she added.
U.N. agency says coronavirus emergency could trump some patent rights
Discussions are under way on enabling wider access to some patented drugs and medical supplies during the coronavirus pandemic, the head of the U.N.'s intellectual property agency said on Tuesday. Francis Gurry, director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), said that during an emergency, health and safety "trumps everything".
