Reuters Health News Summary

Hetero said it had entered into a licensing agreement with the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to manufacture and sell the generic version of the drug in low- and middle-income countries. Italy imposes mandatory Covid tests for travellers from China Italy has ordered COVID-19 antigen swabs and virus sequencing for all travellers coming from China, where cases are surging, the health minister said on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Japan marks record 415 COVID-19 deaths -health ministry

Japan on Wednesday recorded 415 COVID-19 deaths, the highest-ever count for a single day, health ministry data showed. The country counted 216,219 newly confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday, up 4% from a week earlier, the data also showed, approaching the record high of some 260,000 a day in August.

Taiwan to test arrivals from China for COVID from Jan 1

Taiwan will test arrivals from China for COVID-19 from Jan. 1 in response to a surge in cases there, the government said on Wednesday, joining other countries in stepping up controls on people coming from China. Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Centre said all passengers arriving on direct flights from China, as well as by boat at two offshore islands, will have to take PCR tests upon arrival.

U.S. to impose mandatory COVID-19 tests for travelers from China

The United States will impose mandatory COVID-19 tests on travelers from China, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday, joining India, Italy, Japan and Taiwan in taking new measures after Beijing's decision to lift stringent zero-COVID policies. The officials told reporters that beginning on Jan. 5, all air passengers 2 years old and older will require a negative result from a test no more than two days before departure from China, Hong Kong or Macao.

COVID pressures China's hospitals as countries mandate tests for travellers

Chinese hospitals and funeral homes were under intense pressure on Wednesday as a surging COVID-19 wave drained resources, while the scale of the outbreak and doubts over official data prompted some countries to enact new travel rules on Chinese visitors. In an abrupt change of policy, China this month began dismantling the world's strictest COVID regime of lockdowns and extensive testing, putting its battered economy on course for a complete re-opening next year.

Hong Kong scraps most COVID rules, though masks still mandated

Hong Kong will cancel its stringent COVID-19 rules from Thursday, city leader John Lee said, meaning that arrivals will no longer need to do mandatory PCR tests while the city's vaccine pass would also be scrapped. All measures would be cancelled on Thursday, apart from the wearing of masks which still remains compulsory, Lee told a media briefing on Wednesday.

China to drop COVID tests for inbound travellers from Jan 8

China will drop a requirement for inbound travellers to take COVID-19 PCR tests starting from Jan 8, 2023, customs authorities said on Wednesday. PCR checks for imported chilled and frozen foods will also be dropped, China's General Administration of Customs said.

U.S. FDA approves TG Therapeutics' multiple sclerosis drug; shares surge

TG Therapeutics Inc said on Wednesday that the U.S. health regulator had approved its monoclonal antibody for treating patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, sending its shares up 47% in afternoon trade. The approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) widens the number of such drugs available for treating the disorder to three and may help soften the blow to the company's finances from the withdrawal of its lymphatic cancer drug earlier this year.

Uzbekistan says 18 children die after consuming India-made syrup

Uzbekistan's health ministry has said at least 18 children have died after consuming a medicinal syrup manufactured by Indian drugmaker Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd. The ministry said 18 out of 21 children who took the Doc-1 Max syrup while suffering from an acute respiratory disease died after consuming it. It is marketed on the company's website as a treatment for cold and flu symptoms.

India-based Hetero's Paxlovid generic gets WHO backing

India's Hetero said on Tuesday that its generic version of Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment for COVID-19 developed by Pfizer Inc, was added to the World Health Organization's prequalification list, which serves as a benchmark for procurement of medicines by developing countries. Hetero said it had entered into a licensing agreement with the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to manufacture and sell the generic version of the drug in low- and middle-income countries.

Italy imposes mandatory Covid tests for travellers from China

Italy has ordered COVID-19 antigen swabs and virus sequencing for all travellers coming from China, where cases are surging, the health minister said on Wednesday. Italy, which was the first nation in Europe to be hit hard by the virus in February 2020 after it emerged in China, is now the first to impose mandatory tests on people arriving from the Asian country grappling with a new wave.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)