Coronavirus tally: Global cases of COVID-19 top 223. 7 million and Merck says antiviral is effective as treatment
Published
Oct 01 2021 at 10:34 AM GMT
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- The global tally for the coronavirus-borne illness climbed above 233.7 million on Friday, while the death toll rose above 4 78 million, according to data aggregated by Johns Hopkins University.
- The US continues to lead the world with a total of 43.4 million cases and 697,849 deaths.
- The US is now averaging almost 2,000 deaths a day, according to a New York Times tracker, , although new cases and hospitalizations are declining.
- There was positive news from Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics that the the oral antiviral they developed as a treatment for COVID-19 reduced the risk of hospitalization or death in at risk adult patients with mild-to-moderate COVID by about 50% in an interim analysis of data from a Phase 3 trial.
- Some 7 3% of patients who received molnupiravir were either hospitalized or died through Day 29 following randomization, compared with 14.1% of patients given a placebo.
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- Published Oct 1, 2021 10:34 AM GMT