Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Nearly half of Brazilians say Bolsonaro not to blame for coronavirus death toll, poll says

Almost half of Brazilians think President Jair Bolsonaro bears “no responsibility at all” for the country’s more than 100,000 dead from the coronavirus pandemic, the world’s second highest death toll, according to a new Datafolha poll. The poll was published on Saturday in Brazil’s Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper and says 47% of Brazilians do not assign him any blame for the body count, whereas 11% do. As COVID-19 cases rise in U.S., precious plasma donations lag

In late April, a coalition of New Mexico healthcare systems began asking local COVID-19 survivors to donate their plasma, the antibody-rich blood product used to help treat people hospitalized with the disease. More than 50 people donated in May, but then the numbers starting falling, according to data from Vitalant, a nonprofit blood bank that works with the coalition to recruit donors. In June, 34 people gave plasma to the effort, the data show; in July it was just 29. U.S. CDC reports 5,285,546 coronavirus cases

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday reported 5,285,546 cases of new coronavirus, an increase of 56,729 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 1,229 to 167,546. 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. 14 versus its previous report a day earlier. (https://bit.ly/2UkMHx9) LA mayor embraces shift in COVID-19 testing strategy: simplicity and speed

The mayor of the second-largest U.S. city has joined a growing clamor among health experts and politicians for a radical shift in the nation’s coronavirus testing strategy – from an emphasis on the utmost accuracy to a focus on speed and simplicity. The concept envisions mass production and distribution of low-cost, do-it-yourself diagnostic kits based on paper-strip designs that can be used frequently and produce results in minutes, similar to home pregnancy tests. No lab equipment or special instruments would be required. Russia produces first batch of COVID-19 vaccine: Interfax

Russia has produced the first batch of its new vaccine for COVID-19, the Interfax news agency quoted the health ministry as saying on Saturday, hours after the ministry reported the start of manufacturing. Some scientists said they fear that with this fast regulatory approval Moscow may be putting national prestige before safety amid the global race to develop a vaccine against the disease. Mexico needs 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses; shots could start in April

Mexico will need up to 200 million coronavirus vaccine doses, according to a senior government official, and inoculation of its 120 million inhabitants could start as early as April if clinical trials and regulatory approvals for pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca Plc go as planned. In partnership with the governments of Mexico and Argentina, AstraZeneca initially plans to produce 150 million doses in early 2021 and eventually make at least 400 million doses for distribution throughout Latin America. AstraZeneca is among those working on COVID-19 vaccine candidates now in development around the world. Factbox: Latest on worldwide coronavirus spread

Coronavirus cases in Latin America, the region of the world worst affected by the pandemic, exceeded 6 million on Friday and continued to accelerate, according to a Reuters tally, as most of its nations begin to relax lockdown measures. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS Roche gets U.S. approval for Enspryng, takes on Alexion’s Soliris

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Saturday approved Roche’s Enspryng for the central nervous system disorder neuromyelitis optica, putting the Swiss drugmaker head-to-head with Alexion’s Soliris in a costly treatment area. Enspryng, also known by its generic name satralizumab, is already approved in Japan and comes as a shot that people can give to themselves. The wholesale acquisition cost for Enspryng is just under $220,000 for the first year when 15 doses are needed, and $190,000 for subsequent years when 13 doses are required, Roche said. Hispanics, African Americans hit hard in U.S. COVID-19 hotspot counties, says CDC

U.S. coronavirus hotspots had disproportionately high numbers of cases among communities of color, according to an analysis on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report adds to a growing body of evidence that long-standing health and social inequities have resulted in increased risk for infection and death from COVID-19 among communities of color, the CDC said https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6933e1.htm?s_cid=mm6933e1_w. California encouraged by trends even as it passes 600,000 coronavirus cases, most in U.S.

California became the first U.S. state to surpass 600,000 cases of COVID-19 on Friday and the Midwest saw several record one-day rises as some states struggled to contain the pandemic even as a few welcomed students back to school campuses. California went over 603,000 novel coronavirus cases on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, although Governor Gavin Newsom said he was encouraged to see that hospitalizations have declined 20% over the past two weeks and admissions to ICU wards were down 14% in the same period.