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Climate change could see deadly tropical diseases spread to the UK Malaria, dengue fever and other deadly exotic diseases could become an established part of British life in a matter of decades, public health experts have warned.The emergence of the illnesses is likely to be driven by climate change, which will make it easier for mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects which transmit the diseases to become widespread in the UK.Dengue fever, West Nile virus and chikungunya have already reached parts of Europe and malaria has re-established itself in Greece as tropical mosquitoes spread into new territories.Asian tiger mosquitoes are among the insects invading Europe and are known to have transmitted dengue fever in France and Croatia, and chikungunya in Italy.Conditions are already warm enough for the mosquito to survive in the UK and it has reached 25 European countries. The higher temperatures and increased rainfall predicted for the UK by climate change models could provide the mosquito with “ideal conditions”.The UK has 34 species of mosquito and several are capable of transmitting malaria.
Isis fanatics 'highly likely' to launch chlorine gas attack at football match or on Tube, expert saysIsis militants returning to the UK could launch a chlorine gas attack on trains, the London Underground or at a football match, according to a chemical weapons expert.Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commanding officer at the Joint Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Regiment, said the last two weeks in Syria and Iraq have seen the “most concentrated and deadly use of chemical weapons” since the 1980s Iran-Iraq war.“Virtually every foreign jihadi who returns to the US or UK will have been exposed to training of this sort and will have a reasonable idea on how to use chlorine and other toxic chemicals as a terror weapon.“In the UK at least, up to 90 tonnes of chlorine can be purchased without any licences required.”“The method of delivery of chlorine at the second Battle of Ypres in April 1915, 100 years ago, would be effective on the subway today,” he wrote.The expert... is a director at gas mask manufacturers Avon Protection.Mr de Bretton-Gordon said that even if returning Isis jihadists attempted to launch a chlorine attack in Britain, the effect “should be minimal” if security services are forewarned. “Chlorine is not very toxic and the green and yellow clouds are easy to see and avoid, and it is very non-persistent only lasting for a few minutes,” he added.“Undoubtedly, and hopefully, the CIA, FBI, MI 5 and 6 etc will be taking a very close look at returning jihadis and in particular anybody buying toxic chemicals.”
Giant WWII bomb dug up by builders in LondonA massive evacuation procedure is carried out in Bermondsey, south London, after the 1,000lb explosive measiuring 5ft long was uncovered
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Topic: 23/03/15 (Read 1525 times)
