Saturday, August 31

The Oropouche virus, also known as sloth fever, is on the rise across the world, and it could pose a serious threat due to the fact that there is no known cure.

Oropouche is a virus endemic to the Amazon region of South America, and is nicknamed sloth fever because scientists found it in an animal for the first time in a three-toed sloth-- the virus naturally resides in sloths, other wild primates, and birds. The actual virus is named Oropouche after the village that it was first discovered in, which was in 1955 in Trinidad and Tobago. Despite the virus being more prevalent in animals, it was discovered in a human before it was discovered by an animal. The virus is spread through biting midges, which are small blood-sucking creatures that can be found all over the world, and certain types of mosquitoes.

Common symptoms include fever, headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, rashes, muscle aches, and joint pain, as well as sensitivity to light and eye pain later on; the symptoms last for about a week. Unfortunately, since the virus is relatively new and is quite rare, not much is known about it-- including a cure. Currently, there is no cure or treatment for the virus, and it will only keep spreading in the future.

The virus has always been confined to the Amazon, but this year, it has spread far beyond that. Due to climate change, tropical regions are becoming hotter and wider, encompassing more area. This has increased the area midges and mosquitoes thrive in, allowing the virus to spread out of Brazil and into countries like Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Cuba, and Ecuador, to name a few. So far this year, over 8,000 cases have been reported, the majority of which were located in Brazil. Two people have also died to the virus, which can have severe effects in rare situations.

Should we be worried? The answer is, not yet. 21 people have been confirmed to have the Oropouche virus in the United States after returning from travels to Cuba, and numerous cases have been reported across Europe as well. However, the virus is not very contagious, only spreading through mosquito bites, and usually does not have severe effects on the body, apart from regular flu-like symptoms.

Both of the top contenders for the US Open Men's Singles title this year have exited in major upsets, and one of the biggest contenders for the Women's Singles title is also out.

We have had a riveting US Open this year, with the longest match in the tournament since 1970 and some huge upsets in the first few rounds.

First, women's renowned singles player Naomi Osaka from Japan lost out in a tough match against the Czech Republic's Karolína Muchová on Thursday. She lost the first set 3-6 and then missed out on some crucial shots in the second set, allowing Muchová to take the win in a tiebreaker-- the final set score was 7-6 (5).

On the same day, Spain's top-rated Carlos Alcaraz lost to the Netherlands' Botch van de Zandschulp in straight sets-- a major upset for the four-time Grand Slam winner. He began with a loss in the first set, 1-6, but came back in the second set. Unfortunately, Alcaraz couldn't finish it off, losing the set 5-7. Then, in the third set, he was beaten again, losing 4-6, resulting in a surprising win for Zandschulp.

Then, last night, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic lost an intense match against Australia's Alexei Popyrin, twisting up the predictions for the tournament once again. Popyrin took the first two sets, 6-4, 6-4, but Djokovic came back to win the third set 6-2. It came down to the wire in the last set, but Popyrin managed to win it all by winning the fourth set 6-4, confirming his spot in the Round of 16.

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Avatar is the highest-grossing movie of all time, making a staggering $2.92 billion at the box office.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. (Marcel Proust)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Mise-en-scène (noun)- Mise-en-scène can refer to the setting of a play, movie, etc., or it can refer to the physical or social setting in which something real occurs or develops.

In a Sentence: The mise-en-scène is spare, comprising only a table and two chairs under a low-hanging light.