Health News Roundup: Shenzhen reports no new local COVID cases for Sept 18; Biden said the pandemic is over. Is it? and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Shenzhen reports no new local COVID cases for Sept 18 China's southern technology hub of Shenzhen reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Sunday, down from one symptomatic case and one asymptomatic case a day earlier, the Shenzhen Health authority said on Monday. Explainer-Biden said the pandemic is over.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Shenzhen reports no new local COVID cases for Sept 18

China's southern technology hub of Shenzhen reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Sunday, down from one symptomatic case and one asymptomatic case a day earlier, the Shenzhen Health authority said on Monday.

Explainer-Biden said the pandemic is over. Is it?

What is the status of COVID-19 now that President Joe Biden has told the CBS 60 Minutes news program the pandemic is over in the United States? HAS THE U.S. FORMALLY DECLARED THE END OF THE PANDEMIC?

China reports 990 new COVID cases for Sept 18 vs 1,189 a day earlier

China reported 990 new COVID-19 infections for Sept. 18, of which 147 were symptomatic and 843 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That compares with 1,189 new cases a day earlier – 154 symptomatic and 1,035 asymptomatic infections - which China counts separately.

Teva Pharm expects to start paying U.S. opioid settlement in 2023

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries expects to finalise an opioid settlement in the United States by year-end and start paying in 2023, its chief executive said on Sunday, while confirming he was unlikely to renew his contract next year. After years of negotiations, Israel-based Teva in July proposed a $4.35 billion nationwide settlement - mostly cash and partly medicines that will amount to $300 million to $400 million over 13 years - to resolve its opioid lawsuits.

Ghana declares end of Marburg virus disease outbreak

Ghana has declared the end of an outbreak of Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease similar to Ebola, that was confirmed in July, the president's office said on Monday. Ghana's Marburg outbreak was the second in West Africa. The first ever case of the virus was detected last year in Guinea, with no further cases identified.

Beijing reports no new local COVID cases for Sept 18

China's capital Beijing reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections for Sept. 18, local government authorities said on Monday. This compared with zero symptomatic and asymptomatic cases the day before.

Don't touch foreigners to reduce monkeypox risk, China health official says

A senior Chinese health official advised people to avoid contact with foreigners to prevent monkeypox infection after the first known case of the virus on mainland China was reported. "To prevent possible monkeypox infection and as part of our healthy lifestyle, it is recommended that 1) you do not have direct skin-to-skin contact with foreigners," Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention posted on his official Weibo page on Saturday.

Biden says 'the pandemic is over' even as death toll, costs mount

U.S. President Joe Biden said in an interview aired on Sunday that "the pandemic is over," even though the country continues to grapple with coronavirus infections that kill hundreds of Americans daily. "The pandemic is over," Biden said during an interview conducted with CBS' "60 Minutes" program on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show, an event which drew thousands of visitors.

(With inputs from agencies.)