Latest news with #CentralBohemian
Euronews
13-05-2025
- Health
- Euronews
What we know about the surge of hepatitis A in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is seeing a surge of hepatitis A infections that does not appear to be slowing down. The country recorded 450 cases and six deaths from hepatitis A in the first four months of 2025, compared with 636 cases and two deaths all of last year. But Czech health officials said the actual number of infections is likely much higher because of how difficult it is to track the spread of the virus, which causes liver inflammation that can be fatal in rare cases. 'We know from experience that even one confirmed case can subsequently mean a big problem,' the State Health Institute (SZÚ) said in a statement. It's not a common infection. In 2022, there were 4,548 cases reported across 30 European countries. Here's what we know so far about the developing hepatitis A situation in the Czech Republic. People can be infected after contact with a sick person's stool, for example, via unwashed hands, contaminated food or water, or dirty door handles. Places with poor sanitation and hygiene are the ideal breeding ground for the virus. Most infected people do not have symptoms, but about 10 per cent experience serious health problems that can lead to liver failure and death, Czech officials said. Adults aged 50 and older and people who already have chronic liver disease are at higher risk. Other symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, and jaundice, which is when the eyes and skin take on a yellow hue. It usually takes two to four weeks for infected people to develop symptoms, and they can shed the virus for a week or two beforehand, meaning people can spread hepatitis A without even knowing they are infected. The capital city, Prague, and the surrounding Central Bohemian region, as well as the Moravia-Silesian region bordering Poland and Slovakia, have reported the most hepatitis A cases this year. The virus is spreading among children, teenagers, young adults, and people engaged in 'risky behaviour,' officials said. In Prague, for example, nearly one in three patients are homeless, and many use drugs. But the number of people who are susceptible to hepatitis A because they have not been vaccinated or in contact with the virus is 'gradually increasing,' they added. Health officials encouraged people to get vaccinated against hepatitis A. Two doses taken six to 18 months apart can help protect people against infection. The jab, which costs approximately 1,700 CZK (around €68), is not required, but it is included in some health insurance programmes, officials said. Because many infected people are homeless, Czech health workers have distributed the vaccine to shelters for free. People who work closely with drug users and those living on the streets are also being vaccinated in Prague. But 'it is very difficult for these people to comply with anti-epidemic measures, and contact tracing is especially problematic,' making it harder to control the spread of the virus, officials said. Last year, officials tracked down 6,375 contacts of people infected with hepatitis A. People identified as close contacts who have not been vaccinated are prohibited from going to public swimming pools, saunas, summer camps, or other big events. Blockbuster weight loss drugs may help people avoid obesity-related cancers, new research suggests. Obesity contributes to 13 types of cancer, and health experts are worried about the growing toll as obesity rates continue to rise globally. The new study, published in the Lancet journal eClinicalMedicine, suggests that weight loss drugs such as Saxena or Trulicity could help curb these risks. Researchers compared nearly 6,400 people with obesity and diabetes who either underwent bariatric surgery or took GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are weight loss drugs that work by mimicking a hormone in the body that makes people feel full for longer. In the years after their treatments, there were 5.76 obesity-related cancer cases per 1,000 person-years among patients who had bariatric surgery, compared with a rate of 5.64 among those who took GLP-1s. Because surgery is more effective at lowering people's weight, the researchers concluded that weight-loss drugs could be even better at preventing obesity-related cancers – to the tune of 41 per cent, they said. 'Our study found a similar incidence of obesity-related cancer among patients treated with first-generation [GLP-1 drugs] and with bariatric surgery… despite the relative advantage of surgery in maximising weight loss,' Yael Wolff Sagy, a study author and a researcher at Clalit Health Services in Israel, said in a statement. 'But accounting for this advantage revealed the direct effect of GLP-1RAs beyond weight-loss to be 41 per cent more effective at preventing obesity-related cancer'. Notably, though, when the researchers took people's ability to manage their blood sugar levels into account, the medicines' edge over surgery dropped to 13 per cent. The benefit from the drugs could be because they help reduce inflammation, the researchers said, adding that newer medicines such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, or Zepbound could have an even greater effect. 'We do not yet fully understand how GLP-1s work, but this study adds to the growing evidence showing that weight loss alone cannot completely account for the metabolic, anti-cancer, and many other benefits that these medications provide,' Sagy said. The study is the latest to suggest drugs designed to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes could be used for much more than weight loss. Other research indicates they could help people with addiction, dementia, liver problems, and more. But the analysis has some limitations. Only 298 people were diagnosed with obesity-related cancers during the study period, for example, and it's not clear whether people sustained their initial weight loss over time. Larger studies with more patients could affect the statistical analysis that identified the 41 per cent risk reduction from medicines compared with surgery. Independent experts also noted that the study was observational, meaning the authors reviewed existing data, rather than conducting a randomised control trial where some patients receive a drug and others get a placebo or dummy treatment in order to compare their outcomes. Randomised trials are considered the gold standard for medical research. 'Larger outcome trials are needed to understand links between such medicines and cancer risks, and several should report over the next five years,' Naveed Sattar, a professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow in the UK, said in a statement. 'It is better to wait to see further large outcome trials versus placebo to get closer to the truth'.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Officials surprised to find major public works project completed by wild animals: 'Better than when we design it on paper'
Nature stepped in after a crucial project in the Czech Republic stalled, surprising local authorities and saving them the equivalent of nearly $1.5 million. As reported by Radio Prague International, a beaver colony in the Brdy region became an overnight sensation when officials realized the creatures had built a dam exactly where they needed it. "Beavers always know best. The places where they build dams are always chosen just right — better than when we design it on paper," said Jaroslav Obermajer, head of the Central Bohemian office of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency, or AOPK. Despite the beavers' sudden fame, Gerhard Schwab, the Federal Nature Conservation Association's beaver manager for the southern part of Bavaria, told National Geographic he didn't buy the idea that the creatures completed the dam in one night. "I could as well believe that the pyramids were built in one week," he said, suggesting that the construction likely occurred over several weeks before people noticed. While beavers can sometimes create problems for humans — like when a Lanškroun-area dam ended up flooding fields and a railway line, as AOPK spokeswoman Karolína Šůlová pointed out to Radio Prague International — they can also help prevent flooding and create firebreaks, which protect property by stopping or slowing wildfires. And as opposed to human-built dams that frequently disrupt the protective natural balance of ecosystems, reducing water quality and biodiversity, the new no-cost Brdy dam is expected to support numerous wetland species, including frogs and the rare stone crayfish. Beaver-built dams can provide benefits beyond what may be initially apparent, too, according to science journalist Ben Goldfarb, who discussed the matter with National Geographic. "At this point, nothing that beavers do surprises me," said Goldfarb, who explained that an Oregon beaver dam filtered heavy metals and other toxic pollutants around two times better than a multimillion-dollar stormwater treatment facility. In Europe, native beavers were on the verge of extinction from hunting, but reintroduction efforts have helped them bounce back from the brink. Goldfarb gave local Czech authorities props for recognizing how the creatures' dam was a boon to the nearby community. Do you think governments should ban the production of gas-powered lawn equipment? Absolutely Yes — but not yet I don't know Heck no Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "Instead of saying, 'That wasn't what we planned originally,' they recognized that these animals are filling that ecological function very well and said, 'We're going to let them keep doing it,'" he said. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Beavers finish seven-year dam project in two days
A colony of beavers has saved the Czech government almost £1 million after completing a stalled dam project themselves. Despite a seven-year planning process and successfully securing the funding, the Czech Republic's plans to build a new dam in the Brdy region came to a standstill as authorities struggled to acquire building permits. However, it was the arrival of eight hard-working beavers that finally got the job done. Speaking to Radio Prague, Jaroslav Obermajer, head of the Central Bohemian office of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency, said: 'Beavers always know best.' Using their powerful incisors, the semi-aquatic rodents fell trees to create wetland areas – known as 'beaver ponds' – which they then use as sources of food and protection from predators. The human project had aimed to restore the area to its natural state, decades after soldiers at a military base built a bypass gully which had drained the area. According to the Brdy Protected Land Administration (PLA), which was managing the human project, the beavers constructed dams in almost the same spots that constructions were planned. 'The Military Forest Management and the Vltava River Basin were negotiating with each other to set up the project and address issues regarding ownership of land. The beavers beat them to it, saving us CZK 30 million (£994,000),' said Bohumil Fišer, the Brdy PlA chief. 'They built the dams without any project documentation and for free.' Mr Obermajor added: 'The places where they build dams are always chosen just right — better than when we design it on paper.' Ecologists tasked with inspecting the dams have said they will last a long time and create good conditions for the rare stone crayfish, frogs, and other species that thrive on wetlands. 'We are already seeing the emergence of a small pond and surrounding wetland there,' the PLA said in a statement, adding that the eight beavers were still hard at work creating new wetlands. Beavers are 'ecosystem engineers' meaning they modify their environment to create resources, and their dams can stretch for miles. The largest beaver dam recorded is in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, stretching the length of seven football fields – so big it is even visible from space. In another case, when beavers built dams on the property of a large stormwater treatment facility in Oregon, scientists discovered that the animals' structures were able to filter out heavy metals and other pollutants about twice as effectively as the human-built structures. In 2023, California introduced a beaver-assisted restoration programme so the animals could create a healthy ecosystem for other animals, replenish groundwater and even provide wildfire protection. In the UK, where beavers were once hunted to extinction for their fur and a natural secretion called castoreum which is used for perfumes and medicines, they have also now been successfully reintroduced. A trial in Devon between 2015 to 2020 saw the first wild breeding of beavers in 400 years. 'Beaver wetlands are a paradise for many animals and plants. They are stable ecosystems that contribute to the diversity of our landscape,' said the PLA. 'Beavers are returning the landscape altered by humans to its natural beauty.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Beavers finish seven-year dam project in two days
A colony of beavers has saved the Czech government almost £1 million after completing a stalled dam project themselves. Despite a seven-year planning process and successfully securing the funding, the Czech Republic's plans to build a new dam in the Brdy region came to a standstill as authorities struggled to acquire building permits. However, it was the arrival of eight hard-working beavers that finally got the job done. Speaking to Radio Prague, Jaroslav Obermajer, head of the Central Bohemian office of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency, said: 'Beavers always know best.' Using their powerful incisors, the semi-aquatic rodents fell trees to create wetland areas – known as 'beaver ponds' – which they then use as sources of food and protection from predators. The human project had aimed to restore the area to its natural state, decades after soldiers at a military base built a bypass gully which had drained the area. According to the Brdy Protected Land Administration (PLA), which was managing the human project, the beavers constructed dams in almost the same spots that constructions were planned. 'The beavers beat [us] to it, saving us CZK 30 million (£994,000),' said Bohumil Fišer, the Brdy PLA chief. 'They built the dams without any project documentation and for free.' Ecologists tasked with inspecting the dams have said they will last a long time and create good conditions for the rare stone crayfish, frogs, and other species that thrive on wetlands. 'We are already seeing the emergence of a small pond and surrounding wetland there,' the PLA said in a statement, adding that the eight beavers were still hard at work creating new wetlands. Beavers are 'ecosystem engineers' meaning they modify their environment to create resources, and their dams can stretch for miles. The largest beaver dam recorded is in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, stretching the length of seven football fields – so big it is even visible from space. In another case, when beavers built dams on the property of a large stormwater treatment facility in Oregon, scientists discovered that the animals' structures were able to filter out heavy metals and other pollutants about twice as effectively as the human-built structures. 'Beaver wetlands are a paradise for many animals and plants. They are stable ecosystems that contribute to the diversity of our landscape,' said the PLA. 'Beavers are returning the landscape altered by humans to its natural beauty.'
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Beavers complete government's seven-year dam project in two days
A colony of beavers has saved the Czech government almost £1 million after completing a stalled dam project themselves. Despite a seven-year planning process and successfully securing the funding, the Czech Republic's plans to build a new dam in the Brdy region came to a standstill as authorities struggled to acquire building permits. However, it was the arrival of eight hard-working beavers that finally got the job done. Speaking to Radio Prague, Jaroslav Obermajer, the head of the Central Bohemian office of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency, said: 'Beavers always know best.' Using their powerful incisors, the semi-aquatic rodents fell trees to create wetland areas – known as 'beaver ponds' – which they then use as sources of food and protection from predators. The human project had aimed to restore the area to its natural state, decades after soldiers at a military base built a bypass gully which had drained the area. According to the Brdy Protected Land Administration (PLA), which was managing the human project, the beavers constructed dams in almost the same spots that constructions were planned. 'The beavers beat [us] to it, saving us CZK 30 million (£994,000),' said Bohumil Fišer, the Brdy PLA chief. 'They built the dams without any project documentation and for free.' Ecologists tasked with inspecting the dams have said they will last a long time and create good conditions for the rare stone crayfish, frogs, and other species that thrive on wetlands. 'We are already seeing the emergence of a small pond and surrounding wetland there,' the PLA said in a statement, adding that the eight beavers were still hard at work creating new wetlands. Beavers are 'ecosystem engineers' meaning they modify their environment to create resources, and their dams can stretch for miles. The largest beaver dam recorded is in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, stretching the length of seven football fields – so big it is even visible from space. In another case, when beavers built dams on the property of a large stormwater treatment facility in Oregon, scientists discovered that the animals' structures were able to filter out heavy metals and other pollutants about twice as effectively as the human-built structures. 'Beaver wetlands are a paradise for many animals and plants. They are stable ecosystems that contribute to the diversity of our landscape,' said the PLA. 'Beavers are returning the landscape altered by humans to its natural beauty.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
