Latest news with #Lopes
Cosmopolitan
a day ago
- Health
- Cosmopolitan
Rabies death alert has people worried: here's the UK risk, holiday spots to be aware of and symptoms
After a British woman, Yvonne Ford, 59, sadly died from rabies following a trip to Morocco where she was scratched by a dog, an alert has been shared by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to remind holiday goers to stay safe. UKHSA also sought to reassure those worried that rabies could become an issue here in the UK. In a new blog post responding to the news, UKHSA said while "the individual was diagnosed in Yorkshire and the Humber, there is no risk to the wider public in relation to this case". As a precautionary response, it added, "health workers and close contacts are being assessed and offered vaccination when necessary". But what actually is rabies and the risk of catching it while abroad? What symptoms should we be aware of? And what treatment options are there rabies? Given the tragic death of a woman in Yorkshire and the Humber in relation to rabies (a neurotropic virus) and the fact we're just emerging from a pandemic, it's understandable that people might be concerned. But, says superintendent pharmacist, Abbas Kanani MRPharmS, of Chemist Click, the risk of contracting rabies in the UK is extremely low. "The UKHSA report that there is no risk in animals and low risk in bats." Dr. Bruno Silvester Lope, lecturer in microbiology and epidemiology at Teesside University, adds that, "The UK is classified as rabies-free in terrestrial animals, meaning that the risk of rabies here is very low. The only reservoir of rabies-like viruses is in some species of bats, but human cases from bats are exceedingly rare." "There are a number of countries where the risk of rabies is particularly high. High-risk Asian countries include India, Thailand, Indonesia (Bali), Vietnam, Philippines and China," Dr Lopes notes. "Rabies is also a risk in Africa, and in particular countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. People should also consider the risk of rabies when travelling to Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Turkey, Romania and Serbia. "These countries often have a large population of free-roaming dogs and less consistent access to post-exposure treatment." Always check the travel advice on the government website prior to visiting a new country and be mindful of interactions with animals. You can also look into getting a vaccination and speak with your GP about this. Elsewhere, the UK government has a list of other high risk rabies countries, some of which include: Canada and the USA are both listed as low risk but "foxes, skunks and racoons are high risk". "The main route for the transmission of rabies is by bites or scratches from infected mammals, particularly dogs, which make up over 99% of human cases worldwide," says Dr Lopes, who adds that cats and monkeys can also transmit rabies. "People can also contract rabies through other routes including licks on broken skin or mucous membranes such as the eyes or mouth, by dogs or very rarely, by bat bites." In order to keep safe, the number one piece of advice is to avoid contact with animals – in particular stray dogs, cats, and monkeys – no matter how cute, friendly or clean they may appear. Dr Lopes adds it's also best not to "feed or pet animals, even in tourist areas" and that it's "highly recommended to get a pre-exposure rabies vaccine if you are travelling to high-risk areas for long periods, visiting remote regions with limited medical access or working with animals". If you're bitten or scratched by a dog in a high risk country, it's always best to act quickly, says Dr Lopes, and get the wound cleaned before seeking medical help. "If bitten or scratched, immediately wash the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and seek urgent medical attention for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) even if you are vaccinated," he says. Symptoms of rabies can vary from one person to another and may not appear immediately. In the case of Yvonne Ford, it is reported that it took several months for her symptoms (which included a headache which later led on to her being unable to walk, talk, sleep or swallow) to manifest. Ford passed away in June but visited Morocco back in February. Kanani says signs to be aware of include: "Symptoms usually take some time to appear, typically between 3 to 12 weeks of infection," he details. "Once these symptoms are present, it is likely to be fatal." Unfortunately, rabies cannot be treated once it reaches the central nervous system and symptoms begin, says Kanani explains. "People who have not had the rabies vaccine or have a compromised immune system may also be given a medicine called rabies immunoglobulin," he continues. "Ford's case is rare because rabies is preventable when the correct provisions are followed. However, the survival rate once rabies symptoms are present is practically non-existent." Dr Lopes adds, "Before rabies symptoms start, post-exposure prophylaxis PEP treatment is advised, as well as thorough wound cleaning for at least 15 minutes. In some cases, rabies immunoglobulin is required or rabies vaccination, which involves a course of four doses." Speaking about the very sad case of Yvonne Ford, Dr Lopes highlights "the recent death we have heard about in the news this week is a rare occurrence. Human rabies cases are very rare in the UK, and any death is typically due to infection acquired abroad. "This tends to happen when a person is bitten while travelling but does not seek prompt PEP, they do not realise the seriousness of the risk and there is limited access to care in remote areas." This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC's Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women's Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Moviemakers working hard to make dreams come true
Anawan has two short films screening at the Guignard, who is drawn to stories of transformation, writes many of Anawan's scripts. Once the script is in hand, 'then it's talking to each other and being like, 'How do we actually bring this to life?',' he said. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Anawan is among the first 10 grant recipients from Advertisement 'Going through that process has opened up my mind to all of the possibilities of what we can accomplish,' Lopes said. He's hoping to move Anawan to a larger space in the next couple of years. Rui Lopes and Brahms Guignard in front of the green screen at Anawan Studios in Brockton. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Where to find them : Age : Lopes is 38. Guignard is 33. Originally from : Lopes came to Brockton from Cape Verde at 10 with his family. Guignard, a Haitian-American born in Boston, lives in Canton. Advertisement Making a living : 'We use money from the client side of what we do to invest into what we do on the narrative side,' said Lopes, who produces projects for nonprofit and health care customers. Guignard is a project manager at Amazon. A poster for "Billy Somethin'," written by Brahms Guignard and produced by Rui Lopes, hangs at Anawan Studios. The film screens as part of the Roxbury International Film Festival on June 27 at the Museum of Fine Arts. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Studio : Anawan is home base for hair and makeup, for pre-production and post-production. It's also a film fantasy construction zone: The crew built a family basement set there for 'Bridged Together,' rather than finding one. That way, they could film from above, have flexible lighting, and be as loud as they wanted to be. 'You only see what the camera is showing you, and the camera's never showing too much unless you want it to,' Guignard said. 'No one watching that will ever have any inclination that that was not shot in an actual basement.' How they started : As a young man, Lopes used his laptop to film his creative process making paintings and sculptures. Soon, he was moving the camera and editing footage. 'I started to realize that there was this hidden passion for visual storytelling by cutting these angles together,' he said. Rui Lopes and Brahms Guignard gather camera and lighting equipment at Anawan Studios. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff What they make : 'As Black and brown filmmakers, we feel like you're put in a box,' Lopes said. 'Bridged Together' and 'Billy Somethin'' are 'two completely different films,' he said. 'We're trying to showcase that as Black filmmakers, we have the opportunity to be able to tell the stories in whatever fashion we want to tell them.' Advice for filmmakers : 'If you want to do narrative work full time, you're asking for a unicorn with wings,' Guignard said. 'Getting better each time — that's the only thing you can control.' Advertisement Rui Lopes edits a film at Anawan Studios in Brockton, where he's cofounder and CEO. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
USA Today
09-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Diego Lopes, Yair Rodriguez trade barbs over avoiding fights – with more than each other
Diego Lopes, Yair Rodriguez trade barbs over avoiding fights – with more than each other The drama between Diego Lopes and Yair Rodriguez has ramped up. After getting into a heated confrontation at the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference in April, it seemed things died down until now. Lopes, a former UFC title challenger, took to Instagram on Monday to accuse "El Pantera" of turning him down for this year's Noche UFC event in September. "Hey, Yair Rodriguez, I just learned that you got a call from Hunter (Campbell), and you turned down to fight me at Noche UFC," Lopes wrote on Instagram in Spanish. "Where's the man that was in front of me at the press conference?" During their UFC tenure, Lopes and Rodriguez appeared to be friendly toward each other until that UFC 314 fight week in April. Rodriguez, who fought and defeated "Pitbull" on that card, went off on Lopes, accusing him of jumping his friend, Marco Beltran, whom Lopes submitted and had beef with outside the UFC. Rodriguez also criticized Lopes for representing Mexico. Lopes is from Brazil but has been living and fighting out of Mexico for many years. Tension has been high between the two since, and this latest back-and-forth proved that it's not settled. It didn't take long for Lopes to get a response from Rodriguez on Monday, as hours later Rodriguez posted a video on his Instagram, confirming that he did reject the fight but due to injuries from his fight against Patricio Freire. "This damn sport is tough. I'd love for things to be different because it's become a circus, to be honest," Rodriguez said in Spanish. "The p*ssy Diego Lopes is saying that I don't want to fight against him, and that's not the case at all. I'm a little disappointed with UFC with the fact that they offered me a fight with, because they just offered to fight him. Let's take a step back first. What happened? When I had the chance to fight Diego, he said no because I was coming off a loss, but now that he's coming off a loss, he wants to fight me. I don't think he's very consistent with what he says. I obviously don't have any problem fighting him. If you ask me, I'd rather fight him in the damn street because a fight against him in the UFC doesn't do much for me. I'm not going to get paid more. It does absolutely nothing. It won't put me in a better position either because he's coming off a loss. "I'm also still injured from the last fight, so before anything, I first have to see where I'm at with that. I went to see a doctor, and he recommended surgery. Obviously I'm avoiding that at all cost, but let's see where this situation takes me. I just wanted to come on here and clarify the situation. I have not turned down the fight, and I'd be more than happy to fight against this damn sh*t-head and his entire team, who can all suck it. So just that. I want you guys to understand my position because I'm already getting attacked, and what else can you expect. People always come and attack when you're down and hurt. But that's it. Let's see what happens with my health and if I can avoid the surgery." Rodriguez went on to accuse Lopes of turning down a fight himself. He claims rising contender Jean Silva is looking to fight Lopes, and Lopes is trying to avoid him. "In the meantime, I'd like to see Diego stop running from Jean Silva and have a showdown with him," Rodriguez said. "He's running from him. But yeah, let's see what happens with my health, and we'll take it from there." Lopes didn't stay quiet about Rodriguez's rebuttal. He made a second post on Instagram addressing the claim of avoiding Silva. "Let's look at the facts," Lopes wrote in Spanish. "After the fight against Volk, UFC contacted me asking how my health was. I gave them all the recommendations that the doctors gave me, which was that I'd be ready for September. They offered me Aaron Pico, I said yes. Two days later, I was offered Jean Silva, I said yes. When UFC changed Noche UFC to San Antonio, (UFC offered) Yair Rodriguez, I said yes. I also offered to fight Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy. If you have any doubts, ask Dana (White), Hunter (Campbell), or Sean (Shelby) if I've ever turned down a fight. The day that I turn down a fight would be because I have a serious health problem, and it's impossible for me to fight. My career was built accepting fights. There's a reason why I have 33 professional fights."
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Yahoo
Hudson motorcyclist dead after collision with SUV in Litchfield
A 41-year-old motorcyclist died Tuesday night after striking the rear of an SUV that was backing onto a highway in Litchfield, police said. Jean Lopes of Hudson was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near 519 Charles Bancroft Highway, according to the Litchfield Police Department. Police said the collision occurred when a Toyota RAV4 was reversing onto the highway and was struck from behind by Lopes's Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Lopes was found unresponsive in the roadway. "Witness accounts suggest the RAV4 was in the process of reversing onto Charles Bancroft Highway when it was struck from behind by the motorcycle," police said. The Litchfield Police Department is investigating the crash with assistance from the Hudson Police Department's Crash Investigation and Reconstruction Team. The New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an examination. Anyone with information about the crash can contact Officer Roche at 603-424-4047 or troche@
Morocco World
27-05-2025
- General
- Morocco World
Ancient Wisdom Holds Key to Saving Communities in Desert Oases
Rabat — Portuguese archaeologist Maria da Conceição Lopes believes ancient knowledge can save modern desert communities facing climate challenges. Speaking at Morocco's International Congress on Oases and Date Palm, Lopes shared how archaeological work transformed a dying Portuguese village into a cultural destination attracting one million visitors annually. On the sidelines of the event, Morocco World News (MWN) sat with Lopes to understand how her approach could contribute to preserving oases heritage. 'Archaeological heritage can provide opportunities to develop regions facing economic difficulties and desertification processes,' the archaeologist said. Villages revived In the 80s, a Portuguese village faced abandonment after its mines closed. Archaeologists developed a project highlighting the area's Islamic heritage, discovering the local church had evolved from an ancient mosque. 'We worked on all this Islamic heritage and valued it, and we invited the community to participate,' Lopes noted. The village now hosts an Islamic festival drawing one million visitors yearly — despite having fewer than 1,000 residents. Using heritage wisdom to solve modern problems Lopes argues that ancient communities developed successful strategies for climate adaptation that remain relevant today. 'We can learn from what our ancestors did to overcome all the problems of climate change,' she said, noting that 'archaeological knowledge can help us understand and decide on our future.' Read also: Morocco's ANDZOA Chief Calls for Urgent Action to Protect Argan, Oases Ecosystems The archaeologist stressed that modern people can learn from traditional craftsmanship and local knowledge systems, which she believes remain vital for oasis survival. Ancient communities that lived in oases have developed sophisticated techniques for managing scarce water resources and maintaining agricultural productivity in harsh conditions. 'When we go to the oases, we see how important know-how is,' Lopes observed, adding that 'it's important to maintain the know-how, to develop it, to give conditions to artisans to stay.' Having worked in southern Portugal's increasingly arid regions, Lopes sees direct parallels with Morocco's challenges. 'We have the same problems concerning climate change and socio-economic issues,' she explained. The researcher believes archaeological knowledge and heritage preservation can guide policy decisions as Mediterranean communities confront rapid environmental and social changes. 'Archaeological knowledge, knowledge of heritage, of memory, of ancient legacies can help us understand and decide on our future,' Lopes concluded. Her message resonates strongly in Morocco's oasis regions, where traditional practices face pressure from modern development and climate change. Read also: Morocco-UAE Partnership Strengthens Date Palm Industry Development
