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First case of newer mpox variant detected in Ireland
The first case of a newer, more spreadable variant of mpox has been detected in the Republic of Ireland, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said.
The Irish resident, who was infected with the Clade 1 variant, had recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The virus – formerly known as monkeypox – was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization last August.
The HSE said that while it is the first Irish case of the newer variant, it is not unexpected and the risk to the public remains low.
The individual is now receiving specialist care in a hospital in Dublin.
The HSE added that those who have received two doses of the mpox vaccine, or previously had the virus, are considered to have protection against severe illness caused by the newer variant.
Director of National Health Protection Dr Éamonn O’Moore said the HSE is fully prepared to respond to this case.
“We have been working alongside international partners and National Health Protection has been monitoring mpox closely since the outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo first emerged,” Dr O’Moore added.
Mpox is caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox but is usually much less harmful.
It spreads through direct contact with rashes, skin lesions or scabs caused by the virus, including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling and other skin-to-skin contact.
There is also a risk from contact with bodily fluids; from contact with bedding or towels or clothing; and through close and prolonged face-to-face contact, such as talking, breathing, coughing and sneezing.
Common symptoms of mpox include flu-like symptoms, followed by a skin rash and pus-filled lesions which can last up to a month.
Once the fever breaks, a rash can develop. This can be extremely itchy or painful, often beginning on the face before spreading to other parts of the body, most commonly the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
In serious cases, lesions can attack the whole of the body, especially the mouth, eyes and genitals.
The rash goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off and can cause scarring.
In many cases the infection lasts between 14 and 21 days before clearing up on its own.
But mpox can be fatal, particularly for vulnerable groups – including small children.
Outbreaks can be controlled by preventing infections with vaccines, though these are usually only available for people at risk or those who have been in close contact with an infected person.
There are broadly two main types of mpox – Clade 1, which is often more serious, and Clade 2.
A previous mpox public health emergency, declared in 2022, was caused by the relatively mild Clade 2.
Experts are now concerned about the Clade 1 virus that has been spreading quickly in west and central Africa since 2023.
Health officials experts have described it as ‘incredibly worrying’ and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreaks in Africa as ‘a public health emergency of international concern.
Millions of vaccines are being sent to the hardest-hit areas of east and central Africa to help control the outbreak.
Sweden, Germany, India, Thailand, Canada and the US have all seen imported cases of Clade 1b but there has been little onward spread to date.
On Tuesday, 12 new mpox vaccination sites opened across England.
[BBC]
United States President Donald Trump says there will be a three-day ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Posting on Truth Social on Friday, the US leader said the truce would last from Saturday to Monday.
“I am pleased to announce that there will be a THREE DAY CEASEFIRE (May 9th, 10th, and 11th) in the War between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump posted.
Soon after, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on X that a three-day truce had been arranged as part of US efforts to negotiate an end to the more than four-year-old war.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov later said “an agreement on this matter was reached during our telephone contacts with the US administration. In turn, US representatives were in contact with Kyiv.” He said the agreement followed a recent telephone conversation between President Vladimir Putin and Trump, in which the two presidents “emphasised that our countries were allies during World War II and also discussed the possibility of a ceasefire during the Victory Day celebrations.”
Russia had previously announced a two-day unilateral ceasefire to mark its May 9 World War II Victory Day on Saturday. Ukraine previously stated that it too had offered a truce but that this had been ignored by Moscow.
“This request was made directly by me,” Trump said on Friday, thanking his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts for agreeing to it.
“The Celebration in Russia is for Victory Day but, likewise, in Ukraine, because they were also a big part and factor of World War II. This Ceasefire will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prison swap of 1,000 prisoners from each Country,” Trump said. Zelenskyy also confirmed the prisoner swap would take place.
[Aljazeera]
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Heat Index is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the North-central and Eastern provinces and in Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts during the daytime
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 08 May 2026, valid for 09 May 2026
The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the North-central and Eastern provinces and in Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts during the daytime
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on the human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
Kolkata Knight Riders picked up their fourth win on the trot, their spin bowlers (12-0-76-3) capturing Delhi Capitals in a vice-like grip and never letting go Finn Allen made sure that wouldn’t repeat in the second innings. He pulverised DC’s spinners (9-0-102-1) to score his first IPL century even though he only had 143 to chase.
Pathum Nissanka scored a good half-century. He made 50 of DC’s first 85 runs at a strike rate of 172. The other end could only contribute 33 at a strike rate of 103. It was symbolic of how hard it was for a new batter to settle in and how much pressure comes on the set batter on a pitch like this. Even though he was going at a good clip, and had hit the previous ball for four, he still left his crease looking for more and was stumped off Anukul Roy. The left-arm spinner took another wicket, four balls later.
DC were 74 for 2 after eight overs. But only four of those overs were from spin bowlers and three of them were inside the powerplay. Given the comfort of five fielders on the boundary, and a pitch that was slow and turning, Roy, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy started to dictate proceedings. At one point, DC scored just 11 runs in 30 balls. This was between overs 12 to 16. No IPL team in nearly two decades has ever been this sluggish in this period of play.
Roy set this choke up, stumping Nissanka out with a slower and wider delivery and bowling Tristan Stubbs out with the exact opposite of that. That was solid range for a bowler with no mystery about him.
With DC at 89 for 5, Axar Patel in wretched form (his 44 runs, with only three boundaries, are the fewest by any batter this season having faced at least 50 balls) and the conditions not helping run-scoring, all Narine and Varun had to do was what they do so well. Amp up the mystery. Aim at the stumps. Narine finished with 4-0-17-1. Varun, badly limping when he bowled his final over which cost 16 runs, finished with 4-0-28-0.
Ashutosh Sharma broke a boundary drought that last 38 balls in the 17th over. He reverse swept Vaibhav Arora, coming around the wicket, for six in the 19th over. His cameo – 39 off 28 balls – carried KKR to 142 for 8.
For the first time in his IPL career, Allen played through the powerplay. This was his eighth innings. He might have felt bad for running out his captain Ajinkya Rahane when his straight drive flicked Mitchell Starc’s outstretched finger and deflected onto the stumps but he quickly got over it. DC played a part in that a well with Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam bowling balls right in the slot. Allen is superb down the ground and needed no second invitation. From 20 off 17, he launched 10 sixes, the last of them when KKR needed two to win and he needed six to bring up 100.
Allen had a strike rate of 235 against spin (73 off 31). The next best, from both teams, was Rahane with 167, benefiting from playing just three balls and scoring five runs.
In a match where his former team’s spinners held so much sway (economy rate 6.33), Kuldeep suffered, going at 13.66 an over even though he was spared the trouble of bowling in the powerplay. Axar bowled three with the field up and still finished with figures of 4-0-27-1.
Brief scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 147 for 2 in 14.2 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 13, Finn Allen 100*, Cameron Green 33*; Axar Patel 1-27 ) beat Delhi Capitals 142 for 8 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 50, KL Rahul 23, Axar Patel 11, Ashutosh Sharma 39; Kartik Tyagi 2-25, Anukul Roy 2-31, Vaibhav Arora 1–29, Sunil Narine 1-17, Cameron Green 1-12) by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
Accelerate projects related to resolving the public’s drinking water issues – President Instructs Officials
President of Vietnam and delegation departs Sri Lanka
Trump announces three-day ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine war
Heat Index is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the North-central and Eastern provinces and in Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts during the daytime
Finn Allen’s 47-ball ton powers Kolkata Knight Riders to huge win over Delhi Capitals
Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, North-western and North-central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Mannar districts.
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