(Reuters) – Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:
Denmark suspends AstraZeneca vaccine
Denmark has temporarily suspended using AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine shots after reports of cases of blood clots forming, including a death in Denmark, Danish authorities said on Thursday.
They did not say how many reports of blood clots there had been, but Austria has stopped using a batch of AstraZeneca shots while investigating a death from coagulation disorders and an illness from a pulmonary embolism.
AstraZeneca said the safety of its vaccine had been extensively studied in human trials and peer-reviewed data had confirmed the vaccine was generally well-tolerated.
Europe begins rolling review of Eli Lilly antibodies
Europe’s drug regulator said on Thursday it had initiated a rolling review of U.S.-based Eli Lilly’s antibodies to treat COVID-19, days after saying their combination could be used in patients at high risk of progressing to severe illness.
Lilly’s bamlanivimab and etesemivab belong to a class of drugs called monoclonal antibody treatments, which mimic natural antibodies the body generates to fight infection.
This is the latest antibody treatment to earn such a review in the region and follows the European Medicines Agency’s evaluation of drugs from South Korea’s Celltrion and U.S.-based Regeneron.
Brazil registers daily record for COVID-19 deaths
Brazil has registered a record for daily COVID-19 fatalities, with 2,286 people dead from the virus in the last 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry on Wednesday.
New infections tallied 79,876 to bring the total in the year-long pandemic to more than 11.2 million, according to the Health Ministry.
The total death toll of 270,656 is the second-highest after the United States.
New cases in Turkey hit highest level this year
The daily number of new cases in Turkey rose on Wednesday to the highest level this year, Health Ministry data showed, 10 days after President Tayyip Erdogan announced an easing of measures to curb the pandemic.
The number of new cases stood at 14,556, the highest since the end of last year and nearly double from a month ago.
Erdogan announced a partial opening of schools, cafes and restaurants last week. Ankara also eased weekend lockdowns, after the number of new cases fell below 10,000 daily.
Former U.S. presidents promote vaccine in new ads
Former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter will star in two new public service announcements for the coronavirus vaccine alongside former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton and Rosalynn Carter, the Ad Council announced on Thursday.
“The science is clear. These vaccines will protect you and those you love from this dangerous and deadly disease,” Bush said in one of the PSAs with Obama and Clinton, urging Americans to get vaccinated.
Noticeably absent in the vaccine PSAs are former President Donald Trump and wife Melania.
(Compiled by Linda Noakes; Editing by Alison Williams)
