Health News Roundup: U.S. FDA sets June meeting dates for Moderna; Indian vaccine giant Serum plans African plant in global expansion and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. health officials releasing some Jynneos vaccine doses for monkeypox - CDC

U.S. health officials are in the process of releasing some Jynneos vaccine doses for use in monkeypox cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday.

CDC officials said there are more than 1,000 doses of the vaccine, approved in the United States in 2019, in the national stockpile and they expect that level to ramp up very quickly in the coming weeks.

U.S. FDA sets June meeting dates for Moderna, Pfizer small children COVID-19 vaccines

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration set June 14-15 as the new meeting date to review Moderna Inc's emergency authorization request for its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 months to 5 years and Pfizer Inc's vaccine for those aged 6 months through 4 years. The new dates for our pediatric COVID-19 vaccine advisory committee meetings will now be June 14 and June 15, the FDA said in a statement Monday.

Indian vaccine giant Serum plans African plant in global expansion

The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, is considering setting up its first manufacturing plant in Africa as it looks to expand globally after its success in selling COVID-19 shots, its CEO told Reuters on Monday. Africa was the only continent that did not have its own manufacturing capacity for COVID shots during the worst phases of the pandemic in the last two years, leaving it at the mercy of suppliers from overseas, including the SII.

U.S. drug regulator lifts clinical hold on Ocugen's COVID vaccine trial

Ocugen Inc said on Monday the U.S. drug regulator has lifted the clinical hold on a mid-to-late stage trial of the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by its Indian partner Bharat Biotech. The Food and Drug Administration paused the trials of the shot, Covaxin, in April after an inspection of a Bharat Biotech facility by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed deficiencies in the manufacturing process.

WHO says no evidence monkeypox virus has mutated

The World Health Organization does not have evidence that the monkeypox virus has mutated, a senior executive at the U.N. agency said on Monday, noting the infectious disease that has been endemic in west and central Africa has tended not to change. Rosamund Lewis, head of the smallpox secretariat that is part of the WHO Emergencies Programme, told a briefing that mutations tended to be typically lower with this virus, although genome sequencing of cases will help inform understanding of the current outbreak.

Omicron breakthrough infections may spare young hearts; no need to delay mammogram after 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. Omicron breakthrough infections may spare young hearts

Pfizer/BioNTech say 3 COVID shots elicit good response in children under 5

Drugmakers Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE said on Monday that three doses of their COVID-19 vaccine generated a strong immune response in children under age 5 and was safe and well-tolerated in their clinical trial. The companies said they plan to soon ask global regulators to authorize the shot for the age group, children for whom no vaccine is currently approved in most of the world. They said they expect to complete their submission of data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week.

Germany to release monkeypox guidance, mulls vaccine options - minister

Germany's health minister on Monday expressed concern about monkeypox outbreaks and said the country was due to release quarantine guidelines on Tuesday after reporting three cases. Nearly 20 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease, with more than 100 confirmed or suspected infections, mostly in Europe.

Beijing extends work-from-home 'requirement' for millions as COVID spreads

The Chinese capital extended its work-from-home requirement for many of its 22 million residents to stem a COVID-19 outbreak, while Shanghai deployed more testing and curbs to hold on to its hard-won "zero COVID" status after two months of lockdown. Beijing said 99 new cases were detected on Sunday, up from 61 the previous day - the largest daily tally so far during a month-old outbreak that has consistently seen dozens of new infections every day.

Scientists make way for gene-edited tomatoes as vegan source of vitamin D

If British scientists have their way, two medium-sized tomatoes a day could keep the doctor away. A research team led by scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have edited the genetic makeup of tomatoes to become a robust source of vitamin D, which regulates nutrients like calcium that are imperative to keeping bones, teeth and muscles healthy.

(With inputs from agencies.)