Global Health News: Key Updates on Weight Loss Drugs & IT Outages

This report summarizes current health news including Eli Lilly's weight loss drug approval in China, German hospitals cancelling operations due to IT outages, NHS tech disruptions, Canadian IT challenges, bird flu cases in Colorado, Brazil halting poultry exports, and concerns over chicken culling and disposal amid the spread of bird flu.

Following a series of crucial health updates, Eli Lilly announced that its weight loss drug, tirzepatide, has received regulatory approval in China, heightening competition against Novo Nordisk in the Asian market. This news sent Eli Lilly shares up by 1.6% to $862.39 during midday trading.

Meanwhile, two hospitals in northern Germany, Luebeck and Kiel, have canceled elective operations due to a global IT outage tied to cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. The University Clinic of Schleswig-Holstein ensured that patient care and emergency services remain operational.

In England, the National Health Service reported disruptions in booking systems and patient records due to the same tech outage, while confirming that emergency services are unaffected. The IT disruption has broadly impacted various industries globally, including airlines and banking.

Canadian health infrastructure is also facing challenges from the global tech outage, with Health Minister Mark Holland expressing ongoing government support to doctors and hospitals.

In the United States, the CDC confirmed two new bird flu cases among Colorado poultry workers, following last week's report of four confirmed cases and a suspected fifth.

Brazil, the world's largest chicken exporter, has halted poultry exports to several countries after detecting Newcastle disease. Authorities conducted a massive cull to contain the outbreak.

Reports of bird flu have raised alarms over poultry culling and disposal practices. Health experts worry that these methods could increase disease spread, posing risks to humans and livestock.

(With inputs from agencies.)