” REUSE is our fight for the preservation of water resources and

we have solutions! “ Benoit Gillmann, CEO of BIO-UV Group

In the context of climate change, population growth and rapid urbanisation, ever increasing demands are being placed on our natural water resources. As a result, wastewater reuse (REUSE) is no longer an option, it is now essential to meet the needs of society and our demands, now and in the future. French company BIO-UV Group, a global leader in chemical-free disinfection, is at the forefront of providing solutions to support the treatment of wastewater for reuse and has taken the lead with the development of technological solutions already proven in this field, both at home in France and throughout the world. These solutions, adapted to specific uses (watering crops, green spaces, or cleaning sidewalks …) will make it possible to deliver enough water to meet the needs of the population, farmers and industrial processes in the long term.

Treat wastewater with ultraviolet for reuse!

As part of a REUSE project, the treatment of wastewater by ultraviolet type C (UV-C) rays makes it possible to reclaim water that complies with regulations, without the addition of chemicals. Rather than being discharged directly into the natural environment, wastewater will undergo a UV disinfection step by eliminating pathogenic microorganisms. By directly attacking the DNA of viruses and bacteria present in the water, the UV-C reactors designed by BIO-UV Group disinfect the water without endangering human health and delivering VITAL water quality for reuse in agriculture, by public authorities or industrial operators.

Once treated by BIO-UV Group disinfection systems, this water, which complies with regulations, can be recycled for applications that require high water consumption such as irrigation of crops in agriculture, car washing, watering of green spaces, golf courses.

In addition, BIO-UV group also serves industrial applications such as process water for manufacturers, power plants, refineries, mills, and factories that consume vast quantities of clean water that could and should be recycled.

Reuse, a solution that has proven itself in many applications!

BIO-UV Group has been involved for several years in many REUSE projects, including agriculture:

BIO-UV Group is committed alongside Sede (a VEOLIA subsidiary) to the SMART FERTI REUSE project in the Hautes Pyrenees (France) for the irrigation of crops and in particular corn fields. To be able to recycle wastewater for agriculture purposes, BIO-UV Group has equipped the local wastewater plant with one of its UV reactors.

BIO-UV Group also supported the deployment of the IRRI ALT EAU project on the Gruissan plant (South of France): this experiment conducted on 1.5 ha of vines compared the effects of treated wastewater (including BIO-UV Group reactors) to that of drinking water or river water. Result: no differences, neither in the soil, nor in the water quality, nor in the plant, nor in the composition of the harvest and the wine.

Following this successful testing phase, BIO-UV Group has partnered with VEOLIA for the implementation of a REUT Box (in which a BIO-UV Group reactor is integrated) in the Narbonne wine area, which can irrigate 30 hectares of vines with UV-retreated water in drips. Located in the middle of a very dry area in the South of France, this “wet” area can also play an important role as a fire barrier.

Among other projects carried out, the watering of golf courses was one of the first applications of reuse: BIO-UV Group supported the city of Bonifacio (Corsica Island) for the water reclamation from the Bonifacio and Sperone wastewater plants to irrigate the greens of the Sperone golf course. Its UV systems, fitted for the disinfection of treated wastewater from the sewage treatment plant, have made it possible to deliver high-quality REUSE water for irrigation of the golf course, and thus preserve the water resource available to the population.

BIO-UV Group has also contributed to large-scale projects in Morocco, sensitive to the optimization of its water resources, for the irrigation of the Golf of the Ocean near Agadir, by equipping the M’Zar wastewater treatment plant with 6 UV reactors. 

At a time when water resources are constantly drying up, these range of application have demonstrated the effectiveness of REUSE in guaranteeing the quality of crops and green spaces, while preserving the drinking water of the population and recycling large volumes of water consumed in industrial applications.

At present, the world is waking up to the critical need to recycle water and France is far behind in the reuse of its wastewater (currently only 1% is recycled). In comparison, some countries or states – such as Australia, California, Spain, Israel or Singapore – are already optimizing their water resources and meeting 10 to 60% of their water needs through the reuse of treated wastewater.

About BIO-UV Group

For more than 20 years, BIO-UV Group has been designing, manufacturing and marketing water treatment systems using ultraviolet (UV-C), ozone, AOP and salt electrolysis for various applications: swimming pools, aquaculture, aquarium, process water, wastewater, REUSE, drinking water… In 2011, it added ballast water treatment from ships to its range. The company’s product range is designed and produced in its own specialized factories in Lunel, and Muret, France, as well as in the UK which allows to quickly respond to the specific requirements of its customers. The company, listed on the stock exchange since July 2018, has a consolidated turnover of 44.3 million euros and a current workforce of 150 employees. More than 50% of the group’s sales are made through exports.

Press contact:

The Media Web, David PILO & Sylwia RUS

+33 4 66 72 68 55 – +33 6 20 67 70 37

[email protected]

BIO-UV Group contact:

Isabelle SOST

+33 6 16 26 05 93

[email protected]

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on
www.actusnews.com, it’s free

© 2022 ActusNews

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Credit: Shutterstock and Shutterstock

In August 2022, we interviewed two virologist experts to better understand the rising threat of monkeypox. This article contains some of their answers to questions that our producers and SciFri listeners asked about how the virus spreads, accessing tests and vaccines, and the stigma associated with the virus.

Dr. Rachel Roper is a virologist and professor of microbiology and immunology at Brody Medical School at East Carolina University. Dr. Perry Halkitis, PhD, is the Dean of the Rutgers University School of Public Health.

These answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

How does monkeypox spread?

Dr. Rachel Roper: Monkeypox can spread through the respiratory route if you’re very close to someone, but it’s much less contagious than COVID. You’re not going to catch it through the air like you would catch COVID. But the way that this variant is spreading is through close personal contact, skin-to-skin contact.

Can you catch monkeypox from touching a surface or clothing that someone else has touched?

Dr. Rachel Roper: That’s a place where monkeypox is actually more of a problem than COVID would be. With monkeypox, the pox viruses have very stable virus particles, so it can spread more easily on surfaces just because it’s more stable.

If you go to the CDC website, you can look for how to disinfect clothing and surfaces. It could potentially spread that way. It’s not likely. It’s much less contagious than COVID. But if you’re out somewhere, and you touch a doorknob that someone just touched and they’ve got monkeypox, you could get it on your hand. Then if you touched your eyes or your face, it could get into your body.

It’s always a good idea, if you’ve been out in the public somewhere, don’t touch your face while you’re out in public and especially if you’re touching things. Then when you get home, wash your hands with soap and water.

What are the monkeypox symptoms to look for?

Dr. Rachel Roper: The thing that I worry about is that the first symptoms can be just like many illnesses. You can get fever, chills, be tired, have muscle aches, backache, or respiratory symptoms like sore throat and nasal congestion. Those can be the first symptoms. The person might not get a rash until four days later. So, they might have monkeypox for four days and not know it. With monkeypox, people could get it and end up transmitting it before they realize that they have it.

Where do monkeypox lesions show up on the body?

Dr. Rachel Roper: You do more frequently get lesions on the skin of the face and genitals, just because it’s thinner skin and it’s easier to create lesions there. But certainly, the sexual contact, that’s probably some localized lesion to lesion spread. But then people can get it on their hands and feet. The hands are especially a problem because people walk around touching things with their hands, and they could be leaving the virus on surfaces. They get lesions in the mouth, too.

Is there a test for monkeypox like we have for COVID? Why aren’t more tests available?

Dr. Rachel Roper: My lab can easily test for the monkeypox virus genome or for the proteins. It’s really easy to do. The thing that makes it more difficult is that diagnostic labs have to be certified as properly testing. So they have to test that they get a certain very low number of false positives and a very low number of false negatives with a large sample of human population.

So that’s a much higher standard than just being able to detect it in a research laboratory. That’s why it’s different. But the CDC has been working with these CLIA-certified labs to get them up, running, and testing so that we can test more samples at a higher rate. And I think that is important because you can’t find something if you’re not watching for it. And there could be rashes showing up in dermatologists’ offices or in gynecologists’ or general health practitioners’ offices that we really probably should test.

What’s the difference between the monkeypox vaccine and the smallpox vaccine?

Dr. Rachel Roper: The smallpox vaccine is the monkeypox vaccine. Smallpox, monkeypox, and vaccinia virus, which is what the vaccine strain is. They are all in the same genus. They’re closely related viruses. So the government and the scientific community has focused on smallpox for the last 30 years because that’s really what we’ve been concerned about. So all of these vaccines and drugs were designed for smallpox, but they also work for monkeypox, and that’s our current problem. That’s why those vaccines and drugs are being used for monkeypox now.

If I got the smallpox vaccine when I was a kid, do I still have immunity?

Dr. Rachel Roper: Yes, you probably do have some residual immunity, but immunity wanes over time. So the older you get, the less strong your immune response is. The longer ago that you had the vaccine, the less likely you are to have strong protection from it. 

Should we be concerned about monkeypox mutating and adapting like COVID-19 has?

Dr. Rachel Roper: One good thing is that pox viruses are large double-stranded DNA genomes. Those mutate much more slowly than an RNA virus like SARS-CoV-2. The mutation rate should be much lower.

But a paper did come out recently showing there were 50 single mutations that have occurred already in the last few years. And that’s probably because monkeypox is adapting more to spread human to human, so it can mutate. It almost certainly will mutate, but it should have a mutation rate much, much slower than COVID-19.

Monkeypox can spread during sex, but it’s not a sexually transmitted infection. How has this framing of monkeypox as an STI impacted the public’s understanding of the virus and how policymakers dole out resources needed to contain the outbreak?

Dr. Perry Halkitis: When we say sex, we don’t necessarily mean intercourse. People can be engaged in intimate relations with each other, they can be rolling around with each other; there doesn’t have to be an act of intercourse for monkeypox to spread.

And so it is not an STI per se, as we might think of syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia. You can be in bed with an individual. You can be kissing that individual. You can be hugging that individual. If that person has an infection, you may become infected.

The bottom line here is anybody can get monkeypox. However, it is primarily in gay and bisexual men right now who have intimate relations with each other. So our policies in some ways have been shaped by the past, and a fear of making a mistake right now in the present.

When you make a disease, and you call it an STI, when you overemphasize sex, and you make it about gay sex, which is stigmatized to begin with… In the hands of wrong people, like politicians who are seeking to do harm, it’s potentially a lethal weapon that will stigmatize the population affected and ultimately deny, in this case, gay and bisexual men, the resources that they need in order to combat this virus.

Meet the Writers

Rachel Roper

About Rachel Roper

Rachel Roper is a virologist and professor of microbiology and immunology at Brody Medical School at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. 

Perry Halkitis

About Perry Halkitis

Perry Halkitis is the dean of the School of Public Health and director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies at Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Dear UMass Amherst Community,

As we approach the fall semester, we are excited to welcome everyone back to campus. This marks the start of a third academic year in which COVID-19 is present, and our understanding of the virus along with tools to mitigate its impact continues to improve. In addition, the campus is closely following developments related to the monkeypox (MPV) virus and has developed university guidance on monkeypox. Your continuing commitment to best public health practices will help ensure a successful launch of the school year.

Consistent with our approach throughout the pandemic, the university’s policies and protocols are based on federal CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidance, and that practice will continue as we monitor local conditions and circumstances this fall. Below are the key aspects for the fall semester.

Pre-Arrival COVID-19 Testing

• All students are expected to test before arriving on campus. Students can take either a PCR test within 72 hours of arrival or an antigen (at-home) test within 24 hours of arrival. If you test positive before returning to campus, you must isolate per CDC guidelines prior to returning to campus and also notify the UMass public health team at [email protected]. If you test positive after arriving on campus, you will be required to isolate. Please see details in the Isolation Management section below.

Ongoing COVID-19 Testing

• Students, faculty, staff and members of their households who need testing because they have symptoms, were exposed or had close contact with someone who has COVID-19 can either take an antigen (at-home) test or visit University Health Services (UHS) for a PCR test. Testing will be billed to an individual’s insurance and most insurance companies cover COVID-19 testing administered for health reasons at no additional cost to you. Students, faculty and staff should continue to report their positive test results to [email protected]. Elective PCR testing (such as testing for travel) is available for $25 per test at UHS, a price significantly lower than is offered by pharmacies and other providers. 

Masking and Antigen (At-Home) Tests

• Masks are welcome on campus and masking is strongly encouraged during the first few weeks of the fall semester, particularly in crowded settings, or for individuals who are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. In accordance with public health guidance, masks will be required at University Health Services (UHS), the Public Health Promotion Center, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health, the Center for Women and Community, and the Center for Language, Speech and Hearing.
• UMass is a mask welcome campus, and we encourage everyone to respect the choices that individuals make about their own masking. Mask welcome signs are available for download. Please note that individuals and departments cannot create mask requirements separate from or more restrictive than university requirements.
• Free KN95 masks and antigen (at-home) tests are available in vending machines located on the lower level of the Campus Center. In addition, every home in the U.S. is eligible to order free antigen at-home tests through the federal government. We encourage students to bring these at-home tests with them to campus. To help prevent individuals from spreading COVID-19, the FDA recommends when using antigen tests to repeat the test following a negative result, whether or not you have COVID-19 symptoms. 

Vaccinations

• Students, faculty and staff are required to have completed a World Health Organization (WHO) approved COVID vaccine primary series prior to accessing campus or to successfully apply for a UMass-approved medical or religious exemption. The university also highly recommends COVID-19 boosters when eligible per CDC guidelines. Vaccines and boosters are readily available at the PHPC vaccine clinic. Students can view the University Health Services Immunizations website for more information on how to upload your vaccine records. Faculty and staff can visit the Human Resources vaccine website for additional information.

Isolation Management

• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate for a minimum of five days before returning to class, work or attending events. They should then continue to wear a mask for an additional five days. For more information, refer to the guidance on isolation and precautions for individuals with COVID-19 or exposed to COVID-19. The campus does not maintain isolation space for individuals who test positive or have been exposed to or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
• On-campus students who test positive for COVID-19 are expected to isolate in an off-campus location, such as their permanent residence, if they are able to travel there by private vehicle. On-campus students who are unable to leave campus to isolate due to distance or having high-risk household members, regardless of on-campus living situation, will need to isolate in place at their assigned campus residence. For more information, refer to the guidance on isolation and precautions for individuals with COVID-19 or exposed to COVID-19.
• We strongly advise that every student prepare a self-isolation kit before their arrival. It should include acetaminophen (Tylenol) ibuprofen (Advil) a thermometer, snacks, prescription medication, personal care items (cough drops, contact lens fluid, tissues), masks, disinfectant wipes, alcohol-based hand sanitizer and antigen test kits.

Self-Monitoring

Everyone must continue to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms each day before coming to campus. Anyone who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should wear a mask, stay home and get tested.

Medical Accommodations

The campus continues to have a process for requests for COVID-19-related medical accommodations. These requests will be reviewed under the regular ADA process that is administered by the Accessible Workplace Office in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. Faculty and staff who are seeking a medical accommodations should email [email protected]. Students seeking accommodations (including students with on-campus employment such as a graduate assistantship) should visit the Disability Services website for more information. 

Monkeypox Virus

The university is also closely monitoring the local, regional and national public health situations regarding the global outbreak of monkeypox (MPV). The campus is committed to informing the UMass community about health issues that may affect them. We recognize that there is risk for stigma or discrimination when communicating about a new disease outbreak. We all have a responsibility to reject any stigmatizing words or actions related to the monkeypox (MPV) virus, and instead share accurate information so that people can make the best decisions for their health and the health of our community.

Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease, as it can be transmitted by any direct physical contact between someone’s rash, scabs, bodily fluids and another person. This contact can include sexual activity and also any touching of the lesions/rash or even touching of clothing or bedding that an infected person used. We have published university guidance on monkeypox (MPV) that focuses on topics such as what is monkeypox, how it can spread, what the symptoms are, what to do if individuals experience symptoms and how individuals can reduce their risk and prevent spread.

As we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continually monitor public health guidance and local conditions and make adjustments as needed. The pandemic has exacted a great toll, and at the same time we have learned how to mitigate COVID-19’s severity through scientific advances and the daily mitigation efforts of our entire campus community. We thank everyone for their continuing support to keep the campus safe as we embark upon a new academic year.

 

Sincerely,

Co-Directors of the Public Health Promotion Center (PHPC)

Ann Becker, Public Health Director
Jeffrey Hescock, Executive Director of Environmental Health and Safety

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

 

The individually wrapped format is designed to help businesses create a welcoming environment by putting protection in the hands of patrons and staff concerned about germ protection. 

 

Lysol Disinfecting Wipes kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, including cold and flu viruses, and are effective against the COVID-19 virus in 15 seconds.

Better Protection for Customers and Staff

“Lysol Pro Solutions helps businesses understand where to focus cleaning and disinfection so they can provide better protection for customers and staff,” said Max Shearwood, general manager for Reckitt’s Lysol Pro Solutions. “But we also realize that there are locations and moments when this protection can be boosted by the individual. This is where our new single count Lysol Disinfecting Wipes come into play – helping businesses to further encourage people to go about their daily activities outside of the home with confidence.”

 

As pandemic era precautions recede and Americans learn to co-exist with COVID, consumers continue to expect businesses to provide products that can be used to help protect themselves. For example, 75% of consumers expect the hospitality segment to make disinfection products available for consumer protection and 66% of employees expect offices to provide access to disinfection products.

 

With single count Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, businesses can provide anyone entering their premises with individual wipes to disinfect surfaces and help protect from the spread of germs. This helps augment the efforts of cleaning teams by disinfecting at critical moments and in critical germ hotspots, helping break the chain of germ transmission. The wipes are conveniently packaged to offer as an amenity across a range of industry types including travel and hospitality, workplaces, doctors’ offices, events, and more. These versatile wipes are suitable to use on a range of surfaces such as door handles, railings, desks, tables, and even electronics.

 

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

By Irina Pino

HAVANA TIMES – I have to admit that I like Adrian Lyne’s movies, especially Fatal Attraction with Glenn Close and Michael Douglas. I’m sure many of you have seen it, where the femme fatale harasses a married man because she doesn’t want him to leave her, after having had passionate sex with him.

When the man says no more, she resorts to violent acts like kidnapping his daughter and boiling a rabbit, his daughter’s pet, in a pot. It’s a very ugly scene, especially because I’m against animal abuse.

But we’ve all stayed in a love relationship, even when it’s a pain in the ass and made our object of desire loathe us. This happens and it’s normal, more or less…

After two decades, Lyne made Deep Water, which wasn’t released when it was supposed to because of the pandemic and was released now in 2022.

It’s an erotic thriller with Cuban actress Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck. Two actors I’m not fond of, and even so I ventured to the Charles Chaplin movie theater, in Vedado, to see what the 9½ Weeks director’s latest production is about.

I can tell you I was completely disappointed, it’s an awful movie with erotic scenes in bulk, and suspense that doesn’t work and is even silly.

When the feature movie ended (a torture that I had to endure for over 2 hours), I came out cursing, and telling everyone who crossed my path that it was definitely the worst movie Adrian Lyne ever made, and an embarrassment for his fans.

Walking home, I went down 12th and 23rd Streets, and that’s when it began to rain. I immediately sought shelter in a doorway. A few minutes later, the rain turned into a full-blown storm, with strong gusts of wind and a downpour, like the Great Flood. Only there wasn’t a Noah’s Ark.

Three hours in a doorway bored and losing it, I discovered that the building was the office for Animal Wellbeing. The guard constantly puffed on a cigar that suffocated me. I hate smoke.

I took a look around, the place had dirty and ragged furniture, without fans. The man told me he had to bring his own fan, and a radio to listen to the news. He constantly complained about his precarious wages and his poor working conditions.

Between smoke and small talk, I wanted to escape that never-ending complaining, and decided to leave while it was still drizzling. I started walking in the middle of the street, but then I had the idea to walk on the sidewalk and I slipped, hitting the same knee I’d hurt in an accident back in 2019.

Adrian Lyne’s revenge?

Intense pain shot through me. and the impact left me with two cuts, but I quickly cleaned it up as I had alcohol to disinfect my hands with.

I hobbled in pain. I walked many blocks until I crossed the tunnel on 5th Avenue, which was partially flooded.

The 5th Avenue tunnel

I was already in my neighborhood by some miracle, what a relief! But things didn’t start getting easier then, as the corner on Cero and 3rd Streets was flooded, so I had to walk around it along 1st Street to reach my building.

A warm bath, ibuprofen and an ice pack helped for a few minutes. I’d later have the Odyssey of my knee.

But I kept on thinking about the stupid idea I had to go and watch that terrible Adrian Lyne film, and then have to endure his vengeance. I looked at my knee in shock, it was ugly and swollen, it looked like a melon.

To be continued…

Read more from Irina Pino’s diary here.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

The aging McBaine Water Treatment Plant, with equipment nearing the end of its usable life, needs an upgrade.

The City of Columbia’s project to improve the plant is budgeted at about $21.5 million.

This includes final engineering design from HDR Inc. and about $20 million in construction costs paid through a future bond sale as part of a $43 million bond issue approved by voters in 2018 for capital improvements to the water system.

Price volatility could impact how a construction bid package is formed. Material costs are starting to come down, however, said Ryan Saffels, HDR associate vice president and project manager.

The city has tried to put as much forethought into costs as it can, said Shawn Carrico, Columbia Water and Light engineering supervisor. 

“We do hope things continue to come down,” he said Monday. “We’re finalizing the 90% cost estimate. We can discuss that at a future meeting when we come back for authorization to bid the project, provided we move forward tonight.”

The bulk of the work involves stainless and electrical materials, Carrico added. 

As the city looks at bid alternatives, Mayor Barbara Buffaloe hopes the city will identify further funding availability to provide additional money to cover alternatives or even additional improvements. There are grants for which the city has applied and will learn the outcome in mid-October, Carrico said.

Even with the price volatility, HDR believes it still will meet the original intent of the project presented to voters, said Trent Stober, HDR vice president and project principal, who also is a Columbia resident.

The Columbia City Council, following a public hearing Monday night, authorized the city in a 5-1 vote to proceed with finishing out the design plan for improvements and start the Missouri Department of Natural Resources permitting process.

The design was 90% complete as of Monday. 

First Ward council member Pat Fowler voted in opposition over concerns that even with upgrades, there still likely will be cancer-causing disinfectant byproducts in the city’s water system. The DNR permit would close off an opportunity for design strategies to further reduce or eliminate these byproducts.

Second Ward council member Andrea Waner is on maternity leave and did not vote.

Fifth Ward council member Matt Pitzer, who voted in favor, wanted clarification on why it took until Monday to hold the public hearing, when the original timeline was to have the project underway in fiscal years 2021 and 2022. 

The delay was due to the HDR service agreement and the extra time used to develop the project design since the bond sale has not yet happened, Carrico said, while recognizing there was a delay in getting the engineering contract in place. 

The ideal timeline to put out the construction project for bid after design and DNR permitting is end of year, said Dave Sorrell, Columbia utilities director.

Construction then would likely start next summer if the ideal timeline occurred.

Project timeline; treatment upgrades

Plan finalization by HDR will take at least another two months, and the DNR permit process will take anywhere from three to six months to complete. After that, the project can go out for construction bids, followed by up to two years of construction.

The upgrades will get the McBaine plant back to treating 32 million gallons per day, or MGD, improving upon its current 24 MGD limited by equipment reliability issues first identified six years ago, Stober said.

Aging infrastructure will be replaced, along with improving treatment performance and preparing for future treatment enhancements, such as a granular activated carbon contactor, or GAC, he added.

A GAC would have an added construction cost of $47 million and an annual operational and maintenance cost of $4 million to $5 million based on 2020 cost estimates. Such a system would allow for free chlorination as a secondary disinfectant to prevent biological growth in the city’s water distribution system.

The project is planned to modernize the McBaine system and aims to reduce water treatment disinfection byproducts, which can cause cancer. Some are regulated, while others aren’t, Stober said. 

The city currently uses a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, or chloramine, for its primary and secondary disinfectant. When the treatment plant previously had used free chlorination without a GAC, its disinfection byproducts were exceeding regulation amounts, Stober said, answering a question from Pitzer.

The exceeding of regulatory amounts was due to the plant increasing its treatment and distribution system capacity over the years, Carrico added. This was in 2008-09, which led to the reevaluation of what disinfectants are used, he said.

Other regulatory changes also led municipal water systems to adopt chloramines, said Eric Berggren, HDR vice president.

Treatment performance will improve even without a GAC for now, Stober said. Plan improvements include replacing aerators, softening basin mechanisms, filtration components, finished water pumps, chemical feed systems and instrumentation. 

“Before implementing a (GAC), we recommend to assess where we are at after these improvements are made,” he said, noting future addition of a GAC system would be an extra piece to what already is in the improvement plan. “Everything we pay for now we’ll be able to use into the future.”

Of what is feasible under the current budget, HDR will “replace every major treatment process at the plant,” Saffels said, noting this includes additional monitoring for water quality parameters and automating of systems. 

Community comments

Chief among comments from community members Monday was that much of what is being done now is coming far too late and the treatment plant needed review at least 10 years ago.

There is an opportunity to put solar panels on the facility to help offset some operational costs, said one speaker, who also was concerned if upgrades would address micro- and nano-plastics as well as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — known as PFAS. 

Julie Ryan, co-founder of the CoMo Safe Water Coalition, said she should not have to have a whole carbon filtration system in her home to have safe drinking water. 

She also is concerned over the decade of consulting costs and no substantive action. 

“There has been no accountability for this plant being de-rated and now we are spending a lot of time having to restore capacity because no one was held accountable when it was de-rated,” she said, adding a GAC would address changing EPA regulations and chloramines. “Rate payers spent the money to fund the drinking water planning working group that said remove chloramine, and it’s not getting done.”

David Switzer, member of the Water and Light Advisory Board, spoke on his support of city staff and the work done by HDR. 

“I support the treatment plant upgrades. I think they are a good thing. I also think activated carbon is a good thing.” he said. “If the city were to invest in that, I would be very excited. 

“That’s not a staff decision. They can give you the information that says (the costs). These are experts, and we should challenge them, but it is not healthy to assume bad faith in terms of actions from consultants or staff.”

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at [email protected] or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Please consider subscribing to support vital local journalism.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

In what is considered the first-ever case of monkeypox in a domesticated animal like a cat or a dog, an Italian greyhound is said to have caught the virus from its owners, a couple, who slept alongside with their pet, as per a report published last week in medical journal Lancet. The dog developed lesions and was subsequently diagnosed with the virus. Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. (Also read: Monkeypox can spread to pet dogs, doctors report)

{{^userSubscribed}}

{{/userSubscribed}}

{{^userSubscribed}}

{{/userSubscribed}}

The symptoms can range from fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle aches and backache while respiratory symptoms include sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough. A rash is also reported near the genitals or anus and on other body parts. The virus is transmitted from one person to the other by coming in contact with the infected person’s lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials. It is also increasingly spreading through sexual contact and many cases are being reported about gay men.

“The first reported case of a human-to-pet transmission was found in France in July. This case has established that the pets are at risk of catching the disease from their owners. Now that it has been proven that it is possible for pets to catch this infection from humans it has become all the more important to safeguard our pets against the same. The research is still going on as to which different animal species are at risk of getting this disease from humans, but dogs are able to get it,” says Dr Vinod Sharma, Head of Veterinary Services at DCC Animal Hospital.

{{^userSubscribed}}

{{/userSubscribed}}

{{^userSubscribed}}

{{/userSubscribed}}

Symptoms of monkeypox

The symptoms to look out for are fever, lethargy, joint pains, and skin lesions. If you or any family member has been diagnosed with monkeypox or experiencing the above symptoms it is absolutely necessary to keep your distance from your pet dog.

How to prevent your dog from monkeypox

“We need to be very careful about hygiene immunity. Any infected patient with monkeypox must avoid all direct contact with pets. This means no touching, hugging, cuddling, or sharing sleeping space,” shared Dr. Vinod Sharma, Head of Veterinary Services, DCC Animal Hospital.

Since pets, especially dogs, are fond of all sorts of physical displays of affection, if you do suspect that you have monkeypox and have so far not been exposed to your pet it will be advisable that you find someone to take in your pet for a few weeks till the symptoms subside.

{{^userSubscribed}}

{{/userSubscribed}}

{{^userSubscribed}}

{{/userSubscribed}}

“The isolation period for monkeypox is from 2-4 weeks. Once your skin lesions look visibly healed, clean and disinfect your home, wash your beddings and then bring back your pet home or near you,” says the veterinary doctor.

Dr Sharma also shared that it is extremely important in such a scenario to maintain good hygiene at your home and give good nutrition and exercise to your pets to maintain a good immune system.

Until further research yields any more information, we should keep in mind the above to safeguard our pets against this disease.

Follow more stories on Facebook & Twitter

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

The Cameron County Public Health Department received confirmation of the first case of monkeypox in the county, the department announced Tuesday.

So far no other county in the Rio Grande Valley confirmed cases of the disease.

The individual who tested positive did not report any recent travel outside the area, according to a news release. Cameron County Public Health Administrator Esmeralda Guajardo said this means the infected individual was exposed locally.

RELATED: Monkeypox is spreading in Texas. Here’s what you need to know about causes, symptoms and treatment

A local clinic tested the individual on Thursday, and the department received laboratory confirmation of monkeypox on Tuesday.

According to the news release, the individual developed lesions and mild symptoms prior to testing. They are currently under home isolation and being monitored by the Cameron County Public Health Department.

RELATED: Monkeypox vaccine training underway in Hidalgo County  

The department implemented their monkeypox action response plan and is currently conducting an epidemiological investigation to identify and test those who may have been exposed, the news release stated.

Cameron County is urging the public to avoid close skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash, avoid touching any rashes, scabs or lesions, constant handwashing, practicing social distancing and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

The Cameron County Public Health Department previously said they acquired 100 doses of the vaccine on Monday and are expecting more, but clarified on Tuesday night that the shipment was short by 80 doses.

Health officials will be prioritizing the vaccines for those considered high risk. Guajardo said they hope to start vaccinating people no later than Thursday, Aug. 18.

Those seeking more information on monkeypox can contact the Cameron County Public Health Hotline at 956-247-3650, or go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

RELATED: Locals urged to prepare for monkeypox infections as cases continue growing outside the Valley

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

TikToker Azure MacCannell (@livecomposed) shared some of the surprising objects around your home that might need to be cleaned.

MacCannell is a TikToker and mom who shares cleaning and organization tips. In a viral video that has racked up more than 7 million views, MacCannell shows that thoroughly cleaning your home requires more than simply sweeping floors and scrubbing windows. Hard-to-reach places like refrigerator coils and faucet screens need love, too!

The video begins with a shot of MacCannell’s refrigerator. “Here are some things that might need cleaning,” she writes in a caption. Then she shows off just how dusty the back of her refrigerator is. The coils on the refrigerator are coated in a thick layer of gray dust, which begins to disappear as she moves a vacuum cleaner back and forth across the coils. 

Cleaning your refrigerator coils, she explains, won’t just get rid of dust. It will also “save you so much money” by prolonging the life of your refrigerator. 

Next up, MacCannell shows how to clean the space under your toilet seat. She unscrews the lid from a toilet seat and removes it, showing where grime has built up around the seat’s hinges. Using a disinfecting wipe, she carefully scrubs the grime off of the hinges until the toilet is sparkling clean!

“Clean this and your bathroom will smell much better,” she writes in a caption. 

Finally, MacCannell shows how to clean the screen on your sink’s faucet. She unscrews the screen, then drops it in a cup of cleaning fluid. Then she uses disinfecting wipes to wipe down the rest of the faucet.

“You’ll notice a difference in water pressure,” she claims, showing off her now-sparkling sink as the video ends. 

“Too scared to look”

Viewers were surprised and horrified by the idea that their homes could be dirty without even realizing it.

“I want these things clean, but I’m too scared to look at how bad they are to actually clean them since I’ve never done it before,” one TikToker wrote. 

“I already have so much that I need to clean. I don’t need extra,” another overwhelmed viewer commented. 

“Me scrollin’ pretending I never saw this,” joked another TikToker. 

Cleaning hard-to-reach places might seem overwhelming, but MacCannell also makes it look extremely satisfying.

In The Know by Yahoo is now available on Apple News — follow us here!

More from In The Know:

Teacher surprises all of her students with ‘special gift’: ‘I teared up watching this’

This $8 stain remover has completely saved my carpet and couch from red wine spills

Moving into your first apartment? Get every cooking utensil you need for only $30

French bulldog puppy is ‘obsessed’ with baby

Listen to the latest episode of our pop culture podcast, We Should Talk:

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Monkeypox and related viruses are known for their ability to transmit between humans and animals, but with increasing global spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that household pets may be at risk after a dog in France apparently contracted monkeypox from its owners in July, according to a report published in The Lancet journal.

This is the first reported case of human-to-pet transmission of monkeypox.

“We are still learning what different animal species may be susceptible to infection, and this new case report is important because it shows that dogs are able to get the disease,” Dr. Meghan Davis, associate professor of environmental health and engineering at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told ABC News. The CDC says it’s not clear if other animals, like cats, can develop monkeypox, but recommends that people sick with monkeypox take precautions around all animals to be safe.

Monkeypox cases continue to climb across the globe and in the United States, where more than 12,000 Americans have been diagnosed.

For anyone recovering at home, the CDC said it’s important to stay away from other household members — including pets — or take steps to reduce the risk of household transmission if isolating away isn’t possible.

Isolate away from pets if possible

Monkeypox transmission happens during close contact. With pets, this could be through cuddling, hugging, kissing, licking and sharing sleeping areas or food.

If you are diagnosed with monkeypox and have not yet exposed your pet — meaning you haven’t been in contact with the pet since your symptoms developed — try to find a friend or a neighbor to care for your pet. Your isolation period may last two to four weeks. Once your skin lesions are healed, clean and disinfect your home, including washing your bedding, before bringing your pet back home.

Understandably, this may not be possible for everyone.

Hand hygiene and physical distancing can still help

If your pet stays with you while you are isolated, you can still take steps to reduce their risk of transmitting monkeypox.

“Keep your pets, just keep your distance — and don’t let your pet share your bed — if you are diagnosed with or suspect you have monkeypox,” Davis said.

A woman plays with a dog at sunset, Nov. 6, 2021, at a park in Kansas City, Mo.

Charlie Riedel/AP, FILE

Echoing guidance given when isolating at home with COVID-19, wash your hands every time you touch your pet, wear a mask and try to keep your skin lesions covered. Maintain your distance and don’t let your pet get into contaminated clothes, towels or sheets.

“Pets that had close contact with a symptomatic person with monkeypox should be kept at home and away from other animals and people for 21 days after the most recent contact,” according to CDC guidance.

Call your vet and try to get your pet tested for monkeypox if your pet shows signs of monkeypox infection after exposure

Though we don’t understand all the symptoms of monkeypox in animals, symptoms could look like lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, fever and pimple-like or blister-like rashes.

If one pet gets sick, try to keep them separate from other pets or people at home — especially from anyone in the household who is pregnant, immune compromised or a child.

Keep caring for your pet, do not abandon or euthanize your pet

Monkeypox exposure or diagnosis is not a reason to consider abandoning or euthanizing your pet, the CDC said.

The CDC also recommends that people should not put a mask on their pets, or clean or bathe their pets with chemical disinfectants such as alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or hand sanitizer. Wash your hands often and clean any contaminated bedding or other pet materials following CDC guidance if your pet gets monkeypox.

Quickly dispose of the pet’s waste — do not just leave it on the ground or in the backyard — using a sealed, dedicated trash can, and contact your local public health department for further details on how to handle the contaminated waste.

Dr. Jade A Cobern, board-eligible in pediatrics, is a part of the ABC News Medical Unit and a general preventive medicine resident at Johns Hopkins.

ABC News’ Sony Salzman and Arielle Mitropoulos contributed to this report.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here