Health News Roundup: Poor access to safe water fuels cholera outbreak in Syria; California sues 3M, DuPont over toxic 'forever chemicals' and more

China reported on Friday 10,535 new locally transmitted cases for Nov. 10, the highest since April 29, when the country's commercial hub, Shanghai, was battling its most serious outbreak. Biden administration says pregnant migrant youth should have access to abortion The Biden administration issued a directive on Thursday saying that pregnant migrant children should be sheltered in states that allow abortions, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that eliminated the constitutional right to abortion.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Poor access to safe water fuels cholera outbreak in Syria

Poor access to safe water has exacerbated a cholera outbreak rampaging across Syria's war-battered provinces, where local authorities are struggling to contain the spread with chlorine tablets and vaccines. More than 35,000 suspected cases of cholera have been reported across the country, according to the United Nations’ children's agency. UNICEF said only approximately 2,500 have been tested, of which nearly half were confirmed positive.

California sues 3M, DuPont over toxic 'forever chemicals'

California's attorney general on Thursday sued 3M Co, DuPont de Nemours Inc and several other companies to recoup the "staggering" clean-up costs from toxic pollutants known as "forever chemicals." Attorney General Rob Bonta said the lawsuit followed a multiyear probe that found the companies marketed products containing polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for decades despite knowing they cause cancer, developmental defects and other health problems. Bonta said the lawsuit could ultimately seek hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties and costs.

Sanofi, GSK score late win with EU COVID booster approval

Sanofi said on Thursday it won European Union approval for its COVID-19 vaccine booster, jointly made with British partner GSK, after a drawn-out development effort that saw the pair fall behind now-dominant vaccine suppliers. The shot with the brand name VidPrevtyn Beta can be given to people who have already had a primary course of vaccination from other approved shots, the French drugmaker and the European Medicines Agency said in separate statements.

China's COVID curbs intensify as cases surge to highest since Shanghai lockdown

Chinese authorities stepped up COVID-19 lockdowns and other curbs to halt clusters from spreading as China's case load soared to its highest since this year's Shanghai lockdown, with Beijing and Zhengzhou seeing record daily cases. China reported on Friday 10,535 new locally transmitted cases for Nov. 10, the highest since April 29, when the country's commercial hub, Shanghai, was battling its most serious outbreak.

Biden administration says pregnant migrant youth should have access to abortion

The Biden administration issued a directive on Thursday saying that pregnant migrant children should be sheltered in states that allow abortions, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that eliminated the constitutional right to abortion. The U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in guidance issued to staff also said that girls who are sheltered in states such as Texas that ban abortion and request abortion services should be transferred to states that allow the procedure.

U.S. teen tobacco use down to 3 million in 2022, 'more work to be done,' health officials say

An estimated 3.08 million U.S. middle and high school students reported using a tobacco product in the last 30 days in 2022, down from 4.47 million in 2020 and 6.20 million in 2019, according to government data released on Thursday. The data found that one-in-nine U.S. teenagers were currently using a tobacco product.

Repeat COVID is riskier than first infection, study finds

The risk of death, hospitalization and serious health issues from COVID-19 jumps significantly with reinfection compared with a first bout with the virus, regardless of vaccination status, a study published on Thursday suggests. "Reinfection with COVID-19 increases the risk of both acute outcomes and long COVID," said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "This was evident in unvaccinated, vaccinated and boosted people."

European regulator recommends Pfizer's Omicron booster for children

Pfizer Inc and its partner BioNTech said on Thursday the EU health regulator has recommended authorizing the use of their bivalent COVID-19 shot as a booster in children aged 5 through 11. The Omicron-tailored vaccine is already authorized by the European Commission for individuals aged 12 years and above.

China won't relax COVID policies but will keep improving them - govt expert

China will not relax its COVID-19 measures but will keep improving them according to the changing epidemic situation and mutation of the virus and will be more scientifically accurate in their implementation, a disease expert said. China is very cautious in every adjustment it makes in its COVID policies, the National Health Commission said in a statement on Friday, citing Wang Liping, a researcher from the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

U.S. Supreme Court's Sotomayor rejects challenge to N.Y. COVID vaccine mandate

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Thursday rejected a bid to prevent New York City from enforcing its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for municipal workers against a group of teachers, firefighters and others who challenged the policy. The justice denied an emergency request, received by the court on Nov. 4, to block the policy by individual municipal workers, as well as a group called New Yorkers For Religious Liberty, while their appeal of lower court decisions siding with the city proceeds.

(With inputs from agencies.)