Reuters Health News Summary

The Port of Spain General Hospital is the main health care facility in the island's capital city. UN says waterborne illnesses spread in Gaza due to heat, unsafe water Waterborne diseases are spreading in Gaza due to a lack of clean water and rising temperatures, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Gaza said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Peru's dengue deaths triple as climate change swells mosquito population

Deaths caused by the mosquito-borne dengue disease have more than tripled in Peru so far this year, according to data from the South American nation's government, which is redoubling efforts to contain an epidemic that has hit poor areas the hardest. The government of President Dina Boluarte this week said it had approved an "emergency decree" allowing extraordinary economic measures to bolster the plan to counter the outbreak, which experts say is exacerbated by climate change.

Polish parliament takes step toward liberalising abortion laws

Poland's parliament sent four bills on liberalising abortion laws to a special bipartisan committee for consideration, voting results showed, a sign of cooperation between ruling coalition parties despite deep divisions over the matter. "We promised to stop bickering and we kept our word ... We did it out of respect for democracy and concern for the durability of the coalition. Now we leave the fate of these bills in the hands of the committee members," parliament speaker Szymon Holownia wrote on X after Friday's vote.

Nigeria becomes first country to roll out new meningitis vaccine, WHO says

Nigeria has become the first country in the world to roll out the "revolutionary" new Men5CV vaccine against meningitis, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. Nigeria is one of the hotspots of the deadly disease in Africa. Last year, a 50% rise in annual cases was reported across 26 African countries regarded as meningitis hyperendemic countries, according to the WHO.

Mexico sounds alarm over 'zombie drug' sedative in opioids

Mexican public health officials are sounding an alarm after a study discovered the presence of animal tranquilizer Xylazine in opioids in cities on the country's northwest border with the United States. Known popularly in English by names like "tranq dope" and "zombie drug," Xylazine cut into heroin and fentanyl has in recent years worsened the opioid scourge in U.S. cities like Philadelphia.

Bayer's patent for blood thinner Xarelto invalid, UK court rules

Bayer's patent covering its best-selling blood thinner Xarelto is invalid, London's High Court ruled on Friday in a blow to the German drugmaker. The company's blockbuster Xarelto drug generated nearly $4.1 billion in revenue in 2023, according to research firm Statista.

US biotech executive sentenced to 7 years in jail for COVID test fraud

The chief executive of a U.S. biotechnology company that falsely promised investors it could produce a quick and accurate COVID-19 test was sentenced to seven years' in jail on Friday, the Justice Department said. Keith Berman, 70, of Westlake Village, California, pleaded guilty last December to securities fraud totaling around $28 million.

EU approves Illumina's plan to divest cancer test maker Grail

U.S. gene sequencing company Illumina's plan to divest cancer diagnostic test maker Grail received the green light from EU antitrust regulators on Friday after having blocked the deal two years ago. The company said it has reached an agreement with the European Commission on specific divestment options, but the method has not been finalised.

Seven children die from bacterial infection at Trinidad hospital

Seven infants have died in four days from a bacterial infection at Trinidad's Port of Spain General Hospital, said the island's health authorities. The Port of Spain General Hospital is the main health care facility in the island's capital city.

UN says waterborne illnesses spread in Gaza due to heat, unsafe water

Waterborne diseases are spreading in Gaza due to a lack of clean water and rising temperatures, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Gaza said on Friday. "It is becoming very hot there," Jamie McGoldrick told reporters via video link from Jerusalem. "People are getting much less water than they need, and as a result, there have been waterborne diseases due to lack of safe and clean water and the disruption of the sanitation systems."

EU regulator rules out link between weight-loss drugs and suicidal thoughts

The European Union drug regulator found no evidence that a class of diabetes and weight-loss drugs such as Novo Nordisk's hugely popular Wegovy, are linked to suicidal thoughts, it said on Friday, ending a nine-month probe. The regulator's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee, which monitors drugs' side effects, said that no updates were required to the treatments' product information after reviewing the available evidence.

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