Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Czech Republic reports first H5N8 bird flu case in three years

The Czech Republic has its first case of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus in three years after an outbreak was reported on a poultry farm in the country's central region, the State Veterinary Administration said on Saturday. The veterinary agency said the virus killed half of a flock of 12 hens, which was confirmed by tests, and that it had taken precautionary measures immediately. China confirms spread of coronavirus as new cases surge

An outbreak of a new coronavirus in China has spread to more cities, Chinese authorities said on Monday, as the number of patients tripled and a third person died, stoking concerns about the containment of the virus. The Daxing health commission in the capital Beijing said it had confirmed two cases of coronavirus, while the southern Guangdong province's health commission confirmed one case in Shenzhen. They mark the first cases in China beyond the central city of Wuhan where the virus first emerged. Supreme Court to hear Trump appeal in Obamacare contraception fight

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday took up an appeal by President Donald Trump's administration seeking to enforce new federal rules allowing employers to obtain religious exemptions from an Obamacare requirement that health insurance that they provide to employees pays for women's birth control. At issue is a challenge by the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the administration's 2018 rule that permits broad religious and moral exemptions to the Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate and expands accommodations already allowed under the 2010 law dubbed Obamacare. The administration has asked the Supreme Court to reverse a nationwide injunction issued by a lower court blocking the rule from taking effect. China agriculture minister urges authorities to prevent recurrence of African swine fever

China's agriculture minister urged authorities to prevent a recurrence in African swine fever outbreaks, according to a statement on the ministry's website on Monday. Relevant departments must work to achieve this year's pig production recovery goal, said Han Changfu, minister of agriculture and rural affairs. Virus casts shadow over China's biggest festival, but little worry at epicenter

Health authorities are concerned that a virus originating in central China could spread when hundreds of millions of Chinese travel during next week's lunar new year festival, but residents said there were was little anxiety in the city at the epicenter. Chinese officials are cracking down on those who spread news about the disease online, some people said.