Latest news with #pregnantpeople
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Wildfire smoke leads to air quality warnings for large swath of Manitoba this weekend
Social Sharing Smoke billowing from wildfires is leading to poor air quality and reducing visibility throughout Manitoba this weekend. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a warning Saturday morning for a large swath of Manitoba, advising people to limit their time outside and reschedule any outdoor activities due to the poor air quality. The warning covers The Pas, Thompson, Flin Flon, Dauphin and other communities in Manitoba's Interlake, north and west. The federal agency said that everyone's health is at risk during heavy smoke conditions, but pregnant people, infants, seniors and those with underlying chronic health conditions are likely to be more impacted. People may experience mild symptoms, including eye, nose and throat irritation, along with headaches or a mild cough, Environment Canada said. More serious symptoms that are less common include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. Environment Canada is advising people to keep windows and doors closed as much as possible. If you need to spend time outdoors, the federal agency recommends limiting it as much as possible, but even with reduced exposure, there can still be a risk to health. The federal agency is forecasting the air quality health index in Winnipeg will soar from a Level 2 (low risk) on Saturday morning to a "very high risk" 10+ level by the end of the day, remaining in that range during Sunday as well. Environment Canada is also expecting Brandon's air quality to worsen throughout Saturday. As of 6 a.m. on Saturday, the federal agency is forecasting the index to jump to Level 6 — the "moderate risk" range — by the afternoon from Level 2. The smoke is drifting from a number of wildfires in Manitoba that have forced the evacuation of thousands and led the province to declare its second state of emergency for the season. According to the province's latest fire bulletin, issued Friday, the Manitoba Wildfire Service was responding to 122 active wildfires across the province, which has seen a total of 317 wildfires to date, well above the average for this time of year of 231.
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Wildfire smoke pollutes air quality in large swath of Manitoba this weekend
Smoke billowing from wildfires is polluting the air and reducing visibility throughout Manitoba this weekend. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a warning Saturday morning for a large swath of Manitoba, advising people to limit their time outside and reschedule any outdoor activities due to the poor air quality. The warning covers The Pas, Thompson, Flin Flon, Dauphin and other communities in Manitoba's Interlake, north and west. The federal agency said that everyone's health is at risk during heavy smoke conditions, but pregnant people, infants, seniors and those with underlying chronic health conditions are likely to be more impacted. People may experience mild symptoms including eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough, Environment Canada said. More serious symptoms that are less common include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. Environment Canada is advising people to keep windows and doors closed as much as possible. If people need to spend time outdoors, the federal agency is suggesting limiting it as much as possible, but even with reduced exposure, there can still be a risk to health. The federal agency is forecasting the air quality health index in Winnipeg will soar from a level 2 (low risk) on Saturday morning to a "very high risk" 10+ level by the end of the day, remaining in that range during Sunday as well. Environment Canada is also expecting Brandon's air quality to worsen throughout Saturday. As of 6 a.m. on Saturday, the federal agency is forecasting the index to jump to Level 6 — the "moderate risk" range — by the afternoon from level 2. The smoke is drifting from a number of wildfires in Manitoba that have forced the evacuation of thousands and led the province to declare a second state of emergency. According to the province's latest fire bulletin, issued Friday, the Manitoba Wildfire Service was responding to 122 active wildfires across the province, which has seen a total of 317 wildfires to date, well above the average for this time of year of 231.
Health Line
15-07-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Can You Die from the Flu?
Key takeaways The flu can lead to death by progressing into pneumonia, worsening chronic conditions, causing severe lung inflammation, or triggering sepsis. Those at highest risk include young children, older adults, pregnant people, and individuals with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Preventing flu complications involves being vigilant about symptoms, seeking early medical attention, and getting an annual flu vaccine. Seasonal flu is a viral infection that tends to start spreading in the fall and hits its peak during the winter months. It can continue into the springtime — even into May — and tends to dissipate in the summer months. While most cases of the flu resolve on their own, the flu can become life threatening if complications like pneumonia arise alongside it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there were a record-high 61,100 flu deaths in the United States in the 2017-2018 season. However, it's difficult to accurately track how many cases of the flu each year lead to death from complications. States aren't required to report flu diagnoses in adults to the CDC, so it's likely that adult deaths associated with flu go under-reported. What's more, adults don't often get tested for flu when they're sick but instead, get diagnosed with an associated condition. How do people die from the flu? People often mistake the flu for a bad cold since flu symptoms mimic a cold. When you catch the flu, you might experience coughing, sneezing, runny nose, hoarse voice, and a sore throat. But flu can progress into conditions like pneumonia or worsen other chronic issues like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure, which can quickly become life threatening. Flu can directly lead to death when the virus triggers severe inflammation in the lungs. When this happens, it can cause rapid respiratory failure because your lungs can't transport enough oxygen into the rest of your body. The flu can also cause your brain, heart, or muscles to become inflamed. This can lead to sepsis, an emergency condition that can be fatal if not immediately treated. If you develop a secondary infection while you have the flu, that can also cause your organs to fail. The bacteria from that infection can get into your bloodstream and cause sepsis, as well. In adults, symptoms of life threatening flu complications include: feeling short of breath trouble breathing disorientation feeling suddenly dizzy abdominal pain that is severe pain in the chest severe or ongoing vomiting Life threatening symptoms in babies include: temperature higher than 100.3˚F (38˚C) in babies 3 months or younger reduced urine output (not wetting as many diapers) inability to eat inability to produce tears seizures Emergency flu symptoms in small children include: irritability and refusing to be held inability to drink enough, leading to dehydration breathing rapidly stiffness or pain in the neck headache that isn't alleviated with over-the-counter pain relievers trouble breathing a blue tinge to the skin, chest, or face inability to interact difficulty waking up seizures People with compromised immune systems are at a higher risk of developing complications — and possibly dying — from the flu. When your immune system is weakened, you're more likely to experience viruses and infections in a more severe form. And your body will have a harder time not only fighting those off but also fighting any subsequent infections that could develop. For example, if you already have asthma, diabetes, an autoimmune disorder, lung disease, or cancer, getting the flu could cause those conditions to get worse. If you have a kidney condition, getting dehydrated from the flu could worsen your kidney function. Who is most at risk for dying from the flu? Children under age 5 (especially children under 2) and adults 65 and over are at the highest risk of developing severe complications from the flu, being hospitalized, and dying. Other people at high risk of dying from flu include: children 18 and under who are taking aspirin- or salicylate-based medications women who are pregnant or are less than two weeks postpartum anyone who experiences chronic illness people who have compromised immune systems people living in long-term care, assisted living facilities, or nursing homes people who have a BMI of 40 or over organ donor recipients who take anti-rejection drugs people living in close quarters (like members of the military) people with HIV or AIDS Adults 65 and up, including the elderly, are more likely to have chronic illness or compromised immune systems and tend to be more susceptible to infections like pneumonia. On the other hand, children tend to be more likely to have an immune over-response to flu strains they haven't been exposed to before. How to prevent complications from the flu People who are sick with the flu can lower their chances of developing complications by being extra vigilant of the symptoms they're experiencing. For example, feeling short of breath isn't a normal symptom of the flu. If you have the flu and continue to get worse instead of better, that's a good indication it's time to see your doctor. Flu symptoms should only last a week, and you should be able to alleviate them through treatment at home. Taking over-the-counter medications for fever, body aches, and congestion should be effective. However, that's not always the case. While most viruses run their course on their own, you shouldn't try to wait out symptoms that get more and more severe. Full recovery from flu sometimes requires medical attention, as well as plenty of fluids and rest. If flu is diagnosed early enough, your doctor can also prescribe antiviral medication that shortens the duration of your symptoms. The bottom line While the flu usually isn't life threatening, it's better to be on the safe side. You can take measures to protect yourself against the flu, like thoroughly washing your hands with warm, soapy water. Avoid touching your mouth, eyes, or nose, especially when you've been out in public during flu season. Your best chance at preventing the flu is by getting a flu vaccine every year, at any time during flu season. Some years it's more effective than others, but it never hurts to have an extra layer of protection against what proves to be a life threatening illness for thousands of people every year. Every year, up to four strains are included in the vaccine. Getting the flu vaccine also helps protect the people you love from catching the flu from you. While you might be healthy, you could catch the flu and unwittingly pass it on to an immunocompromised person.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: How 'pregnant people' ended up in Martine Croxall's autocue - as BBC bosses back newsreader for correcting wording to 'women' live on air
The BBC today backed a star presenter forced to correct the phrase 'pregnant people' to 'women' on her autocue while broadcasting live - and ruled out the need for any investigation, MailOnline can reveal. There were concerns amongst colleagues that Martine Croxall could be disciplined after Justin Webb was told he partially breached BBC guidelines for describing trans women as 'males' during a Radio 4 debate. But Martine's bosses are said to have been 'intensely relaxed' after her intervention and have also decided there is no need for a probe into how the phrase 'pregnant people' ended up in her script. They have already concluded it was an innocent mistake - rather than act of defiance on behalf of the trans community following the Supreme Court's ruling in April. MailOnline can reveal that Ms Croxall couldn't hide her 'shock and frustration' when she was forced to change an autocue line from 'pregnant people' to 'women' live on air. 'Most people didn't need a Supreme Court ruling to tell them what a woman is – but based on what happened to Martine Croxall, it seems someone at the BBC might', a senior figure at the corporation has claimed. Martine Croxall's message for supporters after after she was praised for rejecting woke gender-neutral language live on air The BBC is blaming a press release on heat waves from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine for the blunder. It quoted an academic who used the phrase 'pregnant people' instead of women and this was pasted into Martine's autocue script by another BBC journalist - but Ms Croxall spotted it mid-broadcast. The presenter has the full support of her bosses for her on-air heroics. 'Martine is not in any trouble. She has the full backing of the BBC because she got it right', MailOnline's insider said. 'She was stating a fact and correcting a mistake'. The source said that Ms Croxall, 56, and other presenters will often change words on the autocue without viewers noticing. 'But this time I think she couldn't hide she was shocked and frustrated by the mistake'. Martine has won a legion of new fans, including JK Rowling. The broadcaster's Twitter followers have jumped from 56,000 to 127,000 – and doubled in the first 24 hours after she changed her BBC script. JK Rowling had been in direct contact with Martine to ask is she was 'in trouble' over the incident. 'She has not had a single negative comment from her colleagues and the overwhelming response from the public has been positive', the BBC source said. In February last year Today programme presenter Justin Webb was found to have broken BBC impartiality rules after he said 'trans women, in other words males' on air. Mr Webb's comment was found to have fallen foul of guidelines because he 'gave the impression of endorsing one viewpoint in a highly controversial area', the corporation said. He made the remark during a discussion about new International Chess Federation (FIDE) guidelines, which had looked at whether being biologically male held an advantage in the game. But a listener complained that during the interview in August 2023, with Dominic Lawson, the Today presenter had given 'his personal view' on a 'controversial matter'. But following the Supreme Court's ruling this year - it appears that the BBC has shifted its position. Martine has supported women on TV before - and behind the scenes also stood up with female colleagues in their fight for equal pay at the corporation. Famously she also got tough with a transgender wannabe politician who said she felt attacked when Ms Croxall questioned her claim that the Supreme Court's April ruling that trans women are legally male and trans men are legally female might need further 'clarification'. There have also been lighter moments, including when she winked and joked that she was a 'beautiful creature' and also the times she was wasn't in her seat as cameras began rolling. She also appeared tearful when she announced the death of Prince Philip in 2021. Heather Herbert, a trans campaigner and former Labour MSP candidate, provoked a furious response from Croxall after declaring: 'I feel like I'm under attack' when they discussed the Supreme Court's ruling on gender In April the broadcaster was praised when she challenged a transgender activist who claimed the Supreme Court 's ruling that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex may still need 'clarification'. The BBC veteran firmly told ex-Labour MSP candidate Heather Herbert that the landmark ruling made it clear 'sex is binary and immutable'. Leicestershire-born Ms Croxall repeatedly challenged Herbert after she called for further 'clarification' on single sex spaces, at one point reminding her: 'The ruling is that woman means biological sex.' She spearheaded a legal case against the BBC over pay, with the corporation settling the case in March. Martine, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera and Annita McVeigh launched an employment tribunal against the BBC in a bombshell case, which included the claim they had not been paid equally compared with their male counterparts. All four claimed they lost their roles on the BBC News Channel following a 'rigged' recruitment exercise when it was merged with BBC World. The case was settled by the BBC in the spring of this year. The row meant the women were all off for 12 months, which Martine chronicled on social media. Instead of being in the studio she enjoyed trips to Mexico, Bulgaria and Thailand. During her time off, she went swimming with whale sharks and sea lions in the Gulf of California, zipwired over a canyon in Mexico and fed elephants at a sanctuary in Phuket. That's on top of taking a hot balloon over the pyramids in Mexico and venturing on two ski trips, including one where she was seen relaxing in a massive hot tub after spending a day on the slopes. Croxall joined the corporation in 1991 following work experience with her local station, BBC Radio Leicester. She grew up in the countryside, attending an independent school before graduating from the University of Leeds. In 2022, she was briefly taken off air after breaking the corporation's impartiality rules. She also winked on an occasion and joked she was a 'beautiful creature' on a feature about sealife The blunder happened on October 23 after Boris Johnson ran out of the leadership contest that Rishi Sunak went on to win. During the Sunday night edition of The Papers, where press members discuss the main stories of the day, she said in the wake of Johnson's departure: 'Well this is all very exciting, isn't it? Am I allowed to be this gleeful? Well I am.' Later in the show she also admitted that she was 'probably breaking' some of the BBC's impartiality rules when she laughed at Tony Grew's mocking of Johnson. The corporation later ruled that Croxall had made 'several remarks and reactions' that caused 'significant risk' that the audience could believe 'opinions were being expressed' on the Conservative leadership race. She returned to air after 11 days off. Following the death of Prince Philip, Ms Croxall was close to tears as she interrupted the broadcast to break the news to the country. Now she is in the headlines again after standing up for women. The clip from a recent BBC News episode saw Ms Croxall introduce new research on the number of heat-related deaths expected amid Britain's current heatwave. But as the autocue prompted her to warn 'pregnant people' to take care in the heat, she first read the term out before overriding it, with a smirk and eyebrow raise. She said: 'Malcolm Mistry, who was involved in the research, said the aged, pregnant people - women! - and those with pre-existing health conditions need to take precautions.' Ms Rowling reposted the clip on X, captioning it: 'I have a new favourite BBC presenter.' It is understood the phrase 'pregnant people' was the term used in the research the presenter was reporting on, rather than the BBC having written it. Ms Croxall herself soon responded to a commenter who had praised her move as 'brilliant' by saying: 'I hope you don't get hauled before the BBC News beak.' The broadcaster simply replied: 'Braced x.' The original clip was first reposted to X by campaign group SEEN In Journalism, which says it 'seeks to restore accuracy and impartiality to media coverage of sex and gender'.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: How 'pregnant people' ended up in Martine Croxhall's autocue - as BBC bosses back newsreader for correcting wording to 'women' live on air
The BBC today backed a star presenter forced to correct the phrase 'pregnant people' to 'women' on her autocue while broadcasting live - and ruled out the need for any investigation, MailOnline can reveal. There were concerns amongst colleagues that Martine Croxall could be disciplined after Justin Webb was told he partially breached BBC guidelines for describing trans women as 'males' during a Radio 4 debate. But Martine's bosses are said to have been 'intensely relaxed' after her intervention and have also decided there is no need for a probe into how the phrase 'pregnant people' ended up in her script. They have already concluded it was an innocent mistake - rather than act of defiance on behalf of the trans community following the Supreme Court's ruling in April. MailOnline can reveal that Ms Croxall couldn't hide her 'shock and frustration' when she was forced to change an autocue line from 'pregnant people' to 'women' live on air. 'Most people didn't need a Supreme Court ruling to tell them what a woman is – but based on what happened to Martine Croxall, it seems someone at the BBC might', a senior figure at the corporation has claimed. Martine Croxall's message for supporters after after she was praised for rejecting woke gender-neutral language live on air The BBC is blaming a press release on heat waves from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine for the blunder. It quoted an academic who used the phrase 'pregnant people' instead of women and this was pasted into Martine's autocue script by another BBC journalist - but Ms Croxall spotted it mid-broadcast. The presenter has the full support of her bosses for her on-air heroics. 'Martine is not in any trouble. She has the full backing of the BBC because she got it right', MailOnline's insider said. 'She was stating a fact and correcting a mistake'. The source said that Ms Croxall, 56, and other presenters will often change words on the autocue without viewers noticing. 'But this time I think she couldn't hide she was shocked and frustrated by the mistake'. Martine has won a legion of new fans, including JK Rowling. The broadcaster's Twitter followers have jumped from 56,000 to 127,000 – and doubled in the first 24 hours after she changed her BBC script. JK Rowling had been in direct contact with Martine to ask is she was 'in trouble' over the incident. 'She has not had a single negative comment from her colleagues and the overwhelming response from the public has been positive', the BBC source said. In February last year Today programme presenter Justin Webb was found to have broken BBC impartiality rules after he said 'trans women, in other words males' on air. Mr Webb's comment was found to have fallen foul of guidelines because he 'gave the impression of endorsing one viewpoint in a highly controversial area', the corporation said. He made the remark during a discussion about new International Chess Federation (FIDE) guidelines, which had looked at whether being biologically male held an advantage in the game. But a listener complained that during the interview in August 2023, with Dominic Lawson, the Today presenter had given 'his personal view' on a 'controversial matter'. But following the Supreme Court's ruling this year - it appears that the BBC has shifted its position. Martine has supported women on TV before - and behind the scenes also stood up with female colleagues in their fight for equal pay at the corporation. Famously she also got tough with a transgender wannabe politician who said she felt attacked when Ms Croxall questioned her claim that the Supreme Court's April ruling that trans women are legally male and trans men are legally female might need further 'clarification'. There have also been lighter moments, including when she winked and joked that she was a 'beautiful creature' and also the times she was wasn't in her seat as cameras began rolling. She also appeared tearful when she announced the death of Prince Philip in 2021. Heather Herbert, a trans campaigner and former Labour MSP candidate, provoked a furious response from Croxall after declaring: 'I feel like I'm under attack' when they discussed the Supreme Court's ruling on gender In April the broadcaster was praised when she challenged a transgender activist who claimed the Supreme Court 's ruling that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex may still need 'clarification'. The BBC veteran firmly told ex-Labour MSP candidate Heather Herbert that the landmark ruling made it clear 'sex is binary and immutable'. Leicestershire-born Ms Croxall repeatedly challenged Herbert after she called for further 'clarification' on single sex spaces, at one point reminding her: 'The ruling is that woman means biological sex.' She spearheaded a legal case against the BBC over pay, with the corporation settling the case in March. Martine, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera and Annita McVeigh launched an employment tribunal against the BBC in a bombshell case, which included the claim they had not been paid equally compared with their male counterparts. All four claimed they lost their roles on the BBC News Channel following a 'rigged' recruitment exercise when it was merged with BBC World. The case was settled by the BBC in the spring of this year. The row meant the women were all off for 12 months, which Martine chronicled on social media. Instead of being in the studio she enjoyed trips to Mexico, Bulgaria and Thailand. During her time off, she went swimming with whale sharks and sea lions in the Gulf of California, zipwired over a canyon in Mexico and fed elephants at a sanctuary in Phuket. That's on top of taking a hot balloon over the pyramids in Mexico and venturing on two ski trips, including one where she was seen relaxing in a massive hot tub after spending a day on the slopes. Croxall joined the corporation in 1991 following work experience with her local station, BBC Radio Leicester. She grew up in the countryside, attending an independent school before graduating from the University of Leeds. In 2022, she was briefly taken off air after breaking the corporation's impartiality rules. She also winked on an occasion and joked she was a 'beautiful creature' on a feature about sealife The blunder happened on October 23 after Boris Johnson ran out of the leadership contest that Rishi Sunak went on to win. During the Sunday night edition of The Papers, where press members discuss the main stories of the day, she said in the wake of Johnson's departure: 'Well this is all very exciting, isn't it? Am I allowed to be this gleeful? Well I am.' Later in the show she also admitted that she was 'probably breaking' some of the BBC's impartiality rules when she laughed at Tony Grew's mocking of Johnson. The corporation later ruled that Croxall had made 'several remarks and reactions' that caused 'significant risk' that the audience could believe 'opinions were being expressed' on the Conservative leadership race. She returned to air after 11 days off. Following the death of Prince Philip, Ms Croxall was close to tears as she interrupted the broadcast to break the news to the country. Now she is in the headlines again after standing up for women. The clip from a recent BBC News episode saw Ms Croxall introduce new research on the number of heat-related deaths expected amid Britain's current heatwave. But as the autocue prompted her to warn 'pregnant people' to take care in the heat, she first read the term out before overriding it, with a smirk and eyebrow raise. She said: 'Malcolm Mistry, who was involved in the research, said the aged, pregnant people - women! - and those with pre-existing health conditions need to take precautions.' Ms Rowling reposted the clip on X, captioning it: 'I have a new favourite BBC presenter.' It is understood the phrase 'pregnant people' was the term used in the research the presenter was reporting on, rather than the BBC having written it. Ms Croxall herself soon responded to a commenter who had praised her move as 'brilliant' by saying: 'I hope you don't get hauled before the BBC News beak.' The broadcaster simply replied: 'Braced x.' The original clip was first reposted to X by campaign group SEEN In Journalism, which says it 'seeks to restore accuracy and impartiality to media coverage of sex and gender'.
