Category Archives: News to use

Useful news for all to advance knowledge of the world and how it works

Did You Know – Cooking Tips #1

To prevent cheese from sticking to the grater, spray the grater with cooking spray first. Chill juices and pop before adding them to a drink recipe. …

Did You Know – Cooking Tips #1

Mpox in DR Congo: The children who are suffering the most

Some 75% of the cases being seen by medics there are under the age of 10, according to Dr Pierre-Olivier Ngadjole who works for the charity Medair.

Young people seem to be particularly badly affected by the mpox outbreak because of their less developed immune systems.

Dr Ngadjole also blames overcrowding at a nearby camp set up for people forced from their homes by conflict in the region. One way mpox is spread is through very close contact and children “are always playing together. They don’t really care about social distance,” he tells the BBC.

“You can also see in the households, they even spend the night in the same bed. You can find three, four, five children. The transmission is present on a daily basis.”

Since June, the clinic in Munigi, which provides free treatment including antibiotics to treat skin infections, paracetamol and safe drinking water, has dealt with 310 mpox cases. It is now seeing between five and 10 new admissions each day.

No-one has died from the disease there and Dr Ngadjole believes it is because people are seeking help early.

Source: Mpox in DR Congo: The children who are suffering the most

The Rare But Deadly Mosquito Virus Concerning U.S. Towns | TIME

A coastal town in Massachusetts is shutting its parks, playgrounds, and fields from dusk to dawn due to concerns about the mosquito-borne virus Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).

Plymouth put the early closures in place on Aug. 23, and advised the public to remain cautious and follow the tips found on the Massachusetts Department of Health’s (DPH) website. The news comes after state health officials revealed on Aug. 16 that a man in his 80s had been infected with EEE after being exposed in Worcester County—reportedly the first human case in Massachusetts since 2020.

There are currently no vaccines for humans or targeted treatments for EEE. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), clinical management of the virus is advised. Patients with EEE require close monitoring by their health care provider, who may prescribe pain control or other treatments to deal with the specific symptoms of EEE.

Overall, prevention is key. In Plymouth’s Aug. 23 notice, the city recommended certain strategies for citizens to avoid mosquito bites, including draining standing water, wearing long sleeves and pants during peak mosquito hours, and installing screens in your home. They also recommended utilizing bug repellant, specifically a repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient.

Four towns in Massachusetts have raised the EEE risk level to “critical”—Douglas, Oxford, Sutton, and Webster.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the towns of Carver, Dudley, Middleborough, Northbridge, and Uxbridge also raised their EEE risk levels to “high,” joining Plymouth.

Source: The Rare But Deadly Mosquito Virus Concerning U.S. Towns | TIME