Healthcare

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

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - 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…

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France’s health body warns of resurgence of COVID virus in the country

France's national health body warned on Friday of a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the country, and urged people to continue to get vaccinated to protect themselves against the virus.…

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WHO ‘strongly advises against’ use of two COVID treatments

(Reuters) - Two COVID-19 antibody therapies are no longer recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), on the basis that Omicron and the variant's latest offshoots have likely rendered them…

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End of COVID pandemic is ‘in sight’ -WHO chief

The world has never been in a better position to end the COVID-19 pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday, his most optimistic outlook yet on…

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WHO urges action as 17 million long COVID cases estimated in Europe region

Around 17 million people have been stricken with long COVID in the first two years of the pandemic across the European region, according to modeling conducted for the World Health…

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‘Challenge’ to maintain world’s focus on global health after COVID-19: Bill Gates

Asking the world to prioritise saving lives in the world's poorest countries is increasingly challenging in a world still rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of climate change, rising…

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New York State ends mask mandates on trains, transit

(Reuters) - New York state on Wednesday ended a 28-month-old COVID-19 mandate requiring masks on trains, buses and other modes of public transit, as well as at airports and in…

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Top scientists join forces to study leading theory behind long COVID

CHICAGO, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Top scientists from leading academic centers are banding together to answer a key question about the root cause of long COVID - whether fragments of…

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On COVID alert, more Chinese cities advise residents to stay put for holiday

BEIJING, Sept 7 (Reuters) - More Chinese cities advised residents on Wednesday to avoid unnecessary trips for the upcoming holiday long weekend, adding to COVID policies that are keeping tens…

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Boost high-risk people with Omicron-tailored shots first – EU officials

LONDON (Reuters) - EU officials recommended that the two Omicron- tailored vaccines recently endorsed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) be first deployed in high-risk individuals. Developed by Moderna and…

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CanSino’s inhaled COVID-19 vaccine gets emergency use approval in China

HONG KONG, Sept 4 (Reuters) - China's CanSino Biologics Inc said on Sunday that its recently developed COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by the country's drug regulator for emergency use…

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China’s Shenzhen extends COVID curbs but stops short of full lockdown

SHENZHEN, China, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Some districts of China's southern tech hub Shenzhen extended curbs on public activities, dining out and entertainment venues on Friday, but city officials stopped…

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EU states urged to roll out COVID booster shots to fend off winter infections

BRUSSELS, Sept 2 (Reuters) - EU countries should start offering COVID boosters to their populations now to contain a fresh wave of infections expected this autumn and winter, the bloc's…

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Chengdu locks down 21.2 million people as Chinese cities battle COVID

SHENZHEN, China, Sept 1 (Reuters) - One of China's biggest cities, Chengdu, announced a lockdown of its 21.2 million residents as it launched four days of citywide COVID-19 testing, as…

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Europe to get Omicron-adapted vaccines within days of EU approval -MEP Liese

LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Omicron-adapted vaccines will be delivered to the European Union within days of regulatory approval, European member of parliament Peter Liese said on Wednesday. The European Medicines Agency…

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Worldwide roundup on the spread of the coronavirus

Aug 31 (Reuters) - China's Guangzhou on Wednesday imposed COVID-19 curbs in parts of the city, joining Shenzhen in battling local flare-ups, deepening uncertainty over commerce and daily life in…

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China says COVID has exacerbated decline in births, marriages

(Reuters) - China's National Health Commission said COVID-19 has contributed to the decline in the country's marriage and birth rates that has accelerated in recent years due to the high…

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China customs drops some COVID reporting for international arrivals; quarantine remains

BEIJING, Aug 26 (Reuters) - China still requires international passengers to take pre-departure COVID-19 tests and quarantine upon arrival, the customs office said on Friday, a day after dropping some…

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U.S. first lady Jill Biden once more tests positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. first lady Jill Biden has tested positive in a rebound case of COVID-19 but is not experiencing any symptoms, while President Joe Biden continues to test…

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Singapore to drop most indoor mask requirements next week

SINGAPORE, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Singapore will do away with requirements to wear masks indoors starting Aug. 29, as the country sees its COVID-19 situation stabilise further, the health minister…

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Fauci, face of U.S. COVID response, to step down from government posts

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease official who became the face of America's COVID-19 pandemic response under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, announced on Monday he is…

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U.S. first lady Jill Biden tests negative for COVID

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. first lady Jill Biden tested negative for COVID-19 after isolating for five days following a positive test, the White House said. "After isolating for five days…

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Japan PM Kishida infected with COVID, recuperating

TOKYO, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been infected with COVID-19 and is recuperating at his official residence, his office said on Sunday. Kishida, just returned…

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Mild COVID-19 still infectious five days after symptoms begin

Most people with mild COVID-19 are still infectious five days after symptoms begin, a study suggests, throwing into question current NHS guidance on how long to avoid contact with others.…

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U.S. first lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - U.S. first lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, the White House said, adding that President Joe Biden has continued to test…

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UK first to approve Omicron COVID shot with Moderna nod

Britain, the first country to approve a coronavirus vaccine in late 2020, has now also given the first green light to a variant-adapted shot that targets both the original and Omicron version…

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Variant-adapted COVID vaccine wins first approval in Britain

LONDON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Britain has become the first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine that targets both the original and Omicron variant of the virus. The the UK…

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Pfizer CEO tests positive for COVID

Aug 15 (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc PFE.N Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said on Monday he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was experiencing very mild symptoms. Bourla, 60, said he had started a…

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Unvaccinated children have higher long COVID risk

A small study is adding to evidence that children can develop long COVID-19 even if the virus did not make them seriously ill. Researchers in Texas who tracked 1,813 children…

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North Korea lifts mask mandate, distancing rules after declaring COVID victory

SEOUL, Aug 13 (Reuters) - North Korea has dropped a face mask mandate and other social distancing rules as leader Kim Jong Un declared victory over COVID-19 this week, state…

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Carnival drops mandatory COVID-19 testing for vaccinated passengers

(Reuters) - Carnival Corp's major cruise lines will drop mandatory COVID-19 testing for vaccinated guests and allow unvaccinated passengers to travel without an exemption in some cases, the company said…

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Parts of China’s Hainan extend COVID lockdown, Lhasa in Tibet tightens curbs

SHANGHAI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - A few cities in China's tourism hub Hainan extended lockdowns on Friday, with some of the measures expected to last through the weekend, while Lhasa…

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U.S. CDC no longer recommends students quarantine for COVID-19 exposure

(Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will no longer recommend quarantines or test-to-stay programs at schools or daycare centers for people exposed to COVID-19, the agency…

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North Korea declares victory over COVID, reveals Kim suffered fever

SEOUL, Aug 11 (Reuters) - North Korea's Kim Jong Un declared victory in the battle against COVID-19 on Thursday, with the leader's sister revealing he had suffered from fever and…

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BioNTech expects Omicron-adapted vaccine deliveries as soon as October

BioNTech expects to begin deliveries of two Omicron-adapted vaccines as soon as October, which will help spur demand in the fourth quarter, the German biotech firm said on Monday as…

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‘Living with COVID’: Where the pandemic could go next

As the third winter of the coronavirus pandemic looms in the northern hemisphere, scientists are warning weary governments and populations alike to brace for more waves of COVID-19. In the…

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Russia reports highest number of COVID-19 cases since late March

Aug 7 (Reuters) - Russia reported 20,303 new daily coronavirus cases on Sunday, authorities said, the highest such figure since March 28. Forty-four people in Russia died of coronavirus over the last…

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Hate crimes surge in Canada during pandemic

Canada has experienced a sharp rise in hate crimes targeting religion, sexual orientation and race since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data released this week by Statistic…

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Chile’s Easter Island reopens to tourists after pandemic shutdown

Chile's Easter Island received its first group of tourists after closing its borders for more than two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Easter Island, over 2,000 miles (3,219 km)…

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Smell problems may predict memory problems after COVID-19

Severity of smell dysfunction after infection with the coronavirus may be a better predictor of long-term cognitive impairment than overall severity of COVID-19, according to an Argentinian study. Researchers studied…

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Childrens’ noses defend less well against Omicron

The Omicron variant may be more efficient at infecting children through the nose than previous versions of the coronavirus, a small study suggests. Earlier in the pandemic, children's noses had…

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North Korea marks end of first COVID wave, but risks persist

SEOUL, Aug 5 (Reuters) - North Korea on Friday said all of its fever patients have recovered, marking the end of its first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, but challenges linger with…

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White House: Biden to remain in isolation until he tests negative for COVID

Aug 4 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will remain in isolation until he tests negative for COVID-19, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said. She also said it would be up to Biden's…

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Three types of long COVID identified with different symptoms

There appear to be three different types of long COVID, each with their own symptoms, researchers have discovered. One group experiences neurological symptoms including fatigue, brain fog and headache, which…

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EU says Novavax COVID shot must carry heart side-effect warning

(Reuters) - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is recommending Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine carry a warning of the possibility of two types of heart inflammation, an added burden for a shot…

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Biden still testing positive for COVID

U.S. President Joe Biden tested positive again for COVID-19 on Wednesday, his physician Kevin O'Connor said in a memo released by the White House, adding that the test was taken…

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Reinfections, severe outcomes may be more common with BA.5

Compared with the earlier Omicron BA.2 subvariant, currently dominant Omicron BA.5 is linked with higher odds of causing a second SARS-COV-2 infection regardless of vaccination status, a study from Portugal suggests. From…

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Experts say if you’re high risk, do not wait for updated COVID vaccines

CHICAGO(Reuters) - People at high risk of severe disease who have yet to get a second COVID-19 booster should not wait for next-generation, Omicron-targeted vaccines expected in the fall, five vaccine experts…

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Millions could suffer from long-term smell or taste problems after coronavirus infection, study says

Around one in 20 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 worldwide have long-term smell or taste problems for at least 6 months, a new study has found. The survey…

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North Korea reports no new fever cases for first time since COVID outbreak

North Korea reported no new fever cases on Saturday for the first time since its acknowledgement in mid-May of a COVID-19 outbreak in the isolated country, state-run media reported. North…

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Covid origin studies say evidence points to Wuhan market

Scientists say there is "compelling evidence" that Wuhan's Huanan seafood and wildlife market was at the centre of the Covid-19 outbreak. Two peer-reviewed studies published on Tuesday re-examine information from…

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Monkeypox cases in France top 1,700 – Minister

About 1700 people had been infected with monkeypox in France, Health Minister Francois Braun revealed. Braun said the government so far had opened about 100 vaccination centres for monkeypox and that…

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Biden has sore throat and body aches, but COVID symptoms improving -physician

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's COVID-19 symptoms continue to improve and now include "less troublesome" sore throat, runny nose, loose cough and body aches, his physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor,…

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UPDATE – WHO declares global health emergency over monkeypox outbreak

July 23 (Reuters) - The rapidly spreading monkeypox outbreak represents a global health emergency, the World Health Organization's highest level of alert, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Saturday. The WHO…

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Australia battles fresh Omicron outbreak as COVID deaths rise

SYDNEY, July 21 (Reuters) - Australia reported one of its highest daily death tolls from the novel coronavirus on Thursday while hospital admissions hovered near record levels, as authorities struggle…

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New Zealand COVID-19 death rate at record levels

WELLINGTON, July 22 (Reuters) - New Zealanders are dying from COVID-19 at record rates as the country battles a new wave of the Omicron strain that is particularly affecting the…

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White House COVID response chief says Biden’s risk of serious illness is low

President Joe Biden's risk of serious illness is dramatically lowered since he is double boosted and vaccinated, White House COVID-19 response chief Ashish Jha said. Biden, the oldest person ever…

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