STI outbreak in Alberta is affecting newborn babies
There are so many cases of syphilis in Alberta that the province has declared it an outbreak. The chief medical officer advised any sexually active residents to get checked out by their family doctor or at a local clinic. Testing and treatment are free and very available across the province. Condoms are the best ways to guard against the infection. There have been over 20 recent cases of congenital syphilis which happens when a baby is born to a mother with the infection.
Over one-third of local federal candidates appointed with no competition
People don’t have enough choices when it comes to local nominees in federal elections. According to Samara Centre for Democracy, less than 20 per cent of the 6,600 successful candidates between 2003 and 2015 faced a competitive race. Over one-third were directly appointed. The group said the trend could have big consequences for democracy.
Group advises federal government to triple the land it protects
The federal government is being warned that it must do more to protect land and water if it wants to avoid a “nature emergency.” The CBC reported that the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society says biodiversity is declining at a faster rate than ever before in recorded history. The group is advised Canada to triple the amount of land it currently protects.
Scientists find new clues to why women are more likely to get Alzheimer’s
More clues are being discovered as to why women are more likely to get Alzheimer’s than men and it isn’t because they live longer. According to the Associated Press, scientists at an Alzheimer’s conference in LA said the disease spreads differently in the brains of both sexes. They add newly identified genes are related to the fact two-thirds of all cases in the US are women.
