Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. CDC reports 172,416 deaths from coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday said the number of deaths due to the new coronavirus had risen by 1,404 to 172,416 and reported 5,506,929 cases, an increase of 46,500 cases from its previous count. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on Aug. 19 compared with its previous report a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/3ayq6Ei)

Italy sees 845 new COVID-19 cases, highest since end of lockdown in May

Italy reported 845 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Thursday, marking the highest daily increase since May when the government eased its rigid lockdown measures. Italy, one of Europe’s worst-hit countries, managed to contain the outbreak after a peak in deaths and cases between March and April. However, it has seen a steady increase in infections over the last month, with experts blaming gatherings of people associated with holidays and nightlife.

As U.S. schools reopen, concerns grow that kids spread coronavirus

U.S. students are returning to school in person and online in the middle of a pandemic, and the stakes for educators and families are rising in the face of emerging research that shows children could be a risk for spreading the new coronavirus. Several large studies have shown that the vast majority of children who contract COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, have milder illness than adults. And early reports did not find strong evidence of children as major contributors to the deadly virus that has killed more than 780,000 people globally.

France sees post-lockdown daily record of 4,711 new COVID infections

France reported 4,711 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours on Thursday, a post-lockdown record and a level last seen during the height of the epidemic in France, but the number of people in hospital with the disease fell. During lockdown, France saw a peak of 7,578 infections per day on March 31, but since then, there have been only a few days when the number of new infections per day rose above 4,500, all in the first half of April.

Johnson & Johnson to test coronavirus vaccine in 60,000 volunteers

Johnson & Johnson aims to test its experimental coronavirus vaccine in up to 60,000 volunteers in a late-stage trial scheduled to start in September, according https://bit.ly/3iWRuic to a U.S. government database of clinical trials. The trial would be conducted in nearly 180 sites across the United States and other countries, including Brazil and Mexico, according to the information posted on clinicaltrials.gov on Aug. 10.

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

Concerns grow that kids spread virus Bayer to pay $1.6 billion to resolve U.S. claims for Essure birth-control device

German drugs and pesticides group Bayer said on Thursday it will pay around $1.6 billion to settle the majority of U.S. claims involving its Essure birth-control device. The agreement follows a $10.9 billion settlement in June of U.S. lawsuits claiming the company’s weedkiller Roundup caused cancer.

NYC mayor doubles down on September school reopening after teacher pushback

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday doubled down on his commitment to reopen schools for in-person learning next month, a day after the city’s teachers union said his reopening protocol was insufficient to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The mayor and schools chancellor Richard Carranza released a “Back to School pledge” outlining the features of their reopening plan, including that all schools will have a 30-day supply of personal protective equipment at all times and schools will close if the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests in the city is 3% or more on a 7-day average.

Russia to begin COVID-19 vaccine trials on 40,000 people next week

Mass testing of Russia’s first potential COVID-19 vaccine to get domestic regulatory approval will involve more than 40,000 people and will be overseen by a foreign research body when it starts next week, backers of the project said on Thursday. These were the first details on the shape and size of the upcoming late-stage trial of the vaccine given by its developers, who are aiming to allay concerns among some scientists about the lack of data provided by Russia so far.

Novartis wins FDA approval to repurpose leukaemia drug against multiple sclerosis

Novartis on Thursday won U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to repurpose an 11-year-old blood cancer drug against multiple sclerosis as the Swiss drugmaker takes on rival Roche’s big-selling Ocrevus for the autoimmune disorder. The FDA approved Kesimpta, known generically as ofatumumab or by its brand name Arzerra, for use against chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), to treat patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Arzerra was approved for CLL in 2009, and is sold by Novartis under a licensing deal with Genmab.