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Human bird flu cases are increasing across the country. The H5N1 virus primarily infects poultry and mammals but can be transmitted to humans via direct contact with sick animals, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of Jan. 8, 2025, there have been 70 confirmed human bird flu cases in the U.S. since 2022. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that half of global cases of H5N1 end in death. There’s no doubt that human bird flu is spreading, and now, there’s an interactive map that can help monitor human- and animal-related cases in real-time.

RELATED: COVID Levels are "Very High" and "High" in These 28 States After Holiday Surge.

A new interactive map monitors bird flu cases in real-time.

PAHO

Tracking bird flu cases in the U.S. just got a whole lot easier for both scientists and the public. This week, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) unveiled a new interactive dashboard that "features tables and maps showing outbreaks in humans, as well as in domestic and wild birds and mammals across the region, the latter with data sourced from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)," per a press release.

By stepping up its "active surveillance efforts," the PAHO hopes to slow down and prevent the spread of influenza H5N1 from infected animals to humans.

The tool has three main categories: human-confirmed cases, number of bird outbreaks, and number of mammal outbreaks. These are routinely updated but can also be filtered to show specific data points from certain periods.

Each section also has its own interactive map, which organizes the number of confirmed cases or outbreaks by country and/or state. For instance, the four U.S. states with the most confirmed cases of human bird flu are California (37), Washington (11), Colorado (10), and Michigan (2).

RELATED: Cat Food Sold Nationwide Recalled After Testing Positive for Bird Flu.

Louisiana just reported the first human death from bird flu in the U.S.

A person in Louisiana died after being hospitalized due to a "severe" case of bird flu, the CDC confirmed in a Jan. 6 press release. The agency called their passing "tragic" yet "not unexpected" given the disease’s known potential to "cause severe illness and death." The deceased, who remains anonymous, is the first person in the U.S. to die from bird flu.

"CDC has carefully studied the available information about the person who died in Louisiana and continues to assess that the risk to the general public remains low. Most importantly, no person-to-person transmission spread has been identified," reads the statement.

RELATED: Flu Levels Are "Very High" and "High" in These 14 States.

8 common bird flu symptoms.

Fortunately, most human cases of bird flu in the U.S. have been mild, reports the CDC.

Common symptoms that have been associated with the illness include:

• Eye redness/irritation
• Mild fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle and body aches
• Headache
• Fatigue

Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may also occur, though these symptoms aren’t as common. In more advanced cases, infected people may experience shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, altered consciousness, and seizures.

Bird flu has an incubation period of about two to seven days, per the CDC. Typically, eye symptoms are the first to show up and can do so within 24 hours of exposure. Experts say more research is needed to know the exact "period of contagiousness," but it’s likely to be "during the first few days of their illness."

On average, bird flu lasts anywhere from "a few days to less than two weeks," according to the CDC. However, symptoms may persist for several weeks or worsen in more severe cases. As always, speak with a healthcare professional if you believe you’ve been exposed to bird flu and are exhibiting symptoms.

TWO people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a baby died in hospital.

The one-year-old was discovered in cardiac arrest at a home in Rugby, Warwickshire in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Tragically the tot could not be saved and was declared dead shortly after.

Warwickshire Police confirmed a man, 25, and woman, 24, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

No further information on the baby has been released by officers.

The force said: “At 4.37am on Tuesday (7 January) we received a report of a baby in cardiac arrest at a house in the New Bilton area of Rugby.

“The baby was taken to hospital but sadly died.

“Anyone with information that could help police with their enquires can go to www.warwickshire.police.uk/report or call 101.

“Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Please quote incident number 39 of 7 January 2025.”

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SIX in 10 adults put early signs of dementia down to old age – rather than the condition itself, a new study has shown.

A poll of 500 people who have a relative or loved one with the condition revealed the common symptoms people often mistake for getting older, when they are in fact all signs of dementia.

Misplacing items, needing help with everyday tasks, and problems with judgements and decisions featured on the list.

While forgetting things they have just done or been told, and repeating the same question were also confused with ageing.

More than four in 10 (41 per cent) admit they first feared it could be dementia, but ‘brushed it under the carpet’, and put it down to getting older instead.

The study, commissioned by Care UK, also found 31 per cent believed such symptoms to be a normal part of ageing because they lacked knowledge at the time.

Suzanne Mumford, head of dementia and lifestyle for care home provider, said: “Awareness of dementia has improved, but many people still struggle to confidently differentiate between signs of old age and dementia.

“Understandably, it can also be a worrying time when a loved one starts acting out of character or begins to display symptoms of dementia.

“Yet, reaching out for support early on can make a world of difference – whether it’s speaking to an expert about how to manage symptoms or simply connecting with families who may be in a similar situation.

“That’s why we’re relaunching our Big Dementia Conversation for the second year running.

“We must continue to raise awareness of the condition and its symptoms in order to become a more dementia-friendly nation.”

The study also found that despite it taking an average of four months to realise certain symptoms could be dementia and not just old age, year-on-year comparisons show people are now more familiar with them.

Now, 44 per cent feel they would be able to recognise the different signs, whereas only 24 per cent said this in last year’s survey, both conducted via OnePoll.com.

Forgetting what they had just done or been told, repeating the same question, and not knowing where they were are among the things they started to notice first.

With struggling to find words, judgements and decisions, and misplacing items among the fastest developing symptoms.

A fifth started spotting these signs when their relative or loved one was in their early to mid-70s, with this leaving 71 per cent feeling upset, and 21 per cent confused.

Despite 94 per cent believing this confusion between the two is a common issue, 71 per cent feel there is little awareness around the differences between them.

But the yearly comparison also revealed misconceptions about the condition are still rife with 36 per cent believing it always includes memory loss – which isn’t far off the 34 per cent who said this last year.

And 20 per cent believe that if someone in their family is living with dementia then they are likely to develop it too.

This is more than the 17 per cent who said the same previously.

Suzanne, for Care UK, added: “Recognising the signs and getting a diagnosis is just the first step towards better support, rather than the end.

“Contrary to popular belief, there are many ways to prevent and manage symptoms to live well with dementia.

“This is something we’re passionate about, and we’d like to invite those keen to find out more to head to our content hub to hear our experts’ advice.”

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If you bought a car, van, motorbike, motorhome or caravan on finance, you could be among the millions of consumers eligible for a significant refund.

The UK financial regulator, the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), is currently carrying out an investigation into the scale of mis-sold vehicle finance, with millions expected to be in line for refunds.

The FCA estimates that hidden PCP and HP finance commissions have cost consumers more than £1,100 in additional interest charges on a typical £10,000 finance agreement.

It’s due to set out its next steps in May 2025, and the results could entitle millions of drivers across the country to thousands of pounds in compensation.

Drivers who bought multiple vehicles on finance and those who financed larger amounts are expected to be due the most back.

Martin Lewis, consumer champion, has compared the potential scale of payouts to the PPI scandal – where firms were forced to refund billions to mis-sold customers.

But, to make a legitimate claim, you’d need to have taken out a PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) or HP (Hire Purchase) agreement through a car garage, dealer or broker.

We explain how these agreements work and how to quickly find out if you can claim compensation.

Start your claim – Get Your Refund

What is an HP agreement?

Under a HP agreement, you’ll work towards one objective – to own the vehicle.

Normally, you’ll pay a deposit, which is about 10% of its value, and you’ll finance the remainder.

The remainder is then split into monthly repayments over a fixed number of months, e.g. 12, 24, 36, 48. Once you make the final repayment, you’ll own the vehicle.

It’s only at this stage that you’ll normally pay a transfer fee to put the car in your name.

Unlike buying a car with a personal loan, under an HP agreement your lender will have security of the vehicle until the repayment plan is complete.

Start your claim – Get Your Refund

What is PCP car finance? 

PCP finance allows you to drive a vehicle with lower monthly repayments than HP finance, but you won’t necessarily own the vehicle at the end of the repayment period.

Under a PCP agreement, your lender will consider how much your vehicle is expected to drop in value over a specified timeframe to determine your monthly repayments.

Like other forms of financing, you’ll need to maintain your repayments or risk damaging your credit score.

Once your PCP finance ends, you can decide what to do with the vehicle.

You can pay a “balloon payment” to own the vehicle, trade it in and buy a new vehicle using a new PCP agreement, or hand it back to the lender and walk away.

Start your claim – Get Your Refund

Have you taken out either of these types of finance agreements? 

Have you bought a car, van, motorhome or caravan using PCP or HP finance? If so, you could be a victim of mis-sold vehicle finance and be eligible for a significant refund.

Until 2021, many car dealers operated under “discretionary commission arrangements” (DCA), allowing them to earn commissions based on the interest they set for your finance.

Generally, the higher the rate, the more commission your dealer earned, in addition to their markup on the vehicle’s sale price – which incentivised them to charge customers more.

The FCA banned the practice as of 28 January 2021, and anyone who took out PCP or HP finance before this date is urged to check whether they are affected.

Even if your agreement wasn’t affected by a DCA, it’s very likely the dealer treated you unfairly because of an “undisclosed commission” from the finance company.

A landmark Court of Appeal ruling in October 2024 found it was unlawful for dealers to receive a commission from a lender unless you, the customer, were properly informed and consented to the payment – potentially paving the way for up to an estimated £30 billion in refunds.

Start your claim – Get Your Refund

How to claim compensation

To see if you’re eligible for compensation, start your claim with Get Your Refund. 

Their team of claim specialists and legal partners have been fighting for the rights of consumers for over a decade. As a regulated law firm, you can be assured that your mis-sold vehicle finance claim is in safe hands.

Get Your Refund provides their service on a no win, no fee basis. Allow them to pursue your potential claim to its conclusion, and there’s no charge if your vehicle finance claim is unsuccessful.

Their fees are some of the lowest, if not the lowest, in the industry, at just 25% plus VAT of any refund amount.

While you don’t need to use a legal representative and can complain directly to your lender and refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free, Get Your Refund believes that it pays to have an experienced team assisting with your claim.

Start your claim – Get Your Refund

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This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire

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And to think it all started over some Thin Mints. 

The Irishman's wit was center stage as he cracked some hilarious one-liners —- and played some pretty good golf, too -— as the indoor league got off to a promising start.

'Tis the (awards) season.

Imphal, Jan 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) Manipur's opposition Congress on Wednesday said that actual normalcy cannot return in the state unless the violence-hit displaced people are allowed to return to their respective homes and villages. After meeting...

The post Actual normalcy can’t return to Manipur unless displaced people return to their homes: Congress appeared first on Social News XYZ.