Health News Roundup: Phillippines records highest single-day jump; British consortium ends after making over 13,000 ventilators and more

The 163 deaths reported on Sunday exceed the previous record from last Monday, when the health ministry reported 162 deaths in a day. UK COVID-19 confirmed death toll rises by 22 to 44,220 Britain's death toll from confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen by 22 to 44,220, the department of health said on Sunday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Philippines records highest single-day jump in new coronavirus cases

The Philippines reported its biggest single-day jump in new coronavirus cases on Sunday, adding 2,434 confirmed infections and taking the total count to 44,254, the health ministry said. The ministry said the rise could be attributed to increased contact among people as the country began easing lockdown measures to help reduce the pandemic's damage to the economy.

British consortium ends after making over 13,000 ventilators

A British consortium formed by a group of aerospace, automotive and engineering firms to build ventilators for the country's health service said on Sunday it would end after delivering over 13,000 devices. VentilatorChallengeUK said its production had more than doubled the stock of ventilators available for use in the National Health Service.

Iran records highest daily death toll from COVID-19

Iran recorded its highest number of deaths from COVID-19 within a 24-hour period, official health ministry figures showed on Sunday. The 163 deaths reported on Sunday exceed the previous record from last Monday when the health ministry reported 162 deaths in a day.

UK COVID-19 confirmed death toll rises by 22 to 44,220

Britain's death toll from confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen by 22 to 44,220, the department of health said on Sunday. The number of deaths registered at the weekend is often lower than during the week. Including deaths from suspected cases, the toll is over 54,000, according to a Reuters tally.

Spain imposes second local coronavirus lockdown in two days

The northwestern Spanish region of Galicia imposed restrictions on about 70,000 people on Sunday following a COVID-19 outbreak, a day after Catalonia also introduced a local lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. People living in A Marina along Spain's northern coast in the province of Lugo will not be able to leave the area from midnight on Sunday until Friday, two days before regional elections in Galicia on July 12.

Coronavirus surges on Colombia's Caribbean coast, doctors warn deaths underreported

Coronavirus cases and deaths are surging along Colombia's Caribbean coast as the region becomes the epicenter of the pandemic in the Andean country, with doctors warning many deaths are going undetected. Colombia - Latin America's third-most populous nation - has officially reported over 113,000 cases of coronavirus and just under 4,000 deaths among its 50 million inhabitants.

U.S. CDC reports 2,841,906 coronavirus cases, 129,576 deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported 2,841,906 cases of new coronavirus, an increase of 52,228 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 271 to 129,576. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. EDT on July 4 compared with its previous report a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/38rDity)

Rising coronavirus cases in 39 U.S. states cast shadow over July 4 celebrations

Rising coronavirus cases in 39 U.S. states cast a shadow over the nation's Fourth of July celebrations as health experts worried that holiday parties will cause a further spike in infections that could overwhelm hospitals. After towns and cities across the country canceled annual fireworks displays to avoid large crowds gathering, many Americans launched bottle rockets and roman candles from streets and suburban backyards to commemorate Independence Day.

Hundreds of scientists say coronavirus is airborne, ask WHO to revise recommendations:

NYT Hundreds of scientists say there is evidence that novel coronavirus in smaller particles in the air can infect people and are calling for the World Health Organization to revise recommendations, the New York Times reported on Saturday. The WHO has said the coronavirus disease spreads primarily from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are expelled when a person with COVID-19 coughs, sneezes, or speaks.

Britain nears $625 million Sanofi/GSK COVID-19 vaccine deal:

report Britain is close to a 500 million pound ($624 million) supply deal with Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline for 60 million doses of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, the Sunday Times reported. Clinical trials are due to start in September and Sanofi has said it expects to get approval by the first half of next year, sooner than previously anticipated.