Health News Roundup: Congo confirms new Ebola cases; Hip and knee surgeons to use Apple Watch

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Congo confirms 33 Ebola cases in the 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.

Johnson & Johnson edges past profit estimates, lifts outlook

Johnson & Johnson reported slightly better-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday and pushed its full-year forecast higher, as demand for its cancer drugs Zytiga and Imbruvica helped offset falling sales of arthritis treatment Remicade. Shares were unchanged in premarket trading, with the company forecasting adjusted 2018 earnings per share in the range of $8.13 and $8.18, marginally up from a previous range of $8.07 to $8.17.

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.

Chinese drug regulator fines Changsheng Bio-Tech unit over vaccine scandal

China's drug regulator imposed penalties on a unit of Changsheng Bio-Technology worth 9.1 billion yuan ($1.3 billion) over a vaccine scandal, Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday. The penalties involved a fine and the confiscation of illegal earnings. The drug authority also banned 14 executives of Changsheng Bio-Technology from working in the drug business, Xinhua reported.

Amgen, Novartis kick off the fight for AbbVie blockbuster drug in EU

Rival versions of the world’s top-selling drug, AbbVie's Humira, went on sale in Europe on Tuesday, years ahead of similar cut-price copies being available in the United States. Amgen is rolling out its so-called biosimilar form of Humira, branded as Amgevita, across Europe from Oct. 16, while Novartis said its Sandoz unit was launching its product Hyrimoz initially in Britain, with other markets set to follow.

Yemen conflict could push millions more to the 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 the related 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 platform on Tuesday, the state-owned journal said. The company could not be reached for comment by Reuters.

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

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.)