Latest news with #EHM
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Washington Co. horse tests positive for virus that leads to debilitating disease
The Brief Minnesota Board of Animal Health authorities have learned about a horse in Washington County testing positive for equine herpesvirus type 1, or EHV-1. The virus can develop into a debilitating neurological disease known as Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) that can lead to incoordination and hind-end weakness. Authorities say a quarantine for the remaining 60 horses on the owner's property has been started to control its spread, and the horse has shown marked improvement since initially being reported. WASHINGTON Co., Minn. (FOX 9) - Authorities have posted a notice that a Washington County horse that has reportedly tested positive for an infectious virus that can develop into a debilitating neurological disease. EHV-1 in Washington County What we know The Minnesota Board of Animal Health says it received notification of a 16-year-old mare testing positive for equine herpesvirus type 1, or EHV-1 on April 25. The virus can develop into a debilitating neurological disease known as Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) that can cause incoordination and hind-end weakness, according to the University of Minnesota's Animals and Liverstock Department. Authorities say the horse's owner first noticed symptoms on April 22 and voluntarily allowed a veterinarian to examine the horse, who then saw significant balance and muscle control issues. What's next Authorities say a quarantine of the remaining 60 horses on the owner's property was implemented to control the spread of the virus. All quarantined horses will be monitored closely for symptoms. The infected horse has shown marked improvement in the last 48 hours, according to a statement.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
85-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting 5 minors placed on electronic monitoring; appeal coming
ST. CHARLES, Ill. — The Kane County State's Attorney's Office is appealing a decision that placed an 85-year-old man on electronic monitoring after allegedly sexually assaulting five minors. Michael Farris, 85, of Montgomery, was charged in February with 23 counts of criminal sexual assault and 67 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault. Between 2008 and 2022, Farris is accused of sexually assaulting five minors between the ages of 13 and 17. In one of the allegations, he allegedly sexually assaulted a boy who came to his door to offer snow shoveling services. Farris was a former leader in Boy Scouts of America and police initially said when he was arrested that he could have more victims than five. Last week, a Kane County judge released Farris on electronic monitoring and his next court date is set for April 24. Conditions of the release include allowing court services into his home, possessing no electronic devices and his cell phone cannot have access to the internet. Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser 'strongly opposed' the decision and said they will appeal it. Her full statement is below. 'My office strongly opposed the court's decision last week to release defendant Michael Farris under Electronic Home Monitoring (EHM). Even the strictest EHM conditions cannot mitigate the threat Farris poses to the community. EHM does not allow authorities to monitor whom the defendant is with or what they are doing, which is especially concerning given the heinous allegations here—including the assault of a victim who went to Farris's door to offer his snow shoveling services. The scope and nature of the charges against Farris are extremely serious and deeply disturbing. He remains a danger to the community, and my office will be appealing this decision.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
27-01-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Climate study warns of 2.3m more temperature-related deaths in Europe by 2099
Rising deaths from extreme heat will 'far exceed' reductions in numbers dying from cold temperatures in Europe with climate change, researchers suggest. A study modelling the change in deaths related to high and low temperatures found that there could be more than 2.3 million excess deaths across hundreds of European cities by the end of the century if urgent action is not taken to cut emissions. While efforts to adapt cities to rising temperatures would not be enough to curb increased health risks due to exposure to heat, up to 70% of the excess deaths could be avoided if climate change was limited, the researchers said. The study found that in some parts of the continent, such as the UK and Ireland, there would be a net reduction in deaths, as a fall in people dying in cold weather outstripped a rise in mortality due to extreme heat. London would see 27,455 fewer deaths by the century's end in the face of climate change, according to the analysis led by the Environment and Health Modelling (EHM) Lab at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). But the study warned that the lower death toll in some parts of Europe would be massively outweighed by the increase in the rest of the continent – with the Mediterranean, central Europe and the Balkans particularly vulnerable. Barcelona, Rome, Naples and Madrid would be among the cities with the highest death tolls from rising temperatures by the end of the century, the modelling found, while many other smaller cities in Malta, Spain and Italy would also be badly affected. This study provides compelling evidence that the steep rise in heat-related deaths will far exceed any drop related to cold Professor Antonio Gasparrini The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, looked at how climate change could affect future heat-related and cold-related deaths in 854 European urban areas and their demographics, under different climate-warming scenarios. In a scenario with low efforts to curb global warming and low adaptation efforts, deaths could increase by 50%, leading to a cumulative 2,345,410 deaths due to climate change between 2015 and 2099. But there are regional differences across Europe, with a slight net decrease in deaths in Northern Europe alongside high vulnerability for Mediterranean and Eastern European countries. Away from the Mediterranean, cities such as Paris would see smaller, but significant increase in temperature-related deaths overall. The study said net mortality across Europe would increase 'even under the mildest climate change scenario' but the health burden increases substantially under more extreme warming and it would require 'implausibly strong levels of adaptation' in cities to reverse the trend. The authors flagged the health benefits linked to implementing stringent measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as measures to help vulnerable countries and groups cope with rising temperatures. Professor Antonio Gasparrini, senior author of the article and lead of the EHM-Lab, said: 'This study provides compelling evidence that the steep rise in heat-related deaths will far exceed any drop related to cold, resulting in a net increase in mortality across Europe. 'These results debunk proposed theories of 'beneficial' effects of climate change, often proposed in opposition to vital mitigation policies that should be implemented as soon as possible.' Put bluntly, the increase in hot weather will kill more people than the decrease in cold weather will save Prof Tim Osborn, University of East Anglia Responding to the study, Dr Raquel Nunes, assistant professor in health and environment at the University of Warwick Medical School, said it had serious implications for public health. She added: 'As climate change leads to more extreme heat events, the number of heat-related deaths is expected to rise, putting additional pressure on healthcare systems. 'Vulnerable groups, such as older adults, those with chronic illnesses, and low-income communities, will be at the highest risk. 'Without strong adaptation measures, public health systems could struggle to cope with the increased demand for emergency services and hospital admissions.' Prof Tim Osborn, director of the Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (UEA), said: 'Put bluntly, the increase in hot weather will kill more people than the decrease in cold weather will save.' He also that while impacts of rising temperatures could be greatly reduced by making changes that increase people's resilience to extreme weather, those efforts are far more successful 'if we also limit the amount of climate change that we are faced with by accelerating the move away from fossil fuels'.
Euronews
27-01-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Climate change could cause millions more temperature-related deaths in Europe by 2099, study says
Climate change will likely cause a sharp increase in deaths from extreme heat, substantially outweighing any decrease in cold-related deaths across Europe. A modelling study was led by researchers from the Environment & Health Modelling (EHM) Lab at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and published in Nature Medicine. 'This study provides compelling evidence that the steep rise in heat-related deaths will far exceed any drop related to cold, resulting in a net increase in mortality across Europe,' says Professor Antonio Gasparrini, senior author of the article and lead of the EHM-Lab at LSHTM. 'These results debunk proposed theories of 'beneficial' effects of climate change, often proposed in opposition to vital mitigation policies that should be implemented as soon as possible.' They estimate that climate change could directly result in over 2.3 million additional temperature-related deaths in 854 European cities by 2099 if carbon emissions aren't cut. The researchers say 70 per cent of these deaths could be avoided if rapid action is taken. Which European cities will see the most temperature-related deaths? Barcelona is projected to see the highest temperature-related death toll by the end of the century at 246,082. It is followed by two Italian cities: Rome with a projected 147,738 deaths and Naples with 147,248. Fourth on the list is another Spanish city Madrid (129,716) and then yet another Italian city in fifth, Milan (110,131). Athens with a projected 87,523 deaths comes next followed by Valencia (67,519), Marseille (51,306), Bucharest (47,468) and Genoa (36,338) to round out the 10 worst-affected cities. Researchers say that due to their large populations, the highest number of temperature-related deaths are projected in the most populous Mediterranean cities. Still, many smaller cities in Malta, Spain and Italy are also likely to be badly affected. Away from the Mediterranean, the impacts are expected to be less severe. Other European capitals like Paris could see a smaller, but still significant, increase in both cold and heat-related deaths. Further north in the British Isles and Scandinavia, the study shows there may be a net decrease in temperature-related deaths. Projected figures in London, for example, show a decrease of 27,455 by the end of the century. However, the researchers point out that this drop is massively outweighed by increases in the rest of Europe, resulting in 2.3 million additional temperature-related deaths across the continent. "Previous estimates based on historical data have suggested that for every heat-related death, there are roughly 10 cold-related deaths (in Europe)," explains Gary Konstantinoudis, an Imperial Research College Fellow at the MRC Centre for Environment and Health who wasn't involved in the study. "This raises important questions about the net impact of temperature changes due to anthropogenic climate change. "This new study underscores a crucial point: without any mitigation or adaptation to temperature, projections suggest that temperature-related deaths are likely to increase overall, with heat-related deaths surpassing cold-related ones." Can Europe's cities adapt to rising temperatures? Europe is warming faster than any other continent on Earth. Current climate data shows that temperatures are rising at twice the global average rate. The projected numbers are staggering but an increase in deaths isn't the only potential issue Europe could face as it warms up. 'Heat-related deaths are only one measure of the health impacts of rising temperatures. Extreme heat kills but it also causes a wide range of serious health problems,' says Dr Madeleine Thomson, head of climate impacts and adaptation at global charitable foundation Wellcome who wasn't involved in the research. 'It has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, miscarriages and poor mental health.' Thomson adds that we're not properly prepared for the impact this will have on our health. Cities and towns need to rapidly adapt to start dealing with rising temperatures. Changes like adding green spaces or waterways can help cool urban environments where heat gets trapped by buildings and large amounts of asphalt or concrete. Adaption alone isn't enough, however. The study suggests that even if enormous efforts were made to adapt cities to changing temperatures this would not be enough to balance increased health risks due to exposure to heat, especially in the most vulnerable areas such as the Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and the Balkans. Only significant, rapid cuts to carbon emissions were shown to reduce the number of extreme heat deaths. 'Our results stress the urgent need to aggressively pursue both climate change mitigation and adaptation to increased heat,' says Dr Pierre Masselot lead author at the EHM-Lab at the LSHTM. 'This is especially critical in the Mediterranean area where, if nothing is done, consequences could be dire.'
