Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Two human cases of West Nile virus have been reported in New York as the virus has been detected in a record number of mosquitoes in the city, health officials said Tuesday.
Across the city's five boroughs, 1,068 mosquito pools have tested positive for the virus, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The city recorded 779 positive pools at the same time last year.
The two human cases were reported in Brooklyn and Queens, the health department said in a statement.
The West Nile virus is most commonly spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. Those cases happen during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall, the CDC said.
"We are in the height of West Nile virus season, but there are things you can do to decrease your risk of being bitten," New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said.
Using an insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants, especially when outside during late and early hours, may help prevent the risk of getting bit, Vasan explained.
There is no vaccine for the virus, so preventative measures are the most effective way to avoid infection.
Symptoms of West Nile infection include fatigue, fever, headache, body aches and rash. However, 80% of infected people do not display any symptoms, according to the CDC.
In rare cases, the virus can also be spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, exposure in a lab setting or from mother to infant.
Less than 1% of infected people develop a serious neuroinvasive illness, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord), according to the CDC.
As of August 9, a total of 54 human cases of the virus disease have been reported to the CDC this year. Last year, 2,695 human cases were reported to the agency.
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.