Trump signs order to ensure 'resilient' supply chain for essential medicines in US
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The Guardian
4 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘Demon' rabbits growing hornlike warts in Colorado are no danger, scientists say
A group of rabbits in Colorado with grotesque, hornlike growths may seem straight out of a low-budget horror film, but scientists say there is no reason to be spooked – the furry creatures merely have a relatively common virus. The cottontails recently spotted in Fort Collins are infected with the mostly harmless Shope papillomavirus, which causes wart-like growths that protrude from their faces like metastasizing horns. Viral photos have inspired a fluffle of unflattering nicknames, including 'Frankenstein bunnies', 'demon rabbits' and 'zombie rabbits'. But their affliction is nothing new, with the virus inspiring ancient folklore and fueling scientific research nearly 100 years ago. The virus likely influenced the centuries-old jackalope myth in North America, which told of a rabbit with antlers or horns, among other animal variations. The disease in rabbits also contributed to scientists' knowledge about the connection between viruses and cancer, such as the human papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer. The virus in rabbits was named after Dr Richard E Shope, a professor at the Rockefeller University who discovered the disease in cottontails in the 1930s. News about the rabbit sightings in Fort Collins, 65 miles (105km) north of Denver, started getting attention after residents started spotting them around town and posting pictures. Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado parks and wildlife, told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the agency has been getting calls about the rabbits seen in Fort Collins. But she said that it is not uncommon to see infected rabbits, especially in the summer, when the fleas and ticks that spread the virus are most active. The virus can spread from rabbit to rabbit but not to other species, including humans and pets, she said. The growths resemble warts but can look like horns if they grow longer, Van Hoose said. The growths do not harm rabbits unless they grow on their eyes or mouths and interfere with eating. Rabbits' immune systems are able to fight the virus and, once they do, the growths disappear, she said.
BBC News
4 minutes ago
- BBC News
US appeals court says Trump administration can cut billions in foreign aid
The federal government does not have to continue making foreign aid payments, a US appeals court has ruled in a major victory for President Donald ruling reverses a lower court judgment that said the Trump administration had to restore billions of dollars in foreign aid that had already been approved by Congress. On his first day back at the White House in January, Trump imposed a 90-day pause on all foreign assistance. International aid groups who relied heavily on government grants sued to challenge Trump's order. Among the funding cuts are nearly $4 billion (£2.95b) for global health programs through September. More than $6 billion for HIV and AIDS programs, which Congress had approved through 2028, can be axed, as well, under the out of the three judges on the appeals court panel agreed the plaintiffs in the case, the aid groups, did not have standing to bring the lawsuit, and so the funding cuts could international aid groups sued the administration in February. In March a district judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration's funding freeze, saying it was done unlawfully because the funds were allocated by Congress. Since he returned to office, Trump has slashed foreign aid, largely shuttering US Agency for International Development (USAID), the main foreign aid agency, because he found its spending "wasteful". More than 80% of all the agency's programmes were cancelled as of March, and on 1 July the remainder were taken over by the State Department as USAID officially closed its doors. Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama condemned shutting down the agency and humanitarian organisations around the world have criticised Trump's funding cuts as both drastic and could cause more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, according to a warning published by researchers in the highly esteemed Lancet medical journal earlier this year.
Daily Mail
35 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
States battling outbreak of 'bone-breaking' virus brought in from Asia and Africa
Hawaii has reported a dozen cases of 'bone-breaking' dengue fever, prompting urgent warnings from health officials. The Hawaii Department of Health this week confirmed a case of dengue fever on the island of Oahu in a resident who contracted it during international travel. It's unclear exactly where the individual traveled, but the health department said it was a region where dengue is common, such as southeast Asia, South America, the Caribbean or Africa. This brings the state's total for 2025 to 12, which is already approaching the total of 16 reported in the entirety of last year. So far in 2025, the CDC has confirmed 2,725 cases of dengue fever across 46 states and territories, most of which were locally acquired within the US. Dengue is most common in six states, and the CDC reports of locally acquired cases in Florida, Texas, Hawaii, Arizona and California. While cases have been on the rise in years past, figures are slowing after a dengue outbreak last year resulted in a record-high 8,000 infections. Spread by bites from infected mosquitoes, the disease has been nicknamed 'break-bone fever' because sufferers say their joints and muscles can become so painful it feels like their bones are breaking. And about one in 20 people with symptoms suffer bleeding, gasping for air and shock. All cases detected in Hawaii so far have been in people who traveled to regions where dengue is more common, so the agency warned people returning from endemic areas contact their doctor if they develop symptoms within two weeks. Mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus are usually found in tropical and subtropical regions like Central and South America, Africa, South Asia and the Pacific Islands. In the US, dengue is most prevalent in Florida, Texas and California, as well as the territory Puerto Rico. According to CDC data, Puerto Rico has reported the most dengue cases at 2,152 so far this year. Florida has seen 115 cases while California has seen 62. The disease spreads through mosquito bites and cannot be transmitted from person to person. Roughly 400million people get dengue fever every year but eight in 10 don't develop any symptoms. Those who do usually experience a high fever, blotchy rash, muscle aches, joint pain and pain behind the eyes. But in rare and severe cases, the condition can cause vomiting or throwing up blood, intense joint pain and trouble breathing. These issues may further cause internal bleeding, leading to death. Thirteen percent of patients die from the disease if they do not receive treatment. There is no antiviral for dengue fever, but the World Health Organization says that by rapidly replacing lost fluids the mortality rate drops to less than one percent. A vaccine for dengue is available and approved by the FDA for children aged nine to 16 years old, but its manufacturer, French pharma giant Sanofi Pasteur, has discontinued production globally, citing a lack of demand. Doses are available in Puerto Rico, but these are expected to run out by 2026. Dengue cases have surged in Latin America, thought to be linked to the El Nino weather cycle at that time - which brings more heavy rains to areas of the continent - leading to more standing water in which mosquitoes can multiply. At the same time, rising temperatures have allowed mosquitoes to be active for longer each year and advance further north. In areas of the world where outbreaks are not as common, upticks are being linked in part to travel, leading to people who become infected abroad to enter the US then get bitten by a mosquito, which passes the virus to the insect and allows it to take root in the local mosquito population. The CDC urges Americans traveling to high-risk areas to carry insect repellent, wear long sleeves and long pants outside and sleep in air-conditioned rooms or those with window screens to prevent being bitten.
