Health

Vir Biotechnology Inc and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc plan to begin human testing of their COVID-19 drug candidate by the end of the year, as drugmakers across the globe scramble to find therapies for the highly-infectious virus.

United Nations leaders called on Monday for a global effort to develop and distribute to all at affordable prices vaccines, treatments and testing kits against COVID-19.

England's COVID-19 hospital death toll rose 204, the lowest daily increase since late March, to 21,384, the health service said.

The number of coronavirus cases in Russia has risen by 10,581 over the past 24 hours compared with a record of 10,633 on the previous day.

Hairdressers, ironmongers and other shops tentatively opened for business on Monday as Spain began a four-phase plan to reopen the country by the end of June, while the 24-hour death tally from coronavirus stayed under 200 for the second day in a row.

World leaders will hold a pledging "marathon" on Monday to raise at least 7.5 billion euros ($8.2 billion) for research into a possible vaccine and treatments for the coronavirus, although the United States is not directly involved.

New Zealand and Australia could soon open their borders to each other, creating what they call a "Trans-Tasman bubble" as they look to restart their economies after getting their novel coronavirus outbreaks under control.

New Zealand and Australia are discussing the potential creation of a "travel bubble" between the two countries, even as Australia on Monday reported its highest number of coronavirus cases in two weeks.

Vir Biotechnology Inc and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc have identified a drug candidate for treating COVID-19 and plan to begin human testing by the end of the year, the companies said on Monday.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands rose by 199 on Monday to 40,770, with 26 new deaths, health authorities said.

Malaysia criticised the World Health Organisation on Monday for advising adults to avoid palm oil in their diet during the COVID-19 outbreak and use alternatives such as olive oil.

More than 10 times as many people in Germany have likely been infected with the coronavirus than the number of confirmed cases, researchers from the University of Bonn have concluded from a field trial in one of the worst hit towns.

More than 10 times as many people in Germany have likely been infected with the coronavirus than the number of confirmed cases, researchers from the University of Bonn have concluded from a field trial in one of the worst hit towns.

The head of the European Union agency for disease control said on Monday Britain was one of five European countries yet to begin a downward trend in its coronavirus outbreak, contradicting the British government's line.

U.S. weapons makers have teamed up with medical device companies to increase the supply of ventilators that can be used to combat the coronavirus pandemic, people working on the project said.

Coronavirus test kits used in Tanzania were dismissed as faulty by President John Magufuli on Sunday, because he said they had returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw.

The novel coronavirus reproduction rate in Poland is falling and authorities expect it to reach 1 in the coming days, the health ministry said on Monday.

The novel coronavirus reproduction rate in Germany is currently estimated at 0.74 on average, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Monday.

The novel coronavirus reproduction rate in Poland is falling and authorities expect it to reach 1 in the coming days, the health ministry said on Monday.

Spain's cumulative death toll from the coronavirus epidemic rose to 25,428 on Monday as the Health Ministry recorded the deaths of 164 people overnight, the same number as during the preceding 24 hours.