Latest news with #PaulHunter
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First Post
3 days ago
- Health
- First Post
In a first, UK reports West Nile virus in mosquitoes; experts blame it on climate change
In what is being seen a consequence of climate change, the West Nile virus has been detected in the United Kingdom for the first time. As temperatures are rising across the world, diseases are popping in places with no history of that disease. The West Nile virus in the UK is just one such example. read more A vector control team vehicle displays a sign warning of West Nile Virus before the early morning spraying of a neighborhood due to increasing numbers of mosquitoes having tested positive for West Nile virus in San Diego, California, U.S. May 18, 2016. (Representative Photo, Credit: Reuters) For the first time, the West Nile virus has been detected in the United Kingdom. Climate change is being considered as the culprit. In a routine mosquito surveillance programme, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) found the West Nile virus in a batch of aedes vexans mosquitoes collected from marshlands on Idle river in Nottinghamshire. No case has been detected in the UK so far and experts say that the risk of an outbreak is very low. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While the West Nile virus has been endemic to Africa and West Asia for decades, the climate change-induced warming up of Europe has brought the virus to the continent as well. The UK is the latest European country to report the virus. The West Nile virus is primarily found in birds. Mosquitoes that bite birds get the virus and occasionally transfer it to humans with their bites. As much as 80 per cent of human infections cause no symptoms and severe infections are rare. In severe cases, encephalitis can occur and can lead to brain damage and even death. While the virus is not contagious among humans, it can spread from an infected person via blood transfusion, organ transplants, pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Climate change brings West Nile virus to UK The confirmation of the West Nile virus in the UK follows warnings that carriers of vector-borne diseases, such as dengue and yellow fever, are moving northwards from their traditional areas due to climate change. Dr Arran Folly, an arbovirologist at the APHA and head of the surveillance programme that found the virus in the UK told Guardian that the discovery is 'part of a wider changing landscape where, in the wake of climate change, mosquito-borne diseases are expanding to new areas'. The warming up of a place makes it likelier for the West Nile virus to grow. At 15*C, it takes many months for the virus to reach infectious level, which is much more than a mosquito's average lifespan. At 30*C, however, the same process can happen in two-three weeks, which is within a mosquito's average lifespan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In an article for The Conversation, Dr Paul Hunter noted that while the exact route of West Nile virus to the UK is not clear, it is believed that the virus may have arrived via migratory birds infected elsewhere. So far, conditions ripe for a West Nile virus outbreak in the UK have not been reached but that could change if temperatures keep rising. 'For a local outbreak to occur, there would need to be a critical mass of infected birds and mosquitoes, with enough warm weather to sustain multiple cycles of transmission. So far, that hasn't happened in the UK. But climate change could alter the equation. With rising global temperatures and longer, hotter summers, the conditions that allow viruses such as West Nile to spread may become more common in the UK,' noted Hunter, a specialist in medical microbiology and virology. As temperatures are rising across the world, diseases are being reported in places with no history of that disease. The West Nile virus in the UK is just one such example. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
CBS News
26-05-2025
- CBS News
Riverside County homeowner fatally shoots alleged burglar
A Riverside County property owner fatally shot a man that he said broke into his home last week. Authorities are still investigating the incident to determine exactly what happened. They were called to the 16000 block of Hidden Peak Lane in El Sobrante, which is about 10 miles east of Corona, at around 11 p.m. on Thursday, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Upon arrival, they learned that the homeowner called 911 to request help after telling the dispatcher that "an unknown male was attempting to break into their residence," according to RSO's release. He remained on the phone with dispatch to relay information on the suspect's actions. "The suspect eventually forced his way into the residence and was shot by the homeowner," deputies said. "Despite lifesaving measures, the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene by paramedics." They took the homeowner to Lake Matthews Sheriff's Station for further investigation into the incident as Central Homicide Unit detectives began their probe. On Sunday, the alleged burglar was identified as 25-year-old Paul Hunter from Riverside. Anyone who knows more is asked to contact detectives at (951) 955-2777.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Major 'do not drink' update issued to British homes after faecal bacteria was found in UK tap water
Residents of North Yorkshire can now use their tap water as normal after a boil notice issued was withdrawn. Yorkshire Water issued the notice for residents in High Bentham, Low Bentham and Lonsdale areas yesterday. The ban came after routine testing detected the presence of high levels of coliform bacteria. These bacteria are commonly found in digestive systems of animals and people and include organisms like E. coli and indicate water supply may have been contaminated with faecal matter. Residents were told to boil their water before drinking it, using it to brush their teeth or using it in food preparation. A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: 'We can confirm we are now able to lift the boil water instruction at all affected properties in the area as the water is now back to our usual high standards.' The water ban has caused stress and anxiety among Yorkshire residents, with people 'panic buying' bottled water, according to a Bentham hotel worker. Speaking before the notice was lifted Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of East Anglia, said: 'I would be very surprised if Yorkshire Water issued a warning like that without detecting high levels of E. coli.' 'If you get lots of coliform then that means something in the water isn't right and indicates there's a problem that needs to be addressed', he added. Whilst most coliform bacteria won't make healthy people severely ill, consumers should be wary of E. Coli and Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC)—a potentially life-threatening strain of the disease. Professor Hunter said: 'The main concern is diarrhoeal disease or norovirus, which could cause severe or nasty infections. While catching STEC could be fatal in vulnerable people.' STEC can also cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) —a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure. A small proportion of adults may develop a similar condition called thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura a rare, life-threatening blood clotting disorder. Yorkshire Water has also advised people who feel unwell in the coming days to inform their doctor about the boil notice. While the notice has now been lifted, experts have told MailOnline the issues that likely led to the contamination of the water supplies in the region are present in every part of the nation. Dr Simon Clarke, an infectious disease expert from the University of Reading, said Britain's ageing water infrastructure meant the risk of such incidents is on the rise. 'The water and sewage infrastructure in this country is leading to regular sewage discharges into rivers, therefore there is a greater environmental spread of these bacteria,' he said. He added that coliform bacteria can also wash out from cattle and sheep fields into reservoirs that are used for drinking water supplies. But he said that in a developed country, like the UK, systems should be in place to stop this from happening. Other experts said the UK's recent warm weather could also be a factor increasing the risk of such incidents. With the country's mini heatwave seeing temperatures up to 29C (84 F), 'the unseasonably dry weather', could be the cause of the high levels of bacteria, says Dr Jonathan Paul, from the Department of Earth Sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London. 'Potentially, this could lead water companies to divert supply or use supplies, reservoirs or groundwater sources they don't normally use,' he said.
New York Times
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
David Oyelowo Considers Oprah ‘Chosen Family'
'Government Cheese' began as what David Oyelowo called 'a beautiful experiment.' He had long admired the fantastical storytelling of Wes Anderson and the Coen brothers. But he hadn't seen that applied to a Black family. Then the filmmaker Paul Hunter approached him about playing a version of his own father — an ex-con eager to reunite with his family and make his fortune — in a short film with absurdist elements set in the San Fernando Valley in 1969. Eventually they spun it into a television series for Apple TV+, taking care to leave that tone intact. 'We were very keen to make something that we knew might not be for everyone, but was very unique in its nature,' said Oyelowo, who is an executive producer on the show in addition to its lead. 'It's very rare that people of color get to make things where they are not feeling the need to explain their existence.' Oyelowo lives in the San Fernando Valley, where the series was shot, which meant there was little danger of violating the 'no more than two weeks apart' rule that he and his wife, Jessica, established early in their relationship. And which they've broken only once, by 11 hours. In a video interview, Oyelowo elaborated on why his rambunctious dogs, going to the movies and Oprah Winfrey are essential to his life. These are edited excerpts from the conversation. I was brought up in the church, but it never really meant much to me because I was sort of piggybacking my parents' faith. Then I had what can only be called a spiritual awakening at 16. And all of those stories that I grew up reading suddenly took on different meaning and have remained that way. It's where I learned the true definition of love. We've now known each other for 30 years. When we met, she was 17, I was 18, and she just hijacked my heart. There was a moment where I realized I couldn't picture a single day of my life going forward without her in it. Selfishness is an occupational hazard as an actor. But the greatest gift my kids have given me is selflessness. What being a father has afforded me is the opportunity to gain a new habit, which is to constantly be thinking about others. That's a mental health thing for me. I need to sweat. I need to get those endorphins going. I need to shake things up. I remember in playing Dr. King in 'Selma,' I had to gain about 30, 35 pounds, so I couldn't be in the gym for several months. I hadn't appreciated just how difficult it is to stay mentally sharp when you are not as physically active. We have a Bernese mountain dog, a Siberian husky and a Cavalier King Charles. They're too rambunctious. Two of them are very big, and I wish they didn't jump on us the way they do — but I also love the fact that they jump on us the way they do. Oprah and I met in 2011 during 'The Butler,' playing mother and son. I've lost both of my parents now, and they were massive in my life. Oprah has kind of become my chosen family, which has been a profound reality. I call her Mama, she calls me Son O. I just love the communal experience of going to the movies. Between being a storyteller and being a lover of community and being a real believer in the fact of the healing ability that story has as a mirror to humanity, I can't imagine my life without that privilege. It coincided with the #BringBackOur Girls movement for the Chibok schoolgirls who were kidnapped in Nigeria. As much as I love being a Nigerian, it's a very patriarchal society, and I'm a big believer that one of the ways to bring peace on earth is to have more female leadership. We started with three girls and we're now at 44 girls, and we pay for all of their education, all of their mental health needs, all of their menstrual health needs. That is where the contract between actor and audience is cemented. We are going to go on a journey together, and I am going to do everything I can to tell the truth. Giving a performance hundreds of times to an audience, you start to understand what it costs to tell the truth. I'm a bit of an A-type personality, but there is simply no way from a capacity standpoint that I could do as much as I'm doing without Darnell Rhea, who is carrying in her body about 25 to 30 percent of my brain. She is the GOAT. I've told Darnell that, at the very least, she has to give me seven years' notice if she's thinking of quitting because she's that good at her job.
CBC
07-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Key moments from Carney's meeting with Trump
CBC's Paul Hunter and Catherine Cullen break down the key moments from Prime Minister Mark Carney's first face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, and whether it did anything to ease the U.S.-Canada trade war.
