Health News Roundup: Courts block Louisiana abortion laws, allow Florida's 15-week ban; Biden says he is 'doing well,' working after testing positive for COVID and more

The rulings came amid a flurry of litigation over abortion bans that began springing into effect in mostly Republican-led states after the U.S. Supreme Court last month overturned the constitutional right to the procedure nationwide. Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus Joe Biden, the oldest person ever to serve as president of the United States, has tested positive for COVID-19, is experiencing mild symptoms and will continue working but in isolation, the White House said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Courts block Louisiana abortion laws, allow Florida's 15-week ban

A Louisiana judge on Thursday blocked enforcement of the state's "trigger" laws banning abortion while a Florida appeals court declined to put on hold a prohibition on abortions past 15 weeks of pregnancy that took effect earlier this month. The rulings came amid a flurry of litigation over abortion bans that began springing into effect in mostly Republican-led states after the U.S. Supreme Court last month overturned the constitutional right to the procedure nationwide.

Biden says he is 'doing well,' working after testing positive for COVID

Joe Biden, the oldest person ever to serve as president of the United States, has tested positive for COVID-19, is experiencing mild symptoms and will continue working but in isolation, the White House said on Thursday. Biden, 79, has a runny nose, fatigue and an occasional dry cough, symptoms which he began to experience late on Wednesday, White House physician Kevin O'Connor said in a note released on Thursday. Biden has begun taking the antiviral treatment Paxlovid, O'Connor said.

Explainer-What are the benefits and risks of Paxlovid to treat Biden's COVID?

Here is a rundown of possible treatments U.S. President Joe Biden will receive for COVID-19 and the risks he faces, having been infected most likely with the fast-spreading but less severe BA.5 variant. TREATMENTS

Oral vaccine shows promise; hypertension ups COVID hospitalization risk

The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Experimental tablet vaccine shows early promise

China reports 1,011 new COVID cases for July 21 vs 943 day earlier

China reported 1,011 new coronavirus cases for July 21, of which 175 were symptomatic and 836 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Friday. That compared with 943 new cases a day earlier - 200 symptomatic and 743 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

Amazon strikes $3.5 billion deal for One Medical in long march into U.S. healthcare

Amazon.com Inc on Thursday agreed to buy primary care provider One Medical for $3.49 billion, expanding the e-commerce giant's virtual healthcare and adding brick-and-mortar doctors' offices for the first time. The all-cash deal would combine two relatively small players as Amazon continues a years-long march into U.S. healthcare, seeking to grow at a faster pace.

Worried by Supreme Court, U.S. House votes to protect contraception

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to protect access to contraception, responding to concerns that it could be threatened by a conservative Supreme Court that revoked the ruling that guaranteed a nationwide right to abortion. The bill passed the Democratic-controlled House on a vote of 228-195, with all 220 Democrats and eight of the chamber's 211 Republicans supporting it. It faces uncertain odds in the evenly divided Senate.

Explainer-Smoke from raging wildfires can harm health

Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity in many countries, spreading smoke that contains noxious gases, chemicals and particulate matter and carries serious health risks. More toxic than air pollution, wildfire smoke can linger in the air for weeks and travel hundreds of miles. Wildfires "are burning not only vegetative materials and trees but also cities, completely destroying vehicles and buildings and their contents," said Kent Pinkerton, Director of the Center for Health and the Environment at the University of California, Davis.

Polio case found in New York City suburb, first in nearly a decade

An adult resident of suburban New York City was diagnosed with polio after experiencing paralysis a month ago, state and local health officials said on Thursday, marking the nation's first confirmed case of the disease in nearly 10 years.

Testing suggested the Rockland County case of the highly contagious and long-dreaded virus may have originated outside of the United States, the New York State Health Department said in a statement.

Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

Joe Biden, the oldest person ever to serve as president of the United States, has tested positive for COVID-19, is experiencing mild symptoms and will continue working but in isolation, the White House said on Thursday. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS