Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Early concussion treatment tied to faster recovery

Young athletes who get concussions may recover faster when they're treated within the first week than when they wait longer to get care, a new study suggests. Researchers examined data on 162 athletes ages 12 to 22who were diagnosed with concussions. Recovery time averaged 57 days, and ranged from 9 to 299 days. Idorsia pairs with Neurocrine in potential $400 million epilepsy drug deal

Swiss biotech group Idorsia on Friday lifted the lid off a 2019 deal for its investigational epilepsy medicine, revealing the pact that is potentially worth more than $400 million is with U.S.-based Neurocrine Biosciences. Last year, Idorsia got a $5 million payment for a licensing option for ACT-709478, but kept Neurocrine's identity a secret. Electric scooter injuries rising, one-third involve the head

Injuries and hospital admissions involving sharable two-wheeled electric scooters are on the rise in the U.S., a new study finds. Most concerning, researchers say, is that nearly a third of patients showing up at hospitals after an accident involving the powered, standing scooters had a head injury. Minimum wage hikes tied to drop in suicide rates

People with no more than a high school education may be less likely to die by suicide when minimum wages rise, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined the difference between state and federal minimum hourly wages as well as state unemployment and suicide rates for adults 18 to 64 years old between 1990 and 2015. Man infected with mystery virus in China dies after outbreak

A 61-year-old man has died from pneumonia in the central Chinese city of Wuhan after an outbreak of a yet to be identified virus while seven others are in critical condition, the Wuhan health authorities said on Saturday. In total, 41 people have been diagnosed with the pathogen, which preliminary lab tests cited by Chinese state media earlier this week pointed to a new type of coronavirus, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said in a statement on its website. Engaging with the arts may help you live longer

Older people who frequent art galleries and museums, attend the theater and concerts may live longer than those who don't, a study in England suggests. Even after accounting for a wide range of other health and social factors, researchers from University College London found that people over 50 who regularly engaged with arts activities were 31% less likely to die during a 14-year follow-up than peers with no art in their lives. Government experts urge new talc testing standards amid asbestos worries

An expert panel formed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has endorsed asbestos testing standards for cosmetics that reject long-held industry positions and reflect those of public health authorities and experts for thousands of plaintiffs who allege contaminated talc products caused their cancers. The most significant recommendation from the panel of government experts is that mineral particles found in talc products small enough to be drawn into the lungs - even those the industry would not call asbestos - should be counted as potentially harmful. Infant deaths, poor conditions at Indian hospital spark uproar

In a dimly lit shanty in northwestern India, Padma Rawal sobs inconsolably as she recalls losing her 5-month-old infant, and recounts the hospital ordeal she endured last month. Her infant, Tejash, is one of more than a 100 children who have died at a government hospital in Kota in the state of Rajasthan since early December. Germany concerned about swine fever cases in nearby Poland

Germany’s government said on Friday it is concerned about the spread of the pig disease African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars in Poland close to the German border. Poland recorded 55 outbreaks of ASF in wild boars in December, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said on Thursday. The disease was found only 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Germany, one of Europe’s major pork exporters.