Giant 22-inch rat found in Yorkshire home - and councilor warns they are 'everywhere' in the UK'
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Evening Standard
04-08-2025
- Evening Standard
Giant 22-inch rat found in Yorkshire home - and councilor warns they are 'everywhere' in the UK'
Rats cause risk to public health and are known to carry several diseases which can be transmitted to humans including Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection which can be contracted through water contaminated with rat urine, Hantavirus, a virus which causes respiratory issues and is contracted through rat droppings or urine and Salmonellosis, a bacterial infection spread through food contaminated by rat faeces.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Daily Mail
New cases of rare rodent disease are increasing... experts warn it could be the next pandemic
Experts are sounding the alarm over the spread of a rare, deadly rodent virus that could be the next global pandemic. Health officials confirmed this week that an employee at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona had been exposed to hantavirus, a respiratory illness that spreads by inhaling airborne particles released by rodent droppings. The disease, which killed Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa, is so rare in the US that only one or two people die every year, and there have only been around 1,000 cases in the past three decades. These cases are mostly among farmers, hikers and campers, and homeless populations. However, the virus has now been detected in five Arizona residents and four people in Nevada this year alone, suggesting cases could be on the rise. In 2024, there were seven confirmed cases and four deaths. The unnamed employee was reportedly exposed to hantavirus while working in the camp's mule pens, according to a Grand Canyon spokesperson. And earlier this year, three people in remote Mammoth Lakes, California, died of hantavirus despite not being 'engaged in activities typically associated with exposure,' according to state health officials. Though the park employee is expected to make a full recovery, hantavirus can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which causes the lungs to fill with fluid and kills up to 50 percent of patients. To reduce risk of exposure, health officials recommend airing out spaces where mice droppings could be, avoid sweeping droppings, use disinfectant and wipe up debris and wear gloves and a mask. Hantaviruses are a group of viruses found worldwide that are spread to people when they inhale aerosolized fecal matter, urine, or saliva from infected rodents. The disease was first identified in South Korea in 1978 when researchers isolated it from a field mouse. However, it only affects about 40 to 50 Americans each year, mostly in the southwest. Between 1993 and 2022, 864 cases have been confirmed, the latest available CDC data shows. Worldwide, there are about 150,000 to 200,000 cases per year, most of which are in China. The rarity of hantavirus in the US is partly because the country has fewer rodent species that the illness can circulate amongst, compared to Asia and Europe, where multiple rodent species act as hosts. In the US, deer mice are the most common carriers. David Quammen, a science writer whose book predicted the Covid-19 pandemic, previously told an increase in hantaviruses cases could have global implications. He said: '[Hantaviruses] were known from Korea originally, and then they turned up in the Four Corners area of the US back in 1992 and they started killing people. 'It wasn't surprising to find Hantaviruses in the US, as well as in Korea because, again, it's a global group of viruses.' Virginia Tech researchers recently found that while deer mice are still the primary reservoir for hantaviruses in North America, the virus is now circulating more widely than previously thought, with antibodies detected in six additional rodent species where they had not been documented before. Seventy-nine percent of positive blood samples they tested came from deer mice species, but researchers also found that other rodent species had a higher percentage of hantavirus infections than deer mice – between 4.3 and five percent. The vast majority of human cases are traced back to two or three key deer mouse species, but the study's findings reveal that the virus is more flexible than scientists once thought, broadening what they know about its basic biology. Virginia had the highest infection rate among rodents, with nearly eight percent of samples testing positive for hantavirus – four times the national average of around two percent. Colorado had the second-highest infection rate, followed by Texas, both known risk regions for the virus, with average positive blood samples more than twice as high as the national average. Hantavirus symptoms typically show up within one to eight weeks of exposure to infected rodents and include fatigue, fever, muscle aches, headache, dizziness, chills and abdominal or digestive issues. After four to 10 days of the early symptoms, patients may experience shortness of breath, chest tightness and fluid in the lungs. There is no specific treatment for hantavirus, and patients are instead given supportive therapies like rest, hydration, and breathing support.
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Daily Mail
America's best city is named in prestige poll... but beautiful spot was recently involved in horrific incident
A New Mexico city was rated the top in the US for its stunning views and good food, but it was recently involved in a horrific tragedy. Santa Fe, the state's capital, was rated number one of Travel and Leisure's 2025 best US travel destinations. The town of 89,000, known for its unique Spanish-style architecture and sand-colored buildings, scored an 88.80 out of 100 by 180,000 readers in the survey, beating out popular major cities like New York City, which ranked eighth. Readers loved the city's New Mexican cuisine, as well as its art galleries and markets. The city sits in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range and gets sunshine nearly all year round - a place readers called a 'true gem.' 'Every trip exceeds the last, with so many new things to discover,' one reader told the magazine. 'Santa Fe offers a multi-layer experience,' another said. However, the idyllic city was recently hit with a tragedy that has left many on edge. The city has recently undergone a tragedy after actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home The 'best city' accolade comes as millions in the region have been warned to beware of Hantavirus - a deadly virus that recently claimed a notable resident's life. Actor Gene Hackman and his musician wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home in February. Police have since determined that Arakawa died first around February 12 as a result of respiratory symptoms caused by the virus, which is passed on through rodent urine, saliva and feces. She was 65. Hantavirus is a rare but severe respiratory illness spread through exposure, typically inhalation, to rodent droppings. A report obtained by Daily Mail indicated that Arakawa had bookmarks on her computer suggesting that she had been researching medical conditions with symptoms similar to COVID-19 or the flu prior to her death. Hackman also had trace amounts of acetone in his system at the time of his death, which could be a product of 'diabetic- and fasting-induced ketoacidosis.' Hackman, who was suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease at the time, is believed to have wandered around the couple's home alone after his wife's death. Due to the advanced condition, he may not have ever realized his wife had died. The actor, who was 95, died nearly a week later around February 18, from severe heart disease, while Alzheimer's and kidney disease were contributing factors. Hackman tested negative for Hantavirus. Mid-summer through the fall is a great time to visit the city for those who love wildflowers and hot temperatures, as it sits in the 80s and 90s Despite the tragedy, the New Mexico paradise beat out New Orleans, Louisiana, Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, and Alexandria, Virginia, which ranked in the top five. Mid-summer through the fall is a great time to visit the city for those who love wildflowers and hot temperatures, as it sits in the 80s and 90s. Winter is another great time to visit for those who love cold activities, like skiing. There are several art museums, including the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. O'Keeffe was a long-time resident of the area. It also has the Museum of Indian Art and Culture, the New Mexico History Museum, and the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art. It's also a hidden gem for spas, with some located around natural hot springs. Santa Fe also has plenty of hiking trails as its located in the mountains, many of them located along historic architectural sites.
