Bird flu in humans is very rare but it can be serious or even deadly. The United States reported its first bird-flu related death in January 2025. Now a human case of bird flu has been detected in England, someone from from the West Midlands who was infected on a farm where they had close, long-term contact with a lot of infected birds. On the bright side they're being cared for in a 'High Consequence Infectious Disease' or HCID unit, and they're not too ill. A national Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) came into force for the whole of England and Scotland at noon on Saturday in a bid to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and other captive birds. As of 26th January 2025 it's a legal requirement for every keeper of birds in Scotland and England to follow strict rules to protect their flocks from avian flu , including keeping birds indoors. The birds that passed the infection on had the DI.2 genotype of bird flu, just one of the viruses circulating in birds in the UK this winter. It's not the same as the strains circulating in both mammals and birds in the USA. The strains that can infect humans in the UK include A(H5N1) and A(H7N9), while H5N1 was the strain responsible for the first US bird flu fatality. The human case was found after the UK's Animal and Plant Health Agency found the H5N1 outbreak in a flock of birds, then monitored the people who'd been in close contact with the infected birds, in other words those who are most likely to be infected by it. While there's no evidence of onward transmission from the latest human case, it's important not to touch sick or dead birds – and vital to follow Defra's guidance over reporting suspected avian flu cases. Bird flu is spread by close contact with an infected bird, alive or dead, including touching a dead bird, bird poo or bird bedding, by killing an infected bird or preparing it for cooking. You can’t catch bird flu by eating properly-cooked poultry or eggs, even when there's an outbreak of bird flu. So far there hasn't been a single documented case of human-to-human transmission of bird flu in the UK or EU, though has occasionally happened abroad. Bird flu symptoms usually turn up 3-5 days after exposure and infection, and can include a very high temperature, shivers and aches, a headache, cough or shortness of breath, maybe sickness and diarrhoea, stomach and chest pain, nose and gum bleeds and conjunctivitis. With only seven cases identified in the UK since 2021, the UKHSA says the risk to the public remains 'very low'. It's good to know the UK is prepared and ready to respond, having added the H5 vaccine, which protects against bird flu, to the nation's stockpile. How our UVC units kill pathogens Our proven UVC Cleaning Systems reduce the infections and illnesses caused by bacteria, viruses, moulds and other pathogens thanks to equipment that delivers the highest level of quality for multiple applications. Harnessing UVC light at a specific wavelength that destroys the RNA inside pathogens fast, leaving them unable to multiply and making our lights the ultimate environmental disinfectant. Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation and UVC Disinfection Treatments are regulated by the USA's notoriously fussy Environmental Protection Agency, proven as an effective non chemical pesticide, and have been used safely and effectively in UK healthcare settings for decades. Labs using flow hoods for working with pathogens, for example, often have built-in UV lights to kill bacteria or viruses when the hoods aren't being used. Unlike some units whose surface can reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit, ours run on LED bulbs, which means they can't become dangerously hot. So ours don't need internal thermostats and electric cooling fans to keep the equipment at the right operating temperature, which brings the cost down and keeps things simple. Our Direct Fixed Units automatically disinfect the air and surfaces whenever the space is unoccupied, significantly reducing the spread of illnesses. Our Upper Air Germicidal Units are perfect for continuous disinfection when people are present, for example a medical setting or a bird farm. We install the units above peoples heads to stop cross-contamination by viruses and germs by sharply reducing the overall viral load in the air. These Upper Air Germicidal Units mean clean air is the standard, not the exception. Our lights are easy to install, inexpensive to buy and run, and multiple studies suggest it's a safe way to prevent any virus from transmitting, including covid, flu, avian flu, measles, potential future pandemic viruses and new infectious viruses yet to emerge. There's no reason why it won't also kill avian flu in all its various variants, because it is a virus like any other. Let's talk about keeping your business bird flu-safe Antiviral drugs can prevent complications and reduce the risk of becoming seriously ill – but the best cure of all is prevention. If you'd like to keep your business safe from the spread of all sorts of horrible human-to-human viruses, we'll be pleased to explain the tech to you, and provide a no-obligation quote.

We already know Far-UVC light at 222nm is safe for people's eyes in the shorter term, unlike other UV light wavelengths. Now a three year research project has proved its safety in the long term, with an excellent ocular safety record over 36 months. It looks like the light has no adverse effects at all on vision, eye health or overall eye safety, even following years of exposure. Here's the science, translated into plain language for you. About Far-UVC ultraviolet light UVC decontamination has been used for decades in hospitals, ambulances and waiting rooms, all of which must be continually disinfected. While regular UVC light at 254 nm ( Fluorescent Tubes) is too dangerous for people to be in, 222 nm Far-UVC light delivers continual decontamination perfectly safely with people present, as shown by the long term research we're talking about. Far-UVC has a wavelength of 222 nm, proven to deactivate microorganisms quickly by destroying their RNA. It doesn't get past the outer layer of human skin, or the eye's cornea, both of which the body renews automatically and continually. And that makes it unique when used within the safe limits identified by science. As the new 3 year study reveals, it is perfect for decontaminating occupied spaces. While studies lasting for shorter times have already proved its safety, it is great to know that three years of exposure to Far-UVC light, even when someone is exposed to it every day, is officially deemed harmless. Unless you're a pathogen, of course, in which case... you're dead! About the science The three year test took place in real-world conditions, in an ophthalmology examination room fitted with 222 nm Far-UVC lamps. Four ophthalmologists worked in the room, carefully observed and tested regularly for eye health. The scientists running the study measured visual acuity, the ability to see details at a certain distance, refractive error which makes it hard to see clearly, and overall corneal health. The results were clear and consistent: the safety of 222 nm Far-UVC light for prolonged use in occupied spaces is proven, with no changes in visual acuity, refractive error, cornea health or overall eye health. There were no abnormalities or significant changes, no long term side effects, and no delayed problems turned up afterwards. Why is 222 nm Far-UVC safe for eyes and skin? 222 nm UVC is safe because it can't penetrate the eye or skin, unlike other UVC wavelengths which can cause damage by going a lot deeper. It only touches the outermost layers, which renew naturally after 24-48 hours anyway so there's never any lasting damage. Significant benefits for healthcare settings and patients UVC disinfection tech has already revolutionised decontamination in healthcare settings, being clean, low cost, very low maintenance and highly effective. In hospitals it cuts the risk of healthcare-associated infections. When used alongside normal manual cleaning it dramatically decreases harmful pathogens on high-touch surfaces. In ambulances UVC keeps things safe and sterile, constantly decontaminating the air and the surfaces it touches. In waiting rooms it kills airborne bacteria and viruses, cutting the risk of illnesses spreading a lot better than traditional ventilation. Because it also kills moulds it delivers better air quality to help protect the vulnerable. As you can imagine there are also excellent cost benefits. It cuts the time staff members are off sick and lowers infection rates in patients, providing better outcomes for patients as well as higher operational efficiency. In fact, during the covid pandemic, it was estimated to save around €3.3 million for just one large healthcare premises. Improve productivity, reduce sick days & keep employees happy The results of the study reinforce UVC's role as an excellent solution for continuous decontamination in real-world healthcare contexts, but also for other businesses of every shape, size and flavour. If you want to keep your employees healthy, lose less time to sick days, protect visitors, customers, suppliers and anyone else who enters the premises, our affordable units blend effectiveness and safety to deliver better infection control than any other decontamination technique. Fit FAR-UVC in your business and feel the benefits Less time off sick, better productivity, an intact supply chain at your place and a workforce that knows you genuinely care about their health – that's what our units do for businesses. If you'd like to know more, get in touch.

There's been a flurry of media interest about new, current and evolving viruses for 2025, including some disturbing reports about bird flu in Canada, Mongolia and the USA. In this post we take a look at the viral health threats we may face in 2025, and reveal how to stay safe from them. The winter norovirus season gets off to a horrible start The media reports on an '80 per cent rise' in severe illness that leaves people feeling totally wiped out, and experts are wondering whether a new antigen might be behind the surge. If so it won't be the only virus to skyrocket this winter, adding to the already heavy burden of flu, regular norovirus, RSV and Covid. There are worries that norovirus in particular might have become more severe, especially since some counties have seen a dramatic increase in norovirus infections. If the new antigen makes it easier for the virus to spread, leads to a more serious illness or both, it could explain the sharp increase in cases. So far we do know that this winter's norovirus seems to be making people more ill than usual, with some GPs seeing entire families out of action because of it and others hospitalised because of dehydration. New HMPV outbreak hits China Human Metapneumovirus is very like a common cold, with coughs and wheezes, a runny nose and a sore throat. Like the common cold, most of the time it's mild but it can be serious in small children, people with weak immune systems and those over 65. Now we're seeing a new HMPV virus outbreak in China, whose symptoms are a bit different. Social media reports from China suggest hospitals are being overwhelmed and crematoriums are full thanks to the outbreak, adding to the country's current winter outbreaks of influenza A, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Covid. Some say they're on the brink of declaring a health emergency. So far there's no vaccine for HMPV. This year's flu virus is a particularly nasty one The 2024-25 flu season is by all accounts a nasty one. One UK Health Security Agency report from late 2024 says flu had already increased compared to the previous season and was circulating at high levels. No wonder more than 4000 of us spent Christmas Day in hospital with flu, and so many others took such a long time to recover. It's partly down to the slump in flu vaccinations. During the Covid pandemic free jabs were offered to all over 50s. Now it is only available to people over 65 and those at special risk. Add the fact that vaccine uptake has dropped, with fewer than 35% of higher risk adults having their flu jab, and you can see why things are headed in an unwanted direction. Too many frontline healthcare staff have also decided not to get the jab at just under 43%, not good news for people in hospital. We need a 90% uptake for the vaccination programme to limit flu outbreaks. On the bright side the current rise isn't unprecedented, not as bad as the 2022-23 season which caused 5000 flu deaths a week in England alone. H5N1 bird flu jumps between animals and humans Scientists have been keeping a careful eye on bird flu for almost 30 years, first identified in geese during 1996. While the virus only causes mild infections in humans, classed as low pathogenic, H5N1 often kills birds so for them it is highly pathogenic. Mongolian horses are in the news for catching H5N1 bird flu, and of course humans can also catch it. We've just seen the first human death from bird flu in the USA. Luckily, so far, human bird flu is rare, usually a 'dead-end infection' because it doesn't spread from human to human. In 2021 it turned up in North America, having evolved from infecting birds to making a wide variety of mammals ill. So far it has spread to 48 species across 26 or more different countries, with massive death tolls for marine mammals as well as land creatures, being called a global pandemic for animals. A Canadian teenager who caught the disease late in 2024 became seriously ill. It turned out that H5N1 had managed to evolve enough to infect cells in her respiratory system. The same goes for the person who caught it in Louisiana, USA. Now infectious disease experts are saying the virus's continual spread is making its transformation into a 'fully human' pathogen more likely. The latest news? On January 10th San Francisco Department of Public Health said a child had caught H5N1 avian flu, origin unknown. We hope the child recovers. UVC sanitising tech does the job So what can you, as a business owner, do to keep your employees safe from these infections, protect your customers, and keep your part of the supply chain going strong? The answer is simple and reliable. Our UVC disinfection tech is affordable, simple, safe, clean, cheap to run, comes with little or no maintenance, and kills a huge list of pathogens stone dead in seconds. If you'd like to know more, get in touch.

In recent times, the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) has been making headlines due to its surge in cases, particularly in China. While HMPV is not a new virus, its recent uptick has raised concerns about respiratory illnesses. HMPV is a known respiratory virus that typically causes mild cold-like symptoms, including cough, fever, and nasal congestion. However, it can lead to more severe respiratory issues, especially in vulnerable populations such as young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Given the potential for HMPV and other viruses to spread, it's imperative for businesses to implement effective disinfection strategies to protect employees and customers. One such method is the use of UVC light technology. How UVC light works Ultraviolet C (UVC) light, with wavelengths between 200–280 nm, is known for its germicidal properties. When microorganisms are exposed to UVC light, it damages their DNA or RNA, rendering them incapable of replication and effectively neutralising them. This makes UVC light a powerful tool in disinfecting air, surfaces, and water. Beckman Laser Institute Benefits of UVC light for businesses Chemical-free disinfection: UVC light provides a non-chemical method of disinfection, reducing the reliance on potentially harmful cleaning agents. Broad-spectrum efficacy: UVC light is effective against a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and moulds. Cost-effective: While the initial investment in UVC equipment is required, it can lead to long-term savings by reducing the need for chemical disinfectants and manual cleaning efforts. Enhanced safety: Regular use of UVC light can help maintain a healthier environment, potentially reducing absenteeism due to illness. Implementing UVC light in your business To effectively incorporate UVC light into your disinfection protocols, consider the following steps: Assess your space: Evaluate the size and layout of your premises to determine the appropriate UVC equipment needed. Choose the right products: Select UVC devices that are suitable for your environment, whether it's a mobile steriliser for flexible use or ceiling-mounted units for continuous operation. Follow safety guidelines: Ensure that all UVC equipment is used according to manufacturer instructions to prevent exposure to harmful UV radiation. Integrate into routine cleaning: Incorporate UVC disinfection into your regular cleaning schedule to maintain consistent hygiene standards. By adopting UVC light technology, businesses can enhance their disinfection efforts, providing a safer environment for all. At Cooltech UVC, we offer a range of UVC sanitising solutions designed to meet the diverse needs of various industries. Our products are lab-tested and proven to achieve high kill rates against pathogens, including viruses like HMPV. Investing in UVC disinfection not only demonstrates a commitment to health and safety but also positions your business as a responsible and proactive entity in the face of emerging health threats.

UVC light is a powerful and potent killer of bacteria, viruses, spores, moulds and other pathogens, so will it also be able to help halt the spread of the new crop of diseases the WHO is warning us about for next year? Every pathogen has to be tested, of course, to see if it really can be killed by UVC light, but the signs are very good indeed. This type of light, at this special wavelength, is deadly to so many communicable diseases, it's likely to kill those on the WHO's latest hit list as well. As the festive season approaches, let's explore the risks humanity faces in 2025. 17 threats on the World Health Organization's latest vaccine development list The WHO has listed 17 disease-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites as top priorities for new vaccine development going forwards. It's the first ever study to globally assess and prioritise these common diseases based on how badly they affect our health regionally and globally. So far the focus of vaccine research has been on commerce, with profit put first. This new WHO report focuses on humanity's needs, not profit. They asked international and regional experts for their vaccine research and development priorities based on disease, deaths, their socioeconomic impact and any existing disease resistance. The resulting list reflects the needs of diverse populations across the planet, revealing ten top priority pathogens for each of the WHO’s six regions. When combined the global list contains 17 urgent common pathogens that are already endemic, already needing urgent action. Three of the most deadly, which together kill almost two and a half million of us a year, are HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, and these remain long standing priorities for vaccine research Joining the list for 2025 is Group A streptococcus, a severe infection that contributes to 280,000 deaths a year from rheumatic heart disease in poorer nations Klebsiella pneumoniae is a newbie, a bacteria associated with 790,000 deaths in 2019 alone and, in poor countries, responsible for 40% of deaths in newborns thanks to sepsis The full WHO Priority endemic pathogens list We need vaccine research for these: Group A streptococcus – UVC is already proved to kill Streptococcus faecalis ATCC29212 and Streptococcus viridans Hepatitis C virus – UVC kills both Hepatitis A HM175 and Infectious Hepatitis HIV-1 Klebsiella pneumoniae – UVC kills both Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella terrigena ATCC33257 Vaccines for these need more work: Cytomegalovirus Influenza virus (broadly protective vaccine) – UVC kills the Influenza virus Leishmania species Non-typhoidal Salmonella – UVC already kills Salmonella anatum, derby, enteritidis, infantis, paratyphi, typhosa and typhimurium Norovirus – UVC kills norovirus Plasmodium falciparum (malaria) Shigella species – UVC kills Shigella dyseteriae, flexneri, paradysenteriae, and sonnei ATCC9290 Staphylococcus aureus, which UVC kills along with Staphylococcus albus, hemolyticus, aureus phage A and lactis These vaccines are almost there, on the brink of approval, recommendation or introduction: Dengue virus Group B streptococcus – UVC kills Streptococcus faecalis ATCC29212 and Streptococcus viridans Extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli – UVC kills Escherichia coli O157:H7 CCUG 29193 and O157:H7 Mycobacterium tuberculosis Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) The extra risks posed by mass displacement With wars currently displacing millions of people, leaving them in conditions with poor hygiene, vaccines are even more important than ever. Experts say the number of people on the move is going to increase because of poverty, lack of food security, no access to basic healthcare, water shortages, climate change, environments being destroyed, and natural disasters. Refugees and migrants' health issues are made worse by a lack of hospitals, medicines and doctors plus language barriers, different cultures, discrimination, social and economic exclusion, poverty, homelessness and exploitation, all of which make disease more likely and will help spread diseases faster. Different ways for diseases to spread Pathogens are transmitted to humans in different ways, originating in different animals. The source of SARS-CoV-2, for example, is still a mystery, although bats and pangolins are probably its natural hosts. Both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV originate in bats, SARS-CoV transmitted to humans by the Palm Civet and MERS-CoV by Arabian camels. Filoviruses originate in bats before being spread to humans by wildlife. Rift Valley fever virus comes from mosquitoes, spread to humans by cows. Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus originates in ticks before being spread to humans by cows and other domestic animals. Lassa fever virus (LASV) originates in a kind of mouse, Zika virus comes from mosquitoes, Nipah comes from bats and is spread to humans via pigs, the list goes on. How does UVC disinfection help in this complex context? UVC light safely kills pathogens quickly and efficiently in the air and on every surface it touches. This makes our UVC hygiene units an excellent choice for healthcare settings, which is why it is already used by so many hospitals around the world and has been relied on for so many decades. Bring safe, clean, effective UVC hygiene to your healthcare business, food production business or any other setting where hygiene is critical and you'll enjoy low cost tech that's easy to fit, costs next to nothing to run because the light is emitted by LEDs, and contains no nasty chemicals. It's a dazzlingly good way to keep people safe from disease. PS. We'd like to wish our customers a happy, profitable and peaceful Christmas and an excellent 2025.

Our UVC Kill List is long and impressive, testament to how good UV light at this special wavelength is at killing pathogens and other infectious agents stone dead, fast. This time we’re taking a tour of two spores you really don’t want in your life: Bacillus anthracis - also known as Anthrax - and Clostridioides difficile - also called C. Diff. Protect your business with our UVC hygiene units and if either of these horrors finds its way indoors, it won’t be able to make employees ill or put your customers at risk. About Bacillus anthracis – the spore that causes anthrax Anthrax can cause severe illness in people and animals, and the bacterium that causes it lives naturally in the soil everywhere on our planet. It usually gets passed onto humans via infected animals or contaminated animal products. Maybe you breathe anthrax spores in, eat food or drink water contaminated with the spores, or it finds its way under your skin via a graze or cut. The type of illness that develops depends on how the anthrax spores get into your body in the first place: the skin, lungs, or gastrointestinal system. If left untreated, however it gets in, the illness can kill. Cutaneous Anthrax happens when the spores get into a cut or graze and under the skin, often when someone’s handling animal wool, hair or hide. This is the commonest and also the least dangerous type of infection. First you see itchy blisters or bumps, then a big swelling at the source of the infection followed by large painless circular lumps with an ugly black centre on the face, arms hands or neck. Gastrointestinal Anthrax is caught by eating raw or undercooked meat from an infected animal, and it’s relatively rare in the West. It affects the throat, oesophagus, stomach and intestines. You get fever and chills, swollen neck glands and a sore throat, which give way to hoarseness, nausea and vomiting or bloody vomit, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, a headache, red face and eyes, a painful swollen stomach and fainting spells. Inhalation Anthrax happens when you breathes anthrax spores into your lungs, the most deadly type of all and found in workplaces like mills, slaughterhouses and tanneries. It starts off in the lymph nodes in the chest then spreads to the rest of the body. You first get fever and chills, then heavy sweating followed by a painful chest and a cough or difficulties breathing. Confusion, dizziness, head and body aches, then nausea and vomiting, stomach pains and extreme exhaustion follow. Welder’s Anthrax has only just been discovered, a rare disease found in metalworkers. It causes serious pneumonia and can be fatal, kicking off with fever, chills, a sudden cough and chest pain, leading to breathing difficulties and even coughing up blood. However you catch it, anthrax can show up anything from just one day to two months after exposure, which sometimes makes it a challenge to pin down the source. About Clostridioides difficile – C. diff C. diff causes diarrhea and inflammation of the colon, and it too can be deadly. It can infect anyone of any age and mostly turns up when you've been taking antibiotics for something else. It’s the biggest cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitalised people. You’re as much as 10 times more likely to get C. diff while on antibiotics and for a month afterwards. Because antibiotics kill all bacteria, not just the dangerous ones, the worst infections are given a window of opportunity to thrive. The longer you take antibiotics the greater the risk of catching C. Diff, and people aged over 65 and those with a compromised immune system are at the most risk. The bacterium causes around 14,000 cases a year in the UK and one in six people get it for a second time 2-8 weeks later. One in eleven people die within a month of having the disease. Diarrhea, fever and a tender or painful stomach join a poor appetite and nausea to make you feel awful. In a serious case the complications include dehydration, colitis, toxic megacolon or even sepsis, which can kill. Found in excrement as well as floating around in the indoor environment, the dormant spores can last for years. Only when they get inside the intestines do they activate to cause illness. It’s treated with special antibiotics like vancomycin or fidaxomicin, taken for at least 10 days. You might have to go to hospital and if you’ve had it once, you can easily get it several more times. C. diff tends to turn up in healthcare settings like hospitals and nursing homes, which is why so many healthcare businesses already use UVC light to keep patients, staff and visitors safe. Stop worrying, start using our UVC disinfection units Low cost, easy to fit, low on energy use with little or no maintenance, our UVC units are proven to kill both of these nasties in minutes, in the air and on every surface the light touches. If your business could be affected by either disease, get in touch for an inspiring conversation about killing both of them along with a multitude more spores, bacteria, viruses and moulds.

“None of us are truly prepared unless all of us are prepared in our pursuit of global health security and resilience against future shocks.” Ebere Okereke and colleagues, British Medical Journal

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About the latest mpox outbreak