Health & Science

• Monday, February 5th 2024 - 10:51 UTC

  BAS autonomous drone, Windracers ULTRA, to survey Antarctica at lower cost and lower carbon footprint

  

  A team have arrived at Rothera Research Station, ready to start testing the new Windracers ULTRA autonomous drone in Antarctica. If successful, the new drone platform could represent a major addition to British Antarctic Survey’s scientific capability on the frozen continent – offering the potential to do more science at a lower cost, with a lower carbon footprint than traditional crewed aviation.

• Saturday, February 3rd 2024 - 10:57 UTC

  Dengue emergency reported in Rio de Janeiro

  

  Health authorities in Rio de Janeiro are speaking of record hospitalizations of patients with dengue, Agencia Brasil reported Friday. In just one day in January, Rio de Janeiro's municipal health network had 362 people admitted with the condition, thus surpassing the previous record dating back to 2008. Municipal Health Secretary Daniel Soranz confirmed that the city was facing an epidemic of the disease.

• Wednesday, January 31st 2024 - 10:50 UTC

  First human case of equine encephalomyelitis in Uruguay

  

  Uruguay's Public Health Ministry reported on Tuesday the first human-positive case of western equine encephalomyelitis, while the number of infected dead horses has reached 261 and the viral disease has now extended to eighteen of nineteen counties, according to the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry.

• Tuesday, January 30th 2024 - 10:50 UTC

  Effects on climate change by disturbing the seabed, BAS and Norway scientists

  

  A study published this month in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science reveals that disturbing the seabed, through activities such as trawling, could increase the scale and speed of climate change.

• Tuesday, January 30th 2024 - 10:41 UTC

  Survey in Falklands' small islands shows avian flu is continues to threaten

  

  Following on the Falkland Islands Natural Resources Department update on confirmed avian influenza (bird flu) case – Steeple Jason Island, northwest of the archipelago, it has been reported that Falklands Conservation carried out a surveillance visit in January 2024 and found dead albatross chicks in their thousands as well as low levels of rockhopper and skua mortalities. A further set of several more swabs were collected.

• Tuesday, January 30th 2024 - 10:36 UTC

  Covid 19: Sales of facemasks and alcohol gel on the rise in Argentina

  

  Despite the ongoing economic crisis, a sharp increase in sales of facemasks (15%) and alcohol gel (10%) was reported amid a surge in Covid-19 detections, the Argentine Union of Pharmacists and Biochemists (SAFyB) said. In this scenario, federal health authorities have again recommended people update their vaccination scheme against the malady.

• Monday, January 29th 2024 - 10:22 UTC

  Dengue: Paraguayan authorities ready despite surge in number of cases

  

  Although Paraguayan health authorities are already speaking of a dengue epidemic, particularly among children, the South American country's sanitary network has been reported to be ready for whatever lies ahead, even if combined with a surge of Covid-19 cases, it was reported in Asunción.

• Friday, January 26th 2024 - 10:56 UTC

  Covid-19: Facemasks mandatory again at Bolivian schools

  

  Bolivian health authorities will be requiring school pupils to wear facemasks upon returning to classes next week as part of a set of preventive measures taken given an increase in the number of cases of Covid-19, Ministers María Renée Castro (Health) and Édgar Pary (Education) announced in La Paz.

• Thursday, January 25th 2024 - 15:03 UTC

  Scientists on board RRS Sir David Attenborough set to unlock Southern Ocean’s carbon secrets

  

  A team of scientists are embarking on an ambitious 30-day scientific expedition on board Falkland Islands flagged RRS Sir David Attenborough to investigate how carbon dioxide moves and transforms in the Southern Ocean. The ship heads to the Weddell Sea to begin the PICCOLO cruise this week, from Punta Arenas, Chile.

• Thursday, January 25th 2024 - 10:12 UTC

  Uruguay's Society of Pediatrics advises against Covid-19 vax for kids

  

  Uruguay's Society of Pediatrics Wednesday issued a statement in Montevideo advising against vaccinating children against COVID-19 and insisting on the convenience of other non-pharmacological measures to prevent the spread of the malady.