Month: May 2023

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Wildlife

Sea Urchins in Distress

A mysterious epidemic that began in the Mediterranean at the start of the year looks set to wipe out all of the Mediterranean and Red Sea’s urchins, and possibly their coral reefs too. A sudden and deadly epidemic sweeping across the Red Sea has killed an entire species of sea urchin, stripping their flesh and turning them into skeletons.

A sudden and deadly epidemic sweeping across the Red Sea has killed an entire species of sea urchin, stripping their flesh and turning them into skeletons. Just two months ago, thousands of black sea urchins (Diadema setosum) lived in the Gulf of Aqaba, in the northern tip of the Red Sea, keeping the corals there healthy by snacking on excess algae. Now, only their skeletons remain, after their tissue was consumed by a mysterious pathogen.

Scientists are unsure of the exact disease causing the mass die-off, but they suspect it is a pathogenic ciliate parasite — a single-celled microorganism — which in 1983 eliminated the Caribbean’s entire sea urchin population. Before the parasite plague, the Caribbean was home to thriving tropical reefs, but since losing the sea urchins the reefs have been smothered by algal blooms that multiplied unchecked, blocking out sunlight and destroying around 90% of the region’s coral.

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Disease

Leptospirosis – Vanuatu

In a follow-up on the leptospirosis situation in Vanuatu, the Vanuatu Ministry of Health reported seven new leptospirosis cases from 15 May to 24 May. This brings the total cases to 75 since the beginning of the year (68 laboratory confirmed and 7 clinically diagnosed). A total of 6 deaths have been recorded since January 2023.

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Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 earthquake hits the Volcano Islands, Japan.

5.4 earthquake hits southwest of Africa.

5.2 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.1 earthquake hits the Drake Passage.

5.0 earthquake hits La Rioja, Argentina.

5.0 earthquake hits Mindoro in the Philippines.

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Wildlife

Spy Whale

A Beluga whale spotted off the Swedish coast has been previously accused of spying for Russia. The several-metre-long white whale was first sighted a few years ago wearing a camera harness near Norway, fuelling suspicions it was being used for espionage.

It has since been nicknamed Hvaldimir, combining the words ‘hval’ (whale in Norwegian) and the common Russian first name Vladimir. When first spotted in 2019, the whale’s harness was fitted with a base for a small camera with ‘Equipment St. Peterburg’ printed on the plastic strap.

The biologists who found Hvaldimir were able to remove the harness fixed around his head. The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries speculated at the time the whale had escaped from an enclosure where it was possibly trained by the Russian Navy since it was accustomed to human company and would approach ships.

Moscow has never officially commented on the case.

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Environment

Hottest Day – Shanghai

Shanghai on Monday recorded its hottest May day in 100 years, the city’s meteorological service announced, shattering the previous high by a full degree. “At 13:09, the temperature at Xujiahui station hit 36.1 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking a 100-year-old record for the highest temperature in May.”

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Disease

Dengue Fever – Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has reported 1,843 dengue fever cases through May 29, a 5.75 times increase compared to the same period in 2022 (320). In addition, 13 dengue related deaths have been reported during the first five months of this year.

Dengue Fever – Malaysia

The Malaysia Ministry of Health has reported 43,619 dengue fever cases through May 21, an increase of 170 percent compared to the same period in 2022 (16,144). In addition, a total of 28 deaths due to dengue fever complications have been reported.

Dengue Fever – Ethiopia

In a follow-up on the dengue fever outbreak in Afar, Ethiopia, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports a total of 1,638 suspected and confirmed cases and nine associated deaths (case fatality ratio= 0.5%) in Logia and Mille districts in the region from April 4 through May 10 this year.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever – Senegal

In a follow-up concerning Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Senegal, health officials report a second case of the disease on May 9, this case from the Linguère district in the Louga region.

Buruli Ulcer Epidemic – DR Congo

A Buruli ulcer epidemic was declared in the health zone of Bogose Nubea more than 40 kilometers from the town of Gemena, capital of Sud-Ubangi in the North-West of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). More than 450 cases of this disease commonly called “Mbasu” have been identified in this health zone.

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Wildfires

Wildfires – Nova Scotia

A number homes were engulfed in flames as a N.S. wildfire was rapidly moving through a section of the Halifax suburb of Tantallon and towards neighboring Hammonds Plains. At 5:15 p.m. Sunday, an Emergency Alert was issued by the province about an evacuation order for the Westwood Hills subdivision due to “ongoing multiple structure and forest fires.” There are reports that the number of homes on fire is in double digits. A Halifax regional fire spokesperson couldn’t give an exact number to how many houses are on fire, but did say there are no reported injuries at this time.

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Disease

Monkeypox – UK

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reports 10 cases of mpox diagnosed in the UK since the last epidemiological update on 4 May. This brings the total number of new cases in the UK since the beginning of the year to 20.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever – Afghanistan

The health department of Balkh province reported that in the past week 10 positive cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) have been recorded in north region of the country, and two people have died, according to local media.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever – Namibia

The Namibia Ministry of Health and Social Services reports an outbreak of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) after a man died of the disease in a Windhoek hospital. The male patient was first treated at a clinic in the eastern city of Gobabis on May 16. He died on May 18.

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Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.7 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.3 earthquake hits off the coast of Aisen, Chile.

5.2 earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.2 earthquake hits the Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.

5.1 earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.0 earthquake hits the Svalbard region.