Latest news with #healthwarnings
The Sun
12 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
Urgent holiday warning over new Covid variant that's ‘more infectious' as cases surge in popular hotspots
HEALTH authorities in popular holiday hotspots have issued warnings over a new Covid variant that's feared to be more infectious. Travellers were urged to don masks and wash their hands as the new variant drives up cases. 1 The strain - called NB.1.8.1 - has been spotted in spots popular for British travellers, such as Egypt, the Maldives and Thailand. It's also seen a rapid rise in Ireland in recent weeks and has been found in the US, Australia and the UK. Health authorities in Thailand issued a warning about the variant, after recording Covid 257,280 cases and 52 deaths. The country's capital Bangkok is seeing the worst of the outbreak, as well as the Chonburi Province. Deputy government spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak said international travel and the oncoming rainy season, could accelerate the outbreaks and the Ministry of Public Health will monitor the situation closely. He urged people to "limit activities that increase the risk of infection, wash their hands regularly, wear masks in crowded places, get booster vaccinations when due, and seek medical attention promptly if experiencing symptoms". It comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a warning over NB.1.8.1, designating it as a "variant under monitoring" due to its global spread and key mutations. 'Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalisations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation,' the WHO said. But while it may not be particularly severe, may infect people more easily than previous variants, with some evidence suggesting that the variant binds more tightly to human cells. "Data indicates that NB.1.8.1 does not lead to more severe illness compared to previous variants, although it appears to have a growth advantage, suggesting it may spread more easily," Subhash Verma, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, told CBS News last week. "In other words, it is more transmissible."
New York Times
5 days ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Australia's Skies Glow Orange as Powerful Winds Pull Dust From Parched Land
The skies of southern Australia turned a hazy orange this week as a dust storm reduced visibility, prompting health warnings and creating scenes reminiscent of an apocalyptic movie, rather than a late-autumn day. The storm was driven by powerful winds carrying dust from the drought-stricken ground of South Australia into the neighboring states of Victoria and New South Wales on Monday and Tuesday. Skies were smothered in major cities including Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather update early Monday as a very strong cold front moved in from the south and reached the mainland of southern Australia on Monday morning. By Monday afternoon, wind gusts had reached over 78 miles per hour in parts of South Australia. Wind alerts extended across parts of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, warning that strong winds might lead to falling trees and branches, as well as dust and reduced visibility. The dust storm is a result of very dry land from longer-term weather conditions across Australia. Since early 2023, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania have seen some of their lowest rainfall since 1900, the Bureau of Meteorology reported in early May. Slow-moving high-pressure systems have led to unusually warm and dry conditions — a continuation of weather patterns seen through much of 2024, the report said. But not everywhere is dry: Other parts of southeastern Australia were battered by relentless rounds of rain this month, and a part of New South Wales received roughly four months' worth of rain in three days. At least four people were killed, including a man who was found in a car trapped in floodwaters. Entire towns saw homes destroyed by floodwaters, and livestock were swept away. In Sydney, water on rail tracks affected some train lines, including services to the airport. Sydney Airport was also forced to shut down two of its three runways. As the dust this week traveled east, air quality deteriorated. Air quality ratings of very poor to extremely poor were issued on Monday afternoon for northwestern parts of Victoria and southwestern areas of New South Wales. By Tuesday morning, the dust had reached eastern parts of New South Wales, prompting extremely poor air quality ratings there as well. The health agency in New South Wales warned of high levels of particulate matter during the dust storms, specifically PM10 particles, which are the most common type during bush fires and dust storms, and are small enough to enter the lungs and pose serious health risks. A spokesperson for NSW Health said in a statement on Tuesday that the risk to health was likely to be low, as conditions were expected to improve. However, forecasters warn that the continued dry conditions will most likely lead to more of these dust storms, as soil becomes drier and more exposed to the winds. According to the Bureau of Meteorology's long-range forecast, rainfall is expected to remain below average through July in parts of the southwest, southeast and east. Australia is no stranger to dust storms, though the Bureau of Meteorology said they are more common in spring because of the cold fronts that move over Australia's southeast and interior. In September 2009, a similar combination of drought and winds clogged Sydney and other parts of the east coast with a haze so thick that flights were diverted.
Asharq Al-Awsat
14-05-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Explosion at Chemical Plant Near Spain's Seville Leads to Warnings for Thousands
An explosion at a chemical plant near the Spanish city of Seville sent up a huge pillar of smoke as authorities urged nearby residents to stay indoors, but no injuries were reported, emergency services said Wednesday. Officials sent messages to around 80,000 residents recommending that they wear face masks or close their windows. The explosion occurred midday in an industrial park in the municipality of Alcalá de Guadaíra, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) east of Seville's city center. Emergency services cleared personnel from the plant site. Authorities have not said what chemicals are at the plant or who owns it. Recent incidents Spain's industrial, electric and transport infrastructure has faced issues recently. Over the weekend, a fire at a chemical factory in northeastern Spain forced emergency services to issue health warnings to 150,000 residents and stay-indoors orders for five nearby towns. On April 28, a massive power outage hit Spain and Portugal. Authorities are still investigating but have ruled out a cyber attack or sabotage. That was followed by major train disruption between Madrid and Seville, caused by thieves who took copper cabling from a trail line.
Washington Post
10-05-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
Fire at chemical plant in northeastern Spain keeps thousands indoors
BARCELONA, Spain — A fire at a chemical factory in northeastern Spain forced emergency services to issue health warnings to 150,000 local residents and stay-indoors orders for five nearby towns, authorities said Saturday. Health services said that medics attended to four people who had reported breathing problems. The fire broke out early on Saturday inside a warehouse at the plant near the town of Vilanova i la Geltrú. The warehouse housed 70 tons of chlorine for use in swimming pools, firefighters said.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Fire at chemical plant in northeastern Spain keeps thousands indoors
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A fire at a chemical factory in northeastern Spain forced emergency services to issue health warnings to 150,000 local residents and stay-indoors orders for five nearby towns, authorities said Saturday. Health services said that medics attended to four people who had reported breathing problems. The fire broke out early on Saturday inside a warehouse at the plant near the town of Vilanova i la Geltrú. The warehouse housed 70 tons of chlorine for use in swimming pools, firefighters said. The stay-indoors order stayed in effect for seven hours for the nearest municipalities in the area between Barcelona and Tarragona on the Mediterranean coast. Firefighters said that by Saturday afternoon that the fire was under control.
