Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Bill Gates urges Afghanistan and Pakistan to 'get to zero' in polio fight

Local Afghan Taliban leaders are hindering global efforts to end polio, but Afghanistan and Pakistan must continue their fight to "get to zero" cases, the philanthropist Bill Gates said on Monday. In a telephone interview with Reuters, Gates was optimistic about the global plan to eradicate the paralyzing viral disease, but said Afghanistan's conflict and power struggles hamper progress. Congo Ebola epidemic exceeds 1,000 cases: health ministry

Congo's Ebola epidemic has now exceeded 1,000 cases, the Health Ministry said on Monday, with a death toll of 629 in the world's second worst ever outbreak. Health workers have been better prepared than ever for this latest epidemic of the hemorrhagic fever, which causes severe vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding, and kills more than half those it infects. New technologies like a trial vaccine, experimental treatments and futuristic cube-shaped mobile units for treating patients have helped curb the spread of the virus. EU approves AstraZeneca's drug for adjunct use in Type-1 diabetes

British drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc said on Monday the European Commission approved its diabetes drug Forxiga for use as an oral supplement to insulin in adults with a rare type of the disease. Forxiga can now be used along with insulin in patients with Type-1 diabetes and a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27 or more when insulin alone has not been able to control blood sugar levels, the company said. Type-1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin hormone.