Latest news with #HAV
The Irish Sun
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Urgent warning to Irish tourists as major illness spreads fast in popular holiday destination – signs to watch out for
IRISH tourists who are planning to jet off in the coming weeks are being warned about a major illness in a top destination that is spreading fast. The 2 Hepatitis A virus is spreading in the Czech Republic Credit: Getty Images - Getty 2 Popular holiday destination Prague is also impacted Credit: Getty Images - Getty Six deaths have been reported so far this year, which is an increase from just two reported in 2024. There were 450 cases reported alongside this in just the first four months of the year, while in 2024 there were 636 cases. But now, This is due to the difficulty in tracking the spread of the virus. READ MORE IN HEALTH The The State Health Institute (SZU) warned in a statement: "This year, 450 people have already been infected with the so-called dirty hands disease in the first 4 months of the year. 6 of them have succumbed to hepatitis A (HAV) infection. "The disease, also known as infectious jaundice, is spreading not only among In 2022, there were 4,548 cases reported across 30 Most read in Health The statement added: "We know from experience that even one confirmed case can subsequently mean a big problem. "Data from last year, when we recorded 636 infected people including two deaths, already indicated the gradual spread of the infection across the entire republic, and this trend is unfortunately continuing." Urgent health alert as GP shares ways to combat illness with simple everyday task The infection spreads through contact with a sick person's stool - through, for example, unwashed hands, contaminated food or water, or infected door handles. Places with poor sanitation and hygiene are breeding grounds for the virus. Most people don't have symptoms when infected, though around 10 per cent end up experiencing serious health issues. These can lead to liver failure and even death. People aged 50 and older are at a higher risk, along with people who already have chronic liver disease. SYMPTOMS But there are some symptoms you can keep an eye out for. These include fever, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, and jaundice. It can also lead to dark urine and cause itchy skin. In most cases, it takes between two to four weeks for those infected to develop symptoms. You may even see symptoms a week or two after the virus is gone, so it's important to be aware that you can spread it without even knowing you have it. The hardest-hit areas so far are Central Bohemia (87 cases), Moravia-Silesia (83), and And it's spreading between different groups including Director of the anti-epidemic department of the Hygiene Station of the Capital City of Prague, MUDr. Martina Marešová, said: "In Prague, almost 1/3 of the disease is reported in homeless people, most of whom are also "It is very difficult for these people to comply with anti-epidemic measures, and contact tracing is especially problematic; in most cases, we are unable to trace contacts. "That is why we have supplied the vaccine to the Naděje and Salvation Army centers, where workers actively offer this protection to clients for free. These centers also cooperate in tracing contacts." The vaccine is the most effective way to combat the spread - but the number of those who are not vaccinated is "gradually increasing," the statement warned. As a result, health officials are urging people to get As many of the people infected are People who work with drug users and those living on streets are also being vaccinated in Prague. CONTACT TRACING But officials warned that as a result of "problematic" contact tracing, it can be difficult to find close contacts to control the spread of the virus. If identified as a close contact and you haven't been vaccinated, you are not allowed into public swimming pools, saunas, summer camps or big events. So Irish In Ireland, the hepatitis A vaccine is available for specific groups at increased risk. These include refugees and those seeking protection, close contacts of cases, and those in outbreak situations, as defined by NIAC (National Immunisation Advisory Committee). The vaccine is also offered to people traveling to areas with higher risks of hepatitis A, such as regions outside Western Europe, North America, and Australia/New Zealand.
Daily Record
21-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Europe destination popular with UK tourists hit by virus outbreak
A Foreign Office-sponsored site said a massive increase has hit with 450 confirmed cases and six dead The Foreign Office has issued a stark warning to Brits planning a holiday in Prague, one of the UK's favourite destinations, particularly for stag and hen parties. Travel Health Pro, the official UK Government outlet run by the Foreign Office, revealed that as of 5 May 2025, a staggering 450 confirmed cases of hepatitis A have been reported in the Czech Republic, resulting in six fatalities. This marks a significant increase from 2024, when 636 cases were reported throughout the year, leading to two deaths. The majority of these cases in 2025 have been reported in Central Bohemia, Moravia-Silesia and Prague. The Czech Health Ministry has warned: "The disease, also known as infectious jaundice, is spreading not only among children but also among adolescents and young adults, and among people with risky behaviour, especially among drug addicts and homeless people. Transmission occurs mainly as a result of poor hygiene conditions. ". MUDr. Barbora Macková, MHA, the Chief hygienist and director of SZÚ, expressed concern over the soaring cases: "When we compare the figures for the whole of last year and just four months of this year, it is clear that we are seeing a sharp increase in cases. Hepatitis A affects regions across the country. The regions of Central Bohemia – 87, Moravia-Silesia – 83 and Prague – 73 report the most cases. The number of susceptible individuals in the population is gradually increasing, i.e. those who have not yet encountered the disease or are not vaccinated." "They are therefore more likely to become infected when in contact with an infected person or objects. In addition to the child population, the spread of HAV has also been recorded in the population of adolescents and young adults and people with risky behaviour, especially among drug addicts and homeless people. "The transmission of the infection occurs mainly as a result of poor hygiene conditions. Due to the long incubation period, often asymptomatic course, and increasing non-compliance with prescribed anti-epidemic measures and basic hygiene habits, the infection has very good conditions for 'spreading.'" Officials have explained that in most instances, the disease is more severe in adults than in children, who often experience it symptom-free, leading to easy spread. However, around 10% of patients endure complicated courses; the illness and recovery can last several months. In extremely rare cases, a so-called fulminant, rapid course can occur, resulting in liver failure and death. Mortality is generally low (0.1–0.3%), but may be higher (1.8%) in adults over 50 years of age or in people with underlying chronic liver disease. Czech officials have advised holidaymakers to adhere to certain rules. Deputy head of the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases of the SZÚ, MUDr. Kateřina Fabiánová, Ph.D, said: "Especially for travellers, it is recommended to avoid consuming raw salads and vegetables, fruit that you cannot peel yourself, ice cream, raw or semi-raw seafood, and oysters are especially dangerous. In general, it is good to avoid undercooked foods and not use ice in drinks. "Especially in countries with lower hygiene standards, it is not recommended to use water from public taps, even for brushing teeth. It is good to follow the basic rule of the World Health Organisation for preparing food in exotic countries: boil, bake, peel, or leave it alone." With hepatitis A cases on the rise, health officials are raising alarms about the potential for a much higher number of undetected infections, particularly as many children show no symptoms yet remain infectious. What's the timeline for symptoms to appear? Prof Fabiánová explained: "The incubation period of viral hepatitis A, i.e. the time from infection of a person to the development of symptoms of the disease, is 14-50 days, most often 30 days. The contagious period begins in the second half of the incubation period, when the virus is already present in the stool, i.e. usually 1 to 2 weeks before the onset of the disease itself. Contagion then lasts 1 to 2 weeks after the onset of the disease. "The spread of HAV is most often through the stool of an infected person. This involves both direct transmission, from person to person, for example, with dirty hands, and indirect transmission, through contaminated water or food and contaminated objects, for example, we are talking about door handles, handles, handles, in short, places frequently touched by people." Travellers at heightened risk: Preventative measures. Since consuming contaminated food or water is the primary way travellers contract hepatitis A, good personal hygiene and adherence to advice on preventing food and water-borne diseases can significantly lower the risk.
Washington Post
15-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Would you swap your plane ticket for a seat on a zeppelin?
A century ago, zeppelin passengers soared across the Atlantic Ocean in luxurious gondolas hanging from humongous hydrogen-filled balloons — the biggest aircraft humanity has ever built. Then, in 1937, the Hindenburg crashed and burned, and the future of the airship industry went up in smoke. Now, a handful of start-ups want to revive the airship as an alternative for some cargo and passenger flights. The new zeppelins would be much safer, the involved companies say, thanks to materials, technology and weather forecasts that aviators in the 1930s could only dream of. And boosters argue that modern airships could offer a low-carbon and inexpensive way to transport goods and travel. Whereas airplanes burn thousands of gallons of kerosene per hour in their jet engines to stay in the air, the zeppelins in development need a few dozen gallons of diesel fuel per hour, in combination with battery power, cutting harmful emissions by up to 90 percent, companies claim. And because these craft use much less fuel, the idea is that it should translate into lower costs for shippers. The zeppelin revival faces skeptics, though. Among them is John J. Geoghegan, author of 'When Giants Ruled the Sky,' a history of the airship industry. Companies have tried — and failed — to bring back airships every decade or two since the Hindenburg, he said. Every time, the dream has run into a hard economic reality: They haven't found a way to make money. 'The next generation of airships today are quite effective at reducing carbon emissions,' Geoghegan said. 'The question is whether the market will support enough of them for them to make a significant contribution to reducing climate change.' The new zeppelins are still in the early days of their development — none are yet certified to fly. But LTA Research, a start-up backed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, has begun testing a zeppelin-like airship, adapting a historic California hangar built for Navy spy blimps as space for construction and storage. Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) is building a factory in Britain that it says will crank out two dozen ships per year by 2030 to carry cargo and tourists. The French government has backed another start-up, Flying Whales, which plans to build an airship factory in Quebec in 2027 and begin commercial operations by 2029. These modern craft are designed to be sturdier than the zeppelins of yore. Aluminum, copper and wooden frames have given way to carbon fiber and titanium. Crude instruments and steering wheels reminiscent of sailing ships have been replaced by computerized controls and sensors that should allow for precise maneuvering. 'If you went into the gondola, it would look like a commercial aircraft … like you were in a Boeing or an Airbus,' said Brett Crozier, CEO of LTA Research. The specific designs vary. LTA Research and Flying Whales are following the example of the old zeppelins, using sturdy rings to hold the shape of their long, lighter-than-air balloons. HAV's hybrid airship is like a mix between a blimp (which by definition doesn't have a rigid structure) and a plane. Its balloon is slightly heavier than air, but its shape helps generate lift as it moves forward, which pushes it into the sky. One thing they all have in common is their massive size. Airships' balloons need to be huge to lift their gondolas off the ground. 'There's no such thing as a small airship, period,' said Barry Prentice, a professor of supply chain management at the University of Manitoba. When LTA Research floats its 400-foot-long Pathfinder 1 airship out of the hangar for a test flight, it's the biggest aircraft in the world. But this is just a prototype for an even bigger version the company plans to use commercially. HAV's airship is 300 feet long and can carry 11 tons of cargo or about 100 passengers. Flying Whales plans to build a 600-foot airship that can carry 60 tons. The engineers have understandably thought a lot about fire risk. The modern prototypes are designed to float using nonflammable helium instead of hydrogen, which cuts the fire risk but invites other challenges. Helium is a scarce, nonrenewable resource that faces regular shortages and price hikes. Companies collect helium as a by-product of natural gas extraction, but — unlike hydrogen — they can't manufacture it: The only way to make helium is at the center of a star or through the slow decay of radioactive elements like uranium. Ultimately, the fate of airships depends on finding a niche in the transport and transportation markets. 'I've been on an airship, and it's a tremendous experience. It's graceful. It's poetic,' Geoghegan said. 'But commercial markets are very hard-nosed, and they're not into poetry and grace. They want a return on investment.' Airship company executives say they can hit a sweet spot that isn't covered by planes or trucks. 'You can either send things expensively and quickly, or cheaply and slowly,' said Diana Little, co-founder of airship start-up Anumá Aerospace. 'This is the middle way that doesn't exist right now.' According to the latest designs, the new airships would tend to max out at about 80 mph. They could beat trucks crawling along interstates in traffic. They'd be much slower than commercial airliners, though, which tend to cruise at between 550 and 600 mph. Some airfreight and tourist flights don't have to move at jet speed, airship boosters argue. They can take it slow to go green. Globally, cargo flights warm the planet about as much as 22 million cars, and their greenhouse emissions are rising, according to a 2024 report from the environmental nonprofit 'We don't need cargo jets. There's very little trade that needs to go that fast,' Prentice said. He pointed out that airlines often convert the oldest and least-efficient passenger planes into cargo carriers. 'They're the most polluting form of air transport, and that's what airships should replace.' As a way to move goods, airships may be most appealing for airfreight that can wait a couple of days for delivery, bulky cargo that won't fit on planes and deliveries to places without runways or roads. The French government originally invested in Flying Whales because it was interested in hauling timber out of remote forests. But the company's leaders say its craft could also carry massive wind turbine blades or pylons for power transmission lines into places that planes or trucks can't easily reach, or carry aid into disaster areas where infrastructure is wrecked. As far as passenger flights, the greatest potential may be for tourist travel where the novelty of an airship is part of the experience, experts say. HAV has struck deals to sell its airships to tourism operators that plan to sell seats onboard as a luxurious and scenic way to cruise between Mediterranean islands, cross the Scottish highlands or fly over the Arctic. Although airships don't need much infrastructure at their destination, they need large clearings or mooring poles to allow them to load and unload. They also need to operate within about 500 miles of their massive, specialized hangars: The LTA Research hangar in California, for instance, covers seven acres under a roof so high that fog sometimes forms near the ceiling. Geoghegan, the airship historian, says he'll believe the revival when he sees it. 'I would love to see airships flying through the sky,' he said. 'But I don't think that specialized cargo, or disaster relief, or even specialized tourism is a big enough market to really sustain these companies.'
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
British airship pioneer plots flights to the Amazon and Arctic
A British airship business plans to launch flights to remote parts of the Amazon and Arctic using a blimp that can land on lakes, snowfields and forest clearings. Shropshire-based Straightline Aviation said the Z1 airship will be able to transport more than 20 tonnes of cargo to far-flung sites, hundreds of miles from the nearest road or runway. This could include carrying heavy mining and oil industry equipment to northern Canada or undertaking medical missions to isolated parts of Africa and South America. The versatility of the Z1, which is being developed by California-based manufacturer AT2 Aerospace, stems from an air-cushioned underside which makes any clear patch of ground a potential landing zone. Straightline, which last week placed a $50m (£39m) order for the first Z1 for delivery in 2028, is betting the vehicle will usher in a new era of airships, which for decades have merely been used as floating advertising devices. The Z1, technically a blimp since it lacks a rigid internal structure, will also generate up to 30pc of its own lift through a three-lobed design that acts like a plane wing. That means the airship can be heavier than air – something which will also help it land. Mark Dorey, chief executive of Straightline, said: 'The landing system is a game-changer because it means that no ground infrastructure is required. 'Traditional cigar-shaped airships were lighter than air and had to dock at a mast or tower, so you could never operate in a remote area. But with the Z1 we'll be able to go in and land on unprepared ground.' Directional fans will help hold the airship in place once it has landed. Typical missions will span up to 500 miles, Mr Dorey said, a distance that would take around 7 hours to cover at the Z1's cruising speed of 60 knots. While powered by traditional kerosene, the craft's ultra-light construction and leisurely pace means fuel consumption would be only about 80pc that of an equivalent aircraft journey. The chief executive said Straightline had explored buying a rival airship being developed by Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), potentially at a site in Doncaster, However, the business concluded that the Z1 can carry more and was at a more advanced stage after HAV's Airlander model suffered a crash in 2017. He said: 'It will be like a flying truck, which is what we want. We've got a huge amount of end-user customer demand in a number of markets.' Mr Dorey said Straightline has already held talks with more than 100 potential clients, including oil companies interested in the Z1's potential for transporting large equipment in the Arctic. The airship could serve as an alternative to slow-moving trucks reliant on temporary 'ice roads' across frozen lakes and rivers, the viability of which is threatened by global warming. The chief executive said: 'The ice road season is getting less reliable and in some areas lasts only a month a year. The airship can access the same areas pretty much year-round.' Straightline has also held discussions with Canadian provinces, the state of Alaska and indigenous corporations about its potential for improving links to far-flung communities. The firm has an outline commercial agreement with US charity Rad-Aid International to transport X-ray, CT, ultrasound and MRI equipment to remote or impoverished areas where it will help diagnose and treat cancers, heart disease and complications in pregnancy. Straightline's founder, Mike Kendrick, said his own cancer diagnosis led him towards the collaboration to transport scanners which are too delicate and heavy to carry by light Kendrick previously helped found an airship-based advertising business for Virgin Group and worked with Sir Richard Branson on his various ballooning record ultimately plans to order as many as a dozen of Z1s from AT2, which was spun off from defence giant Lockheed Martin in 2023. 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.
Telegraph
09-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
British airship pioneer plots flights to the Amazon and Arctic
A British airship business plans to launch flights to remote parts of the Amazon and Arctic using a blimp that can land on lakes, snowfields and forest clearings. Shropshire-based Straightline Aviation said the Z1 airship will be able to transport more than 20 tonnes of cargo to far-flung sites, hundreds of miles from the nearest road or runway. This could include carrying heavy mining and oil industry equipment to northern Canada or undertaking medical missions to isolated parts of Africa and South America. The versatility of the Z1, which is being developed by California-based manufacturer AT 2 Aerospace, stems from an air-cushioned underside which makes any clear patch of ground a potential landing zone. Straightline, which last week placed a $50m (£39m) order for the first Z1 for delivery in 2028, is betting the vehicle will usher in a new era of airships, which for decades have merely been used as floating advertising devices. The Z1, technically a blimp since it lacks a rigid internal structure, will also generate up to 30pc of its own lift through a three-lobed design that acts like a plane wing. That means the airship can be heavier than air – something which will also help it land. Mark Dorey, chief executive of Straightline, said: 'The landing system is a game-changer because it means that no ground infrastructure is required. 'Traditional cigar-shaped airships were lighter than air and had to dock at a mast or tower, so you could never operate in a remote area. But with the Z1 we'll be able to go in and land on unprepared ground.' Directional fans will help hold the airship in place once it has landed. Typical missions will span up to 500 miles, Mr Dorey said, a distance that would take around 7 hours to cover at the Z1's cruising speed of 60 knots. While powered by traditional kerosene, the craft's ultra-light construction and leisurely pace means fuel consumption would be only about 80pc that of an equivalent aircraft journey. The chief executive said Straightline had explored buying a rival airship being developed by Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), potentially at a site in Doncaster, However, the business concluded that the Z1 can carry more and was at a more advanced stage after HAV's Airlander model suffered a crash in 2017. He said: 'It will be like a flying truck, which is what we want. We've got a huge amount of end-user customer demand in a number of markets.' Mr Dorey said Straightline has already held talks with more than 100 potential clients, including oil companies interested in the Z1's potential for transporting large equipment in the Arctic. The airship could serve as an alternative to slow-moving trucks reliant on temporary 'ice roads' across frozen lakes and rivers, the viability of which is threatened by global warming. The chief executive said: 'The ice road season is getting less reliable and in some areas lasts only a month a year. The airship can access the same areas pretty much year-round.' Straightline has also held discussions with Canadian provinces, the state of Alaska and indigenous corporations about its potential for improving links to far-flung communities. The firm has an outline commercial agreement with US charity Rad-Aid International to transport X-ray, CT, ultrasound and MRI equipment to remote or impoverished areas where it will help diagnose and treat cancers, heart disease and complications in pregnancy. Straightline's founder, Mike Kendrick, said his own cancer diagnosis led him towards the collaboration to transport scanners which are too delicate and heavy to carry by light aircraft. Mr Kendrick previously helped found an airship-based advertising business for Virgin Group and worked with Sir Richard Branson on his various ballooning record attempts. Straightline ultimately plans to order as many as a dozen of Z1s from AT 2, which was spun off from defence giant Lockheed Martin in 2023.
