Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Asian Airports Intensify Health Checks After Nipah Virus Outbreak In India
The Independent: Nipah Virus Outbreak: Airports Across Asia Reintroduce Covid-Style Health Checks
Airports across parts of Asia have begun tightening health surveillance and travel screening after an outbreak of the Nipah virus in an Indian state. (Sharma, 1/26)
AP: India Says It Has Contained Nipah Virus Outbreak
India’s Health Ministry said Tuesday that two Nipah cases had been detected since December and that all identified contacts had been quarantined and tested. The ministry did not release details about the patients but said 196 contacts had been traced and all tested negative. “The situation is under constant monitoring, and all necessary public health measures are in place,” the ministry said. (Saaliq, 1/28)
More health news from India —
MedPage Today: Teen Boy Grows A Tooth Between Eyelid And Eyebrow
A 16-year-old boy in India had a mature canine tooth removed from an unusual location: the superior orbit of his left eye between his eyelid and eyebrow. The case, published in Ophthalmology, is apparently the first documented report of an ectopic tooth in that part of the eye socket, although teeth have sprouted in plenty of unexpected parts of the face. (Dotinga, 1/26)
On social media bans in France and Australia —
AP: New French Bill Sets Minimum Age For Social Media Use At 15
French lawmakers approved a bill banning social media for children under 15, paving the way for the measure to enter into force at the start of the next school year in September, as the idea of setting a minimum age for use of the platforms gains momentum across Europe. The bill, which also bans the use of mobile phones in high schools, was adopted by a 130-21 vote late Monday. French President Emmanuel Macron has requested that the legislation be fast-tracked and it will now be discussed by the Senate in the coming weeks. (Petrequin, 1/27)
The Times: How Australians Are Coping With Social Media Ban: Less TikTok, More Fishing
Just where the Parramatta passes under Iron Cove bridge in the suburbs of Sydney, Owen Jackson endeavours to pass the time without TikTok. He fishes on a stretch of river where, on a good day, he could come back with a bream, whiting, mulloway or tailor. “I guess I’ve been going out more,” he said, “and doing more things.” (Lagan, 1/26)
On infant formula —
Bloomberg: Baby Formula Contamination More Common With Push To Mimic Mother's Milk
Baby formula contamination crises that have prompted recalls around the world underscore a recurring problem with infant nutrition: the more sophisticated it becomes, the harder it is to keep safe. In France, authorities are investigating the deaths of two infants who died after consuming potentially tainted formula, prompting fresh fears over the risks of a global market dominated by Nestlé SA, Danone SA and Abbott Laboratories. In the US, health officials are investigating hospitalizations tied to formula from ByHeart Inc., a fast-growing American startup. Together, the cases highlight weaknesses in an industry that has long struggled to balance nutritional innovation with safety. (Deutsch, Kinzelmann, and Edney, 1/28)
Bloomberg: China’s Low Birthrate Isn’t Doomsday For Formula Milk Suppliers
China’s shockingly low birthrate isn’t quite the calamity for overseas milk suppliers that some recent stock moves might suggest. Foreign firms that make baby formula, from Swiss giant Nestle SA to France’s Danone SA, saw their shares fall after Beijing revealed last week that births in 2025 fell to the lowest since at least 1949. Worst hit was New Zealand’s a2 Milk Co., which plunged 14% immediately after the news as investors dumped a company notable for its bullishness on China. Chinese dairy companies, which are less keyed to the formula market, were relatively undisturbed. (Westcott, 1/25)
