Health News Round-up: 33 Ebola cases, Apple Watch to monitor patients, HPV vaccination

The ministry said the latest cases were confirmed between Oct. 8 and 14. In total, more than 200 suspected cases of the deadly hemorrhagic fever have been reported since the outbreak began in July.

 

Congo confirms 33 Ebola cases in past week, of whom 24 died

Congo has confirmed 33 cases of Ebola virus in the past week, of whom 24 died, the health ministry said on Monday. The ministry said the latest cases were confirmed between Oct. 8 and 14. In total, more than 200 suspected cases of the deadly hemorrhagic fever have been reported since the outbreak began in July, all but a couple of dozen of them confirmed, while some 130 people have died.

More hip-hop videos show smoking and vaping

Roughly half of popular hip-hop music videos feature smoking, vaping and marijuana use, with displays of tobacco products and drugs becoming increasingly common, a new study suggests. Hip-hop is the leading music genre in the U.S. Its fan base includes a large proportion of adolescents and young adults of all racial and ethnic groups. Seeing popular and influential artists use tobacco and drugs or favour certain brands may lead more young people to try smoking and vaping and also decrease their perception of the associated health risks, researchers note in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Hip and knee surgeons to use Apple Watch to monitor patients

Up to 10,000 Americans due to having hip or knee replacements will be able to funnel basic health data directly from their Apple Watches to their surgeons under a new app being tested by orthopaedics company Zimmer Biomet. Four hospitals and more than a dozen other medical facilities in states including Massachusetts, California, Colorado and Michigan will receive stats including heart rate, steps taken and standing hours from patients waiting for or recovering from hip and knee replacement surgery.

HPV vaccination not linked with rising in teen risky sex

(Reuters Health) - A new study adds to earlier evidence that getting vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) does not lead girls to be less careful about sex. HPV is transmitted during sexual activity. When the Canadian province of British Columbia opted to vaccinate all teenage girls against HPV, some parents were concerned this would lead to more kids engaging in risky sexual behaviours.

Yemen conflict could push millions more to brink of famine: U.N.

The number of Yemenis on the brink of famine could rise to 12 million - or two in five of the population - from around 8.5 million in coming months due to escalating war and a deepening economic crisis, the United Nations food agency said on Monday. Yemen has been torn apart by more than three years of civil war between the internationally recognized government, backed by a Saudi-led military coalition and based in the south, and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that controls the north, including the capital Sanaa. The nation of some 30 million is the Arabian peninsula's poorest.

U.S. to propose TV ads for drugs must include list prices

The U.S. government, in an effort to increase pressure on drugmakers to lower costs for U.S. consumers, said on Monday it will propose requiring companies to include the price of their prescription medicines in television ads. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, in announcing the plan, dismissed suggestions by major U.S. drug companies that less stringent disclosures might be adequate.

China's Dabeinong reports suspected African swine fever case on farm: media

One of China's top animal feed producers said on Tuesday an affiliated firm has culled nearly 20,000 pigs due to a suspected case of African swine fever, according to a report by the China Securities Journal. Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co Ltd reported the information to investors in an online interactive platform on Tuesday, the state-owned journal said. The company could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters.

EU places China's Zhejiang Huahai under increased supervision

European authorities are placing Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd under higher supervision, the European Medicines Agency said on Monday, in the latest crackdown on the Chinese firm after a probable carcinogen was found in its blood pressure drug valsartan. EU authorities will now supervise the manufacture of other active substances produced by Zhejiang Huahai more closely, the regulator said on Monday.

WHO to meet on Congo's Ebola outbreak as toll soars

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday it would convene an emergency committee to decide whether Congo's Ebola outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern as confirmed cases and deaths from the virus spiralled. The committee of experts may make recommendations to manage the outbreak, which was declared on Aug. 1 and has worsened, with a risk of the virus spreading from the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo into Uganda and Rwanda.

More homeless kids visit ERs with Massachusetts shelter restrictions

(Reuters Health) - Emergency room visits for homelessness surged at a large urban children's hospital after Massachusetts made it harder for families to get into shelters, a new study suggests. In 2012, Massachusetts shelters began requiring additional documentation of homelessness, such as sleeping in a place "not meant for human habitation," which could include an emergency room, researchers note in Pediatrics.

(With inputs from agencies.)