Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
British Study of Hepatitis In Children Near Completion
Fox News: Mysterious Child Hepatitis Outbreak: UK Study May Identify A Prime Suspect
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated their original Health Advisory on May 11 regarding their investigation of the mysterious worldwide outbreak of hepatitis in children. The World Health Organization (WHO) said a case-control study that will be completed this week should provide more clarity if adenovirus or COVID-19 is causally linked to the mysterious condition, according to multiple reports. "As of May 5, 2022, CDC and state partners are investigating 109 children with hepatitis of unknown origin across 25 states and territories, more than half of whom have tested positive for adenovirus with more than 90% hospitalized, 14% with liver transplants, and five deaths under investigation," the CDC said. (Sudhakar, 5/16)
AP: UK Officials: 4 Men Infected With "Rare" Monkeypox In London
British health authorities say they have identified four “rare and unusual” cases of the disease monkeypox among men who appear to have been infected in London and had no history of travel to the African countries where the smallpox-like disease is endemic. (5/16)
Bloomberg: UK Biotech Launches With Backing From Pharma Giant AstraZeneca
A new UK biotech company, backed by AstraZeneca Plc and led by former Sanofi executive Hugo Fry, is targeting the treatment and prevention of viral diseases with antibodies. Fry is now chief executive officer at RQ Biotechnology, which launched Tuesday with funding of as much as $157 million, plus royalties, from a licensing deal with AstraZeneca, the U.K. pharmaceutical company. The pact focuses on RQ’s early-stage monoclonal antibodies against Covid, according to a statement Tuesday. (Hesketh, 5/17)
Bloomberg: North Korea's Kim Jong Un Deploys Military To Fight Suspected Covid Cases
Kim Jong Un mobilized North Korea’s military to help fight one of the biggest crises he has faced in his decade as leader, as suspected Covid-19 cases reached nearly 1.5 million in less than a month. Pyongyang reported 269,510 new “fever cases” and six deaths nationwide in a 24-hour period ending 6 p.m. Monday, the state’s official Korean Central News Agency reported. Since late April 56 people have died. (Lee, 5/17)
