Reuters Health News Summary
Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
UK cancels order for simple ventilators, needs more complex ones: source
Britain has cancelled an order for thousands of units of a simple model of ventilator developed by industrial companies to treat COVID-19 because more sophisticated devices are now needed, a source involved in the project said on Sunday. The government confirmed it no longer required that particular model, known as BlueSky.
Broad coronavirus testing crucial in lifting restrictions: U.S. experts
The United States needs to ramp up testing for the coronavirus as the White House considers when and how to lift stay-at-home restrictions and lockdowns triggered by the pandemic, U.S. health experts said on Sunday. More than 2 million tests have been done in the country so far, but the tests are not available to many who need them, said Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
South Africa coronavirus cases rise to 2,173
South Africa on Sunday reported a further 145 cases of the coronavirus, taking the total number in the country to 2,173, a statement from the Health ministry said. The statement did not provide any update on the number of deaths, which rose to 25 on Saturday.
Canada coronavirus deaths rise by more than 12% to 674: public health agency
The number of people killed by the coronavirus in Canada rose by more than 12% to 674 in a day, official data posted by the public health agency showed on Sunday. By 11:00 eastern time (1500 GMT), the total number of those diagnosed with the coronavirus had risen to 23,719. The respective figures at the same time on Saturday were 600 deaths and 22,559 positive diagnoses.
One in eight of Portugal's coronavirus-related deaths in care homes as outbreak spreads
The coronavirus outbreak spread further into Portuguese care homes over the Easter weekend, with 100 new cases of COVID-19 reported in a single residence and care homes accounting for around one in eight of the country's 504 deaths. The death toll and 16,585 recorded cases are still a small fraction of the numbers in neighbouring Spain, but officials fear the disease could spread rapidly through care homes as it has in other parts of Europe.
U.S. spends Easter Sunday on lockdown as COVID-19 death toll tops 21,300
Americans spent Easter Sunday on lockdown as the U.S. toll from the novel coronavirus pandemic surpassed 21,300 deaths and more than half a million confirmed cases. In the latest sign of the disruption wrought by the disease, one of the nation's largest pork processing plants was shuttered after workers fell ill, and its owner warned the country was moving "perilously close to the edge" in supplies for grocers.
Coronavirus forces U.S. churches to offer Easter Sunday services unlike any before
U.S. church leaders peppered their Easter homilies with references to the coronavirus on Sunday, in masses held online, on television and even in parking lots to people sheltering in cars to maintain social distancing during the pandemic. For the world's largest Christian population, the coronavirus pandemic has meant observing an Easter Sunday unlike any Americans have lived through before.
China toughens restrictions on border with Russia as imported coronavirus cases hit record
Chinese cities near the border with Russia said on Sunday they would tighten border controls and quarantine measures on arrivals from abroad after the number of imported cases of COVID-19 hit a record high. New daily confirmed cases in mainland China reached 99 on April 11, almost doubling from 46 the previous day to a one-month high. All but two of the new recorded cases involved people travelling from abroad, many of them Chinese nationals returning from Russia.
Latest on the spread of the coronavirus around the world
More than 1.7 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 108,252 have died, according to a Reuters tally, as of 0200 GMT. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
U.S. CDC reports 525,704 coronavirus cases, 20,486 deaths
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported 525,704 cases of the coronavirus, an increase of 33,288 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths rose by 1,927 to 20,486. The numbers updated by the CDC on Sunday are not confirmed by the U.S. state and territorial health departments, and will be modified when the tally is updated on Monday.
