Tag: health

Doctors in England start longest strike in NHS history

LONDON, Jan 3, 2024 (AFP) – Hospital doctors in England on Wednesday began their longest consecutive strike in the seven-decade history of Britain’s National Service (NHS). Junior doctors — those below consultant level — started a six-day walkout at 0700 GMT, in a major escalation of their long-running pay dispute with the UK government. The industrial action, which ends next Tuesday, comes at one of the busiest times of the year for the state-funded NHS, […]

Apple wins watch ban pause in US patent feud

WASHINGTON, Dec 27, 2023 (AFP) – A federal court handed Apple a victory on Wednesday by suspending a ban on the US sale of its latest watch models in a feud over patents with health company Masimo. “We are thrilled to return the full Apple Watch lineup to customers in time for the new year,” an Apple spokesperson said in an email to AFP. “Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, including the […]

US woman with rare double uterus gives birth to twin girls

  WASHINGTON, Dec 23, 2023 (AFP) – A 32-year-old woman from Alabama who was born with two uteruses and became pregnant in both gave birth to twin girls on different days, she announced on Friday. “Our miracle babies were born!” Kelsey Hatcher, who is documenting her story on her Instagram account “doubleuhatchlings”, wrote in a post. She added that the girls “decided they were rare enough statistically that they should just go ahead and have […]

Hospital doctors in England start longest strike yet over pay

By Nicholas McAVANEY, Rashid BAXTER LONDON, Dec 20, 2023 (AFP) – Hospital doctors in England hit out Wednesday at a perceived “brain drain” from the country’s state-funded National Health Service (NHS), as they began their longest strike action yet in a protracted pay battle. Junior doctors — those below specialist, consultant level — started joining picket lines from 0700 GMT, as part of an initial 72-hour walkout to be followed by a further six-day strike […]

Life expectancy in the US ticks up, but remains below pre-pandemic levels

WASHINGTON, Nov 29, 2023 (AFP) – Americans’ life expectancy rose in 2022 after two years of sharp decline, although it did not return to pre-pandemic levels, health officials said Wednesday. Life expectancy at birth in the United States rose by 1.1 years between 2021 and 2022, and stood at 77.5 years, according to initial estimates from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). “The increase… primarily resulted from decreases in mortality due to Covid-19,” […]

UK confirms first human case of swine flu strain H1N2

LONDON, Nov 27, 2023 (AFP) – UK public health officials on Monday said they had confirmed a first human case of a swine flu strain similar to one that has been circulating in pigs. The variant of the H1N2 virus was confirmed in an individual who had been tested by their doctor after experiencing respiratory symptoms. It has not previously been detected in humans in the country, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. “This […]

China reports no ‘unusual or novel pathogens’ in respiratory illnesses upsurge

By Ludovic EHRET BEIJING, Nov 23, 2023 (AFP) – China has reported no ‘unusual or novel pathogens’ in a respiratory illnesses spreading in the north of the country, the World Health Organization said Thursday. Northern China has recorded an increase in “influenza-like illness” since mid-October when compared to the same period in the previous three years, said the WHO, which had requested more information on the situation. China’s National Health Commission told reporters last week […]

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak had ‘minor’ stroke: report

MEXICO CITY, Nov 9, 2023 (AFP) – Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak suffered a “minor” stroke in Mexico but has left hospital and is returning to the United States, he told ABC News on Thursday. Wozniak, 73, was scheduled to speak at the World Business Forum on Wednesday in Mexico City, where he was taken to a hospital after falling ill. Wozniak told ABC News that he had experienced dizziness and vertigo and found himself unable […]

US states accuse Meta of profiting ‘from children’s pain’

By Glenn CHAPMAN SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 24, 2023 (AFP) – Dozens of US states on Tuesday accused Facebook and Instagram owner Meta of profiting “from children’s pain,” damaging their mental health and misleading people about the safety of its platforms. “In seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its Social Media Platforms,” argued a joint lawsuit filed in federal court in California. In total more […]

Bird flu detected in Antarctica region for first time

PARIS, Oct 24, 2023 (AFP) – Bird flu has been detected in the Antarctica region for the first time, according to British experts, raising concerns the deadly virus could pose a threat to penguins and other local species. Scientists had been fearing that the worst outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in history would reach Antarctica, a key breeding ground for many birds. The British Antarctic Survey said its staff took samples from brown […]

Popular weight loss drugs linked to higher risk of stomach paralysis, pancreatitis, bowel obstruction

WASHINGTON, Oct 5, 2023 (AFP) – Drugs like Ozempic, which have become increasingly popular for losing weight, heighten the risk of certain severe gastrointestinal problems including stomach paralysis, according to a large study published Thursday. The paper, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), looked at a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists that includes the brands Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus and Saxenda. It then compared the rate of serious side effects to […]

UN: One in 10 babies worldwide born preterm, with risks of complications

Every year, millions of babies are born prematurely. In 2020, an estimated 13.4 million babies were born early, with nearly one million dying from preterm complications. This is equivalent to around 1 in 10 babies born worldwide, UN agencies and partners said in a new report on Thursday. The highest rates of preterm birth occur in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, where over 13% of babies are born preterm. The rates in the worst affected […]