Latest news with #Coatsworth
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Health
- Perth Now
China virus risk to Aussies explained
A mosquito-borne virus sweeping through southern China has now reached Taiwan, but Australian infectious disease expert Nick Coatsworth said the risk to Australia remains low. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne virus that causes fever, severe joint pain, rash, and fatigue, and while rarely fatal, it can lead to prolonged symptoms lasting weeks or even months. More than 10,000 cases have been reported across at least a dozen Chinese cities, with around 3,000 new infections in the past week. The virus has been known to cause occasional outbreaks across Asia, Africa, and the Americas for decades. Supplied Credit: Supplied Speaking on Ben Fordham Live on 2GB, Dr Coatsworth said Australia should not share China's level of concern. 'I think China needs to be concerned. I don't think we need to share that concern in Australia,' Dr Coatsworth said. 'The problem with China is that humans are an amplifying host, which means when you get an epidemic, the virus sits in humans and mosquitoes, and in densely populated areas that can make it very difficult to control,' Dr Coatsworth explained. He noted that Australia already deals with a similar virus, the Ross River virus, which produces comparable symptoms. While returned travellers have brought chikungunya — a virus whose name comes from Tanzania, meaning 'to double over' — into Australia before, he said it was unlikely to spread in a pandemic-like fashion. Dr Nick Coatsworth said Australia should not share China's level of concern. Picture Supplied. Credit: NCA NewsWire 'This is not a new virus, it's an old one,' Dr Coatsworth said. 'I don't think it's going to be something like Covid that's going to spread around the world in a pandemic sort of fashion.' However, he expressed ongoing concerns about transparency in China's handling of emerging diseases. 'The thing I worry about is not the virus, but the transparency of the Chinese government if there is a new virus,' he said. 'We saw no signs after the pandemic … the Morrison Government tried very hard to get insight into what happened in Wuhan. Ultimately, that failed, and the Albanese Government utterly abandoned any attempt to get any clarity.' Health experts say most people recover fully, but some may experience lingering symptoms for months. Supplied Credit: Supplied The US Centres for Disease Control has issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Guangdong, urging travellers to take extra precautions, while Chinese authorities have introduced strict prevention measures reminiscent of the country's COVID-19 response, including quarantines, mass surveillance, and mandatory pharmacy reporting of fever-related drug sales. Taiwan's Centre for Disease Control confirmed its first imported case of chikungunya fever on Friday, a woman who had recently returned from Foshan, the epicentre of China's outbreak in Guangdong Province.
Euronews
29-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Investors pivot to UK stocks as US faces continued instability
After years of political turbulence in Westminster and post‑Brexit economic whiplash that drove capital away, the current US policy chaos has propelled global investors back to London, turning the UK into 2025's unlikely safe haven. 'Certain investors believe the US is a much higher-risk investment prospect under Trump and they've taken money off the table and reallocated to other parts of the world including the UK," according to Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell. "This is a dramatic shift in thinking, given that the US has been a top place to make money for years." US President Donald Trump's administration has spent most of 2025 imposing, scrapping and re-imposing tariffs on its biggest trading partners and allies. "Political stability since last summer's general election, along with the UK being the first to strike a trade agreement with the US under the Trump administration, have prompted certain overseas investors to think again about the UK's situation and prospects," Coatsworth continued. The FTSE 100 Index broke the 9,000 valuation record in mid July, taking it nine times above its baseline of 1,000. The index's previous major milestone came in February 2023, when it briefly pushed past 8,000. US dollar in freefall amid fights with the Fed In May, Moody's downgraded the United States' credit rating from AAA to AA1, marking the first time in over a century that the US no longer held a triple-A rating from any major credit agency. Last week, footage of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell went viral as he stood next to Trump during a visit to the Fed building, with the bank chief shaking his head in apparent disagreement. Trump's criticism of Powell — who is arguably the most powerful guardian of the dollar's value — has aggravated the currency's steady slide since the new administration took office in January. 'Dollar weakness will have spurred UK investors to look closer to home for opportunities. A weaker dollar versus the pound makes US assets less attractive," explained Coatsworth. Although the greenback has risen in recent days, the dollar index is still down almost 9% in the year to date. Defence is a money magnet Trump's departure from US foreign policy norms, for instance by demanding that Europe pay more for NATO while sending positive signals to Russia, has shocked leaders across the continent, undermining global security. Interest in government defence spending across the EU and the UK has risen at a record pace since the Cold War, with some governments fast‑tracking multibillion‑euro deals for the procurement of missiles, drones and cybersecurity systems. This environment has made Europe's defence contractors prime targets for fresh capital as investors look for assets that can outpace geopolitical shockwaves. Fresnillo, Babcock and Rolls-Royce, all either defence contractors or working on defence-adjacent projects, are the best-performing FTSE stocks so far in 2025. 'The UK stock market has a wealth of defence contractors which have attracted investor interest against a backdrop of increased government spending on areas like cybersecurity and military forces," Coatsworth added. A bargain for investors? 'Valuation is another reason the UK has functioned as a magnet for people switching out of US markets," said Coatsworth, as FTSE stocks are cheaper than US alternatives. 'American shares are expensive when you look at popular valuation metrics. For example, the S&P 500 index trades on 22.2 times next 12 months' earnings ... In contrast, the FTSE 100 trades on a mere 12.6 times forward earnings."
CNBC
10-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Mining firms power UK stocks to record high after 50% U.S. copper tariff confirmed
London-listed mining firms bounced on Thursday, shaking off recent losses to drive the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index to a record high as investors assessed the impact of 50% U.S. copper tariffs and stronger Chinese economic data. Anglo American shares were 5% higher at midday in London, with Rio Tinto and Glencore both up 4.5% and Antofagasta up 3%. The gains come amid turbulence in the copper market, where prices are at a record high and the premium paid by U.S. buyers over those in the rest of the world is soaring, following this week's unexpected announcement that 50% U.S. duties will be introduced on Aug. 1 — at the top end of expectations. The news is mixed for the mining giants, which have large operations in key U.S. copper export locations such as Chile, with uncertainty over supply and demand dynamics massively elevated. A broad price spike may be beneficial to producers in the short-term, according to Hargreaves Lansdown's head of money and markets, Susannah Streeter. However, the main beneficiaries of higher U.S. copper prices are its major domestic mining companies which sell on Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) pricing, according to analysts, which are set to see higher realized revenues. The U.S. imports just under half its copper, and is widely considered unlikely to be able to ramp up production enough to significantly alter that mix in the short-term, putting continued pressure on prices. It has been a rough year so far for Europe-listed mining firms, which saw the worst performance among Stoxx 600 sectors in the first half, even as commodities such as gold have rallied. Shares have pulled back from their April lows, but firms including Rio Tinto are down in the year-to-date as poor weather disrupted operations. The companies are meanwhile sensitive to expectations for global growth, which have been dented this year by U.S. tariff uncertainty, along with economic signals from resource-hungry China. Maurizio Carulli, global energy and mining analyst at Quilter Cheviot, told CNBC on Thursday that mining gains were being supported by data showing a rise in Chinese construction machinery sales, a key indicator for the Chinese economy. News on Wednesday that some members of the U.S. Federal Reserve's voting committee expect interest rate cuts to be appropriate later this year is also positive for the sector, he said. "Finally, there has been somewhat of a technical rebound after the [mining] sector showed a bit of weakness yesterday," Carulli added. Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell, flagged wider market talk of a "potential new wave of government stimulus in China," with any support for its giant property sector leading to greater commodities demand. "Second is a weaker dollar, as that makes dollar-denominated commodities cheaper to buy with other currencies," Coatsworth told CNBC. The U.S. dollar index was slightly lower Thursday, continuing its recent sensitivity to tariff updates. Conversely, Coatsworth said that stock markets were broadly in a risk-on mood, shrugging off a slew of updates on national tariffs largely viewed as "noise and not facts." "Trump is throwing out numbers left, right and centre, and investors have begun to dismiss anything that isn't set in stone... that means a shift in focus back to economic data and corporate news flow as key drivers for markets," he said. –
Global News
28-06-2025
- Health
- Global News
Climate change driving rise in tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease
A warming climate is driving a rise in Lyme disease and the introduction of lesser-known tick-borne diseases, public health specialists say. 'Climate change in Canada is happening at a much more accelerated rate than we see in parts of the rest of the world,' said Heather Coatsworth, chief of field studies at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. 'Ticks, which are eight-legged organisms, but general bugs, all require a certain amount of heat and humidity to complete their life cycle,' she said. 1:33 Tick season in Manitoba Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia continue to be the hot spots for blacklegged ticks, which can carry bacteria, parasites and viruses that cause disease in humans — but the changing climate is allowing the tick population to grow in other parts of the country, including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Coatsworth said. Story continues below advertisement Janet Sperling, a scientist who specializes in bugs and the president of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, said that means increased awareness of tick-borne illnesses is needed not only among the public, but among primary-care providers and infectious disease specialists. 'A lot of doctors have been told — this was their training — 'you can't get Lyme disease in Alberta; if you don't have a travel history don't worry about it,'' said Sperling, who lives in Edmonton. 'There's no doubt that it has changed and the education hasn't caught up with some of the doctors,' she said. The rise in tick-borne disease doesn't mean you should stay inside, experts agree. But you can protect yourself. Here's what to know about the illnesses and how to safely enjoy the summer weather. How common is Lyme disease? Lyme disease has been on the rise in Canada and the United States for several years. When provincial public health units started monitoring it in 2009, they reported 144 cases across the country. The preliminary case count for 2024 is 5,239, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. The real number is likely higher because many people may have had very general symptoms and never got a diagnosis, Coatsworth said. 'There's estimates that if things keep going the way they are and climate change keeps going the way things go, that in 25 years we'd have about half a million cases of Lyme disease here in Canada,' she said. Story continues below advertisement What are the symptoms of Lyme disease? Lyme disease can feel like many other illnesses and may bring on fever, chills, fatigue, headache, swollen lymph nodes and/or muscle and joint aches. One telltale sign of Lyme disease is a rash that looks like a bull's eye, a target or that is circular or oval-shaped. But Coatsworth cautions that about 30 per cent of people who are infected never get a rash, so a Lyme disease diagnosis shouldn't be ruled out if people have other symptoms. 2:10 Ticks season brings renewed threat to Alberta's outdoors What are some other tick-borne diseases? Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In the last couple of years, some provinces have started monitoring three other diseases spread by blacklegged ticks: anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Powassan virus. Story continues below advertisement Of those, anaplasmosis — although still rare — seems to be growing the fastest, said Coatsworth: 'It's kind of the new kid on the block.' When public health officials first started monitoring it around 2012, there were about 10 to 50 cases per year in Canada. There were more than 700 cases of anaplasmosis reported last year, Coatsworth said. 'It's really picking up speed within the population.' The symptoms of anaplasmosis can be similar to Lyme disease, without a rash. They can also include cough, diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Babesiosis can also cause similar symptoms to Lyme disease without a rash, but it often causes anemia as well, Coatsworth said. Powassan virus can cause fever, chills, headache, vomiting and general weakness but it often progresses to serious neurological symptoms, such as encephalitis (brain swelling) and meningitis. Can these diseases be treated? Lyme disease and anaplasmosis are both caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics, usually starting with doxycycline, said Coatsworth. Babesiosis is caused by a parasite and is similar to malaria, she said. It can be treated with anti-parasitic medications. Story continues below advertisement There is no treatment for Powassan virus. Patients are treated with supportive care, which can include intravenous fluids, medications to reduce brain swelling and respiratory assistance. 2:19 Peterborough Public Health shares tick season tips What kind of ticks carry these dieases? Two types of blacklegged ticks carry these diseases: Ixodes scapularis, also called a deer tick, is found in several parts of Canada, especially Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. In parts of British Columbia, the dominant tick is Ixodes pacificus, also known as the western blacklegged tick. Ticks feed on the blood of deer, mice, rabbits and other mammals, as well as birds and reptiles. Birds can carry the ticks long distances, so they can be transported to different parts of Canada. The ticks get infected if the host animal is infected, and they in turn transmit the disease to humans when they bite them and latch on. Story continues below advertisement What do the ticks look like? 'A lot of people are very surprised when I show them a blacklegged tick. They can't believe how small they are,' said Dr. Curtis Russell, a vector-borne disease specialist at Public Health Ontario. An adult tick that isn't full of blood is about the size of a sesame seed. A younger tick is about the size of a poppyseed. Where are the ticks found? Ticks are found in wooded and grassy areas, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. That includes forests, parks and hiking trails, but ticks can also live in more populated areas, Coatsworth said. '(It's) a lot about the animals that exist in those environments. So a lot of those are peri-urban spaces … kind of those in-between spaces that now have become just maybe your local neighbourhood park where there's a lot more squirrels. Small rodents and white-tailed deer, especially, have really contributed to sustaining the populations of ticks.' How do I prevent tick bites? Preventing tick bites is similar to repelling mosquitoes, said Dr. Mayank Singal, a public health physician with the BC Centre for Disease Control. Wearing long sleeves, long pants and using bug spray are all important measures. Choosing light-coloured clothing is best because it's easier to spot a tick when it lands. Story continues below advertisement Singal also encourages 'trying to not come in contact with foliage and bushes, because that's typically how they will latch on.' Russell said that means when hiking, stay in the middle of the trail. After outdoor activities, do a full-body tick check, including parts of the body that weren't exposed. Russell suggested taking a bath or a shower. 'You can check all your areas where the ticks might have been and if they haven't bit you yet … they can maybe wash off,' Russell said. 'They usually crawl around … before they bite and they usually tend to bite your hairline, your armpits, the back of your legs, your groin area.' Russell also recommends washing your clothes and putting them in the dryer, where the high heat will kill ticks. 1:54 Research shows lemongrass essential oil can repel ticks If I find a tick, should I remove it? Yes. Do it with tweezers as soon as possible, experts agree. Story continues below advertisement A tick will embed its mouth in the skin as with the legs sticking out and it's important to remove the whole tick. 'You want to grab it as close to the skin edge as possible, squeeze the tweezers … and grab the tick and then pull it straight up,' said Singal. 'We don't want to twist, we don't want to go left and right. Just pull it straight up so that we get all of it out as much as possible.' It generally takes about 24 hours for the tick to transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis or babesiosis while it's latched on. Powassan virus can be transmitted as quickly as 15 minutes after attachment, but very few ticks currently carry the virus, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. 4:22 Healthy Living: Tick season in Saskatchewan Then what? People can take a photo of the tick and submit it to along with information about where you were when you think it bit you. The service, run by several universities and public health agencies, will tell you what kind of tick it is and how much tick-borne disease risk there is in the area. Story continues below advertisement If you had a tick on you and begin to develop any symptoms, see your health-care provider and let them know you were possibly exposed to tick-borne illness, Russell said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Winnipeg Free Press
28-06-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Climate change is driving a rise in tick-borne diseases. Here's what to know.
TORONTO – A warming climate is driving a rise in Lyme disease and the introduction of lesser-known tick-borne diseases, public health specialists say. 'Climate change in Canada is happening at a much more accelerated rate than we see in parts of the rest of the world,' said Heather Coatsworth, chief of field studies at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. 'Ticks, which are eight-legged organisms, but general bugs, all require a certain amount of heat and humidity to complete their life cycle,' she said. Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia continue to be the hot spots for blacklegged ticks, which can carry bacteria, parasites and viruses that cause disease in humans — but the changing climate is allowing the tick population to grow in other parts of the country, including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Coatsworth said. Janet Sperling, a scientist who specializes in bugs and the president of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, said that means increased awareness of tick-borne illnesses is needed not only among the public, but among primary-care providers and infectious disease specialists. 'A lot of doctors have been told — this was their training — 'you can't get Lyme disease in Alberta; if you don't have a travel history don't worry about it,'' said Sperling, who lives in Edmonton. 'There's no doubt that it has changed and the education hasn't caught up with some of the doctors,' she said. The rise in tick-borne disease doesn't mean you should stay inside, experts agree. But you can protect yourself. Here's what to know about the illnesses and how to safely enjoy the summer weather. HOW COMMON IS LYME DISEASE? Lyme disease has been on the rise in Canada and the United States for several years. When provincial public health units started monitoring it in 2009, they reported 144 cases across the country. The preliminary case count for 2024 is 5,239, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. The real number is likely higher because many people may have had very general symptoms and never got a diagnosis, Coatsworth said. 'There's estimates that if things keep going the way they are and climate change keeps going the way things go, that in 25 years we'd have about half a million cases of Lyme disease here in Canada,' she said. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF LYME DISEASE? Lyme disease can feel like many other illnesses and may bring on fever, chills, fatigue, headache, swollen lymph nodes and/or muscle and joint aches. One telltale sign of Lyme disease is a rash that looks like a bull's eye, a target or that is circular or oval-shaped. But Coatsworth cautions that about 30 per cent of people who are infected never get a rash, so a Lyme disease diagnosis shouldn't be ruled out if people have other symptoms. WHAT ARE SOME OTHER TICK-BORNE DISEASES? In the last couple of years, some provinces have started monitoring three other diseases spread by blacklegged ticks: anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Powassan virus. Of those, anaplasmosis — although still rare — seems to be growing the fastest, said Coatsworth: 'It's kind of the new kid on the block.' When public health officials first started monitoring it around 2012, there were about 10 to 50 cases per year in Canada. There were more than 700 cases of anaplasmosis reported last year, Coatsworth said. 'It's really picking up speed within the population.' The symptoms of anaplasmosis can be similar to Lyme disease, without a rash. They can also include cough, diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Babesiosis can also cause similar symptoms to Lyme disease without a rash, but it often causes anemia as well, Coatsworth said. Powassan virus can cause fever, chills, headache, vomiting and general weakness but it often progresses to serious neurological symptoms, such as encephalitis (brain swelling) and meningitis. CAN THESE DISEASES BE TREATED? Lyme disease and anaplasmosis are both caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics, usually starting with doxycycline, said Coatsworth. Babesiosis is caused by a parasite and is similar to malaria, she said. It can be treated with anti-parasitic medications. There is no treatment for Powassan virus. Patients are treated with supportive care, which can include intravenous fluids, medications to reduce brain swelling and respiratory assistance. WHAT KIND OF TICKS CARRY THESE DISEASES? Two types of blacklegged ticks carry these diseases: Ixodes scapularis, also called a deer tick, is found in several parts of Canada, especially Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. In parts of British Columbia, the dominant tick is Ixodes pacificus, also known as the western blacklegged tick. Ticks feed on the blood of deer, mice, rabbits and other mammals, as well as birds and reptiles. Birds can carry the ticks long distances, so they can be transported to different parts of Canada. The ticks get infected if the host animal is infected, and they in turn transmit the disease to humans when they bite them and latch on. WHAT DO THE TICKS LOOK LIKE? 'A lot of people are very surprised when I show them a blacklegged tick. They can't believe how small they are,' said Dr. Curtis Russell, a vector-borne disease specialist at Public Health Ontario. An adult tick that isn't full of blood is about the size of a sesame seed. A younger tick is about the size of a poppyseed. WHERE ARE TICKS FOUND? Ticks are found in wooded and grassy areas, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. That includes forests, parks and hiking trails, but ticks can also live in more populated areas, Coatsworth said. '(It's) a lot about the animals that exist in those environments. So a lot of those are peri-urban spaces … kind of those in-between spaces that now have become just maybe your local neighbourhood park where there's a lot more squirrels. Small rodents and white-tailed deer, especially, have really contributed to sustaining the populations of ticks.' HOW DO I PREVENT TICK BITES? Preventing tick bites is similar to repelling mosquitoes, said Dr. Mayank Singal, a public health physician with the BC Centre for Disease Control. Wearing long sleeves, long pants and using bug spray are all important measures. Choosing light-coloured clothing is best because it's easier to spot a tick when it lands. Singal also encourages 'trying to not come in contact with foliage and bushes, because that's typically how they will latch on.' Russell said that means when hiking, stay in the middle of the trail. After outdoor activities, do a full-body tick check, including parts of the body that weren't exposed. Russell suggested taking a bath or a shower. 'You can check all your areas where the ticks might have been and if they haven't bit you yet … they can maybe wash off,' Russell said. 'They usually crawl around … before they bite and they usually tend to bite your hairline, your armpits, the back of your legs, your groin area.' Russell also recommends washing your clothes and putting them in the dryer, where the high heat will kill ticks. IF I FIND A TICK, SHOULD I REMOVE IT? Yes. Do it with tweezers as soon as possible, experts agree. A tick will embed its mouth in the skin as with the legs sticking out and it's important to remove the whole tick. 'You want to grab it as close to the skin edge as possible, squeeze the tweezers … and grab the tick and then pull it straight up,' said Singal. 'We don't want to twist, we don't want to go left and right. Just pull it straight up so that we get all of it out as much as possible.' It generally takes about 24 hours for the tick to transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis or babesiosis while it's latched on. Powassan virus can be transmitted as quickly as 15 minutes after attachment, but very few ticks currently carry the virus, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. THEN WHAT? People can take a photo of the tick and submit it to along with information about where you were when you think it bit you. The service, run by several universities and public health agencies, will tell you what kind of tick it is and how much tick-borne disease risk there is in the area. If you had a tick on you and begin to develop any symptoms, see your health-care provider and let them know you were possibly exposed to tick-borne illness, Russell said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
