Latest news with #publichealth
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Stockport restaurant owner fined over mouse infestation
The owner of a dessert restaurant has been fined after a "serious" mouse infestation was discovered. Dessert Lounge on Castle Street in Edgeley, Stockport, was visited by inspectors who found droppings "immediately upon entry" in July Javed Shah admitted seven food hygiene offences at Tameside Magistrates' Court last month and was fined £500. He was also ordered to pay £7,000 in costs and a £1,400 victim surcharge. Inspectors found droppings throughout the restaurant including on food packaging, plastic cups and food preparation surfaces, Stockport Council said. A follow up inspection in March found the business had addressed the issues and awarded it a Food Hygiene Rating of 4. 'Appalling conditions' The council said Shah accepted "full responsibility" for the failings and told the court he was no longer involved in the business. Inspectors also found the restaurant had no effective pest control, food handlers had not been adequately trained or supervised and there were no accessible wash hand basins with hot and cold running water or hygienic hand-drying facilities. Coun Dan Oliver, cabinet member for communities, culture and public protection, said the "appalling conditions" found at the business represented "a serious failure to protect public health". This kind of negligence is completely unacceptable, and we will continue to take strong enforcement action against any business that puts customers at risk," he said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
CTV News
7 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
AHS warns of potential measles exposure in Edmonton
Alberta Health Services (AHS) issued a warning Thursday about potential measles exposure in Edmonton as provincial cases near 1,000. The health authority said a person with confirmed measles was out in public while infected at the following locations: Dollarama at Glenridding Village June 16 from about 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. June 17 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Grey Nuns Community Hospital Emergency Department 8 p.m. on June 18 to 1 a.m. June 1 Anyone who was at the two locations during the specific time frames may have been exposed to measles. Those born in or after 1970 and have less than two documented doses of the measles vaccine may be at risk of developing the highly infectious disease. Symptoms of measles include a fever of 38.3 C or higher, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash that appears three to seven days after the fever starts. Complications of measles can include ear infections, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, premature delivery, and, rarely, death. Should symptoms of measles develop, AHS advises people to stay home and call the measles hotline at 1-844-944-3434 before visiting any health care facility or provider, including a family physician clinic or pharmacy. If you think you have been exposed and are not protected against measles, you may be able to receive immunization to reduce the risk of infection. A vaccine dose needs to be given within 72 hours of exposure to prevent measles. Babies under one year of age, people with severely weakened immune systems, and those who are pregnant may be able to receive immunoglobulin within six days of exposure to prevent disease. As of Thursday afternoon, there have been 12 new cases in the province within the last 24 hours. There have been 996 cases of measles in Alberta this year. Per every 1,000 cases, one to three people die of measles.
CNN
8 hours ago
- Health
- CNN
Infectious disease expert explains why she resigned from the CDC
Former CDC infectious disease expert Dr. Fiona Havers tells CNN's Jake Tapper why she resigned her post as a senior vaccine adviser, citing concerns about changes to the agency's vaccine processes under US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
CNN
8 hours ago
- Health
- CNN
Infectious disease expert explains why she resigned from the CDC
Former CDC infectious disease expert Dr. Fiona Havers tells CNN's Jake Tapper why she resigned her post as a senior vaccine adviser, citing concerns about changes to the agency's vaccine processes under US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
What to know about COVID variant NB.1.8.1 causing 'razor blade throat'
A newer COVID-19 variant may be causing a severe sore throat in some people who contract the infection. The variant, known as NB.1.8.1, has been nicknamed by some as "razor blade throat" due to the painful symptom. MORE: Why are more than 300 people in the US still dying from COVID every week? Data from the open global genome sequencing database GISAID shows the new variant has been detected in several states, including New York, Illinois, Texas and California. Public health experts told ABC News there is no cause for serious concern yet because the virus does not appear to be more severe than previous variants and there are steps that can be taken to protect yourself. NB.1.8.1 derives from the recombinant variant XVD.1.5.1, which is a descendant of the omicron variant. The first sample of NB.1.8.1 was collected on Jan. 22, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It was first detected in China and other parts of Asia before spreading to Europe. It was designated as a "variant under monitoring" by the WHO, meaning it may require prioritized attention and monitoring but is not as serious as a "variant of interest" or a "variant of concern." As of the week ending June 7, NB.1.8.1 is the second most dominant variant in the U.S., accounting for an estimated 37% of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus appears to be more transmissible because there appear to be changes to the spike protein, which is what the virus uses to attach to and infect cells, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. It also seems to attach more easily to ACE2 receptors, which are proteins found on the surface of cells and how the virus that causes COVID enters cells, he told ABC News. NB.1.8.1 doesn't yet appear to be causing increases in cases or in hospitalizations with rates remaining "stable" so far, according to Chin-Hong. The variant has also been called "Nimbus," which appears to have been coined on X by T. Ryan Gregory, a Canadian professor of evolutionary biology. "Nimbus is a catchy, quick name, and it also includes an 'N' and a 'B' from the lineage, which is NB.1.8.1. So it's easier for people to be able to say these monikers for COVID, rather than remember the actual lineage," said Dr. Alok Potel, a pediatrician at Stanford Children's Health and an ABC News contributor. "But I think it's important also because it keeps people paying attention to new COVID variants that can be different in terms of infectivity and in terms of spread," he added. MORE: What we still don't know about COVID 5 years after the WHO declared a pandemic Experts said they are not sure if the painful sore throat is just a symptom that people are talking about or a distinctive symptom of this variant. It's also unclear if the "razor blade throat" is more common in those who are more up to date on vaccination compared to those who are not up to date. "I think it's certainly amongst the spectrum of symptoms that you can get, and we know that sore throat is reported by about 70% of patients now with COVID, so it's not unusual, and like with everything in medicine, there's always a spectrum," Chin-Hong said. There is currently no evidence that NB.1.8.1. causes more severe disease or is more likely to cause hospitalization, according to Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, MORE: 5 years ago, the WHO declared COVID a pandemic. Here's a look at the disease by the numbers "But of course, there are people in high-risk groups that are still at risk of being hospitalized should they become infected," he told ABC News. There are no other symptoms outlined that are specific to NB.1.8.1 by the CDC. Symptoms listed by the health agency still include sore throat, cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, congestion, runny nose, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle aches, body aches, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. The experts recommend that high-risk Americans receive a vaccine twice a year as recommended by the CDC. The CDC also currently recommends most adults aged 18 and older receive an updated 2024-2025 vaccine and that parents of children between ages 6 months to 17 years discuss the benefits of vaccination with a health care provider. COVID-19 also tends to spike in the late summer and early fall, so people should consider opening windows to increase ventilation, wearing a mask in certain situations and avoiding crowded areas, Schaffner said. "Time to stream a movie, as I like to say, rather than going to the movies," he added. Patel said it's important to practice good hygiene such as proper hand-washing and covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing. He also recommended that people test if they are symptomatic and said over-the-counter rapid at-home tests work. "Getting infected with COVID and other infectious diseases is not necessarily life or death, but it can still be very debilitating." Patel said. "It can cause people to miss work, to spread the virus, to get people who are higher risk sick and there's still an untold amount of people who have long COVID." He added, "So, we don't want to look at COVID as just another common cold, because there's still so much we're learning about it, and there's still so many possibilities with this virus continuing to mutate, if we let it."
