Latest news with #outdoorenthusiasts
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors issue warning over blood-sucking parasites as US hospitalizations double
Doctors are warning people to be on the lookout for a parasite that is becoming increasingly more prevalent across the US. Cases of Lyme disease are on the rise across America, putting millions of hiking and outdoor enthusiasts at risk as temperatures heat up and people find themselves outside more. One state in particular is experiencing a dramatic rise. New Jersey recorded more than double the number of Lyme disease cases in 2024 as it did in 2020 - 7,200 compared to 3,110. And so far this year, the state health department has reported 1,517 cases of tick-borne illnesses and 349 tick-related emergency room visits from January 1 to May 8. This is an increase from 288 hospital visits during the same time last year. A person contracts Lyme disease from the bite of an infected black-legged tick, also called the deer tick, which is a common species in the Northeast and Midwest. Lyme disease signs usually begin with the hallmark 'bullseye' rash that has red rings around the original bite site. If left untreated people may experience flu-like symptoms like a headache, muscle pains and aches and fatigue. Severe untreated cases of Lyme disease can cause facial paralysis, vision changes and issues with memory and concentration. The illness is easier to treat when caught early and doctors typically prescribe a 28-day regimen of antibiotics. However, because of the non-specific symptoms of Lyme disease, many cases can go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years. Generally, ticks must be attached to a person for at least 24 hours in order to transmit the infection. Performing tick checks after possible exposure is vital to quickly identify if you've been bitten and to remove the parasite. Deer ticks are common in northeastern and midwestern states, such as Connecticut, New York, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The CDC, which has Lyme disease data through 2023, shows New Jersey had the fourth-highest number of Lyme disease cases that year, falling behind New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. It recorded 7,224 cases. New York saw 22,170 cases; Pennsylvania reported 16,670; and Massachusetts reported 9,715. Overall, the US is seeing a record number of Lyme disease cases - recording 89,470 cases in 2023. The disease area is also expanding. Recent testing on human and tick samples suggests millions more Americans could be at risk because the tick that causes Lyme disease is spreading to new geographical areas. Experts don't know exactly why the tick is traveling, but some posit it is due to development or climate change, and cases could be on the rise because of increased education and awareness surrounding ticks and Lyme disease. To avoid Lyme disease, it is important to wear long sleeves and long pants to prevent ticks from being able to attach themselves to your skin and perform thorough tick checks after spending time in the outdoors. You can also wear repellant and treat clothing with acaricides, special pesticides used to kill ticks and mites. Ticks can also infect animals, so it is important to check pets for the parasites or signs of a bite and give them preventatives. If you do find a tick, use tweezers to remove it and save it so it can be identified.
TechCrunch
12-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
AllTrails debuts $80/year membership that includes AI-powered smart routes
AllTrails, the hiking and biking companion that was named 2023's iPhone App of the Year, is launching a new premium membership called 'Peak' that includes an upgraded feature set. This $80-per-year subscription will introduce AI tools to build custom routes, real-time trail condition forecasts, trail traffic heatmaps, and a feature that lets you identify trees and plants using your phone's camera. The new option will initially roll out in the next few weeks to select members and will be available globally to all users by June. AllTrails users can sign up for early access on its website. A longtime popular app for outdoor enthusiasts, AllTrails raised a growth round of $150 million in 2021 when the COVID pandemic saw people rekindling their relationship with nature amid lockdowns and social distancing measures. Unfortunately for the company, Apple entered AllTrails' market just ahead of naming it App of the Year by adding support for topographic maps with trailheads, contour lines, hill shading, elevation gains, and more in Apple Maps in the U.S. The following year, Apple encroached even further, with features like offline maps, custom routes, and tools to explore national parks and other trails outside the U.S. AllTrails' latest update, then, can be seen as the company fighting back with a selection of features targeted at its most engaged and most active members. Image Credits:AllTrails The new AI-powered feature in the Peak membership, for instance, lets users build their ideal trail either by starting from scratch or customizing existing trails. Smart-routing functionality uses AI to change a trail by making it shorter, less steep, or even 'more scenic,' among other things. The new trail conditions forecast will provide information about the temperature, precipitation, snow depth, and more, essentially putting a weather app inside AllTrails. There are also alerts for things like air quality and mosquito activity. A later update will add terrain and ground conditions, like pavement, gravel, or mud. Techcrunch event Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | BOOK NOW Image Credits:AllTrails The added heatmap option can help hikers and bikers who hate getting stuck on crowded trails, as well as those who prefer a crowd for safety purposes, like when hiking alone. To work, the app's access to millions of users' activity provides it with traffic data to make estimates, similar to how Google Maps uses data to predict when a store, restaurant, bar, or other venue is the most 'busy.' Image Credits:AllTrails This summer, Peak members will also gain access to an Outdoor Lens feature, which lets them instantly identify a tree, plant, or flower and log it in the app. Over time, more identification features will be added to the Lens, the company notes. Image Credits:AllTrails In addition to Peak's launch, AllTrails is rolling out updates to its Base and Plus memberships. Base is the company's free offering with trail maps, community reviews, and navigation, while Plus adds offline access, wrong-turn alerts, 3D trail previews, and live trail activity sharing Both will receive a feature called Points of Interest, which adds more than 500,000 mapped viewpoints, landmarks, and trail amenities to the app. Plus subscribers, meanwhile, will also gain a feature called Offline Area, which lets them download a customized area for offline exploration that includes high-resolution maps and other details.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents in Webster Parish invited outside for a spring paddle
WEBSTER PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — An event designed for outdoor enthusiasts is coming to Webster Parish. The Paddle Webster event invites everyone to join a five-mile adventure on Lake Bistineau, whether you wish to kayak, canoe, or pirogue. Participants of all skill levels are welcome. Kayak rentals will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve your kayak, please contact Ouachita Paddle and Provisions at (318)-732-9533. Death of Minden couple under investigation, Webster Parish Sheriff says If you would like to participate, the meetup will take place at the boat launch at Lake Bistineau State Park, located at 103 State Park Road in Doyline, Louisiana. Check-in will begin at 8:00 a.m., followed by safety instructions at 8:30 a.m., and the takeoff will occur at 9:00 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
18-02-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Third avalanche rescue in days in Cairngorms
Volunteer mountain rescuers have gone to the aid of climbers caught by three avalanches in as many days in the Northern Mountain Rescue Team (CMRT) said on Tuesday three climbers had to be rescued before two more in a later incident in Coire an t-Sneachda - Coire of the teams in the area at the time assisted in treating and evacuating the area after the avalanches, which were triggered by human mountaineers were injured on Sunday in the same area after an overhanging ledge of snow - called a cornice - collapsed, resulting in an avalanche. Cairngorm ski centre staff also assisted in the rescue Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) said earlier this month that Scotland's latest avalanche season was one of its most unusual in its almost 40-year said there had been periods of no snow, and others when conditions had changed urged outdoor enthusiasts to check avalanche and weather forecasts and to be adequately skilled and equipped for winter conditions.
