The earliest signs of alkaptonuria are often subtle and harmless, like a diaper stained black. However, over the years, this rare genetic disease can lead to a lifetime of surgery. Now, after 20 years of research, a not-so-new drug can offer relief for thousands of patients worldwide.
The disease, also known as AKU, prevents the breakdown of a chemical called homogentisic acid in the body. The kidneys help to clear this chemical and get rid of it through urine. When exposed to the air, it turns black and this is how parents usually spot the first sign of the condition in children.
Hydroxychloroquine does not reduce deaths from COVID-19, and probably does not reduce the number of people needing mechanical ventilation, state the authors of a new Cochrane Review.
Glass firm fined £80,000 after worker fell to his death through roof
Marius Andrus was carrying out snagging repairs at Pearsons Glass in Kirkdale who admitted health and safety failings
The tragedy at Pearsons Glass, Maddrell street Liverpool.
Photograph Geoff Davies. (Image: Geoff Davies)
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Merseyside hospitals staff paid millions of pounds to park at work
UNISON North West regional organiser Vicky Knight said it the Government must step in to ensure trusts scrap the charges for the duration of the pandemic and beyond
A parking sign for the Royal Liverpool Hospital.
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Dr Daniele Bryden, of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, said that the crisis in critical care was extremely serious . One in five large hospitals in England has no spare intensive care beds.
Scotland has a record number in hospital and in Northern Ireland the system is facing huge pressure as it braces for the peak.
The number of new infections announced yesterday in Scotland is 412 below the 1,753 announced on Saturday and is the lowest since December 28 – although there tend to be fewer cases recorded at the weekend.
But the number of patients continues to reach record levels – increasing daily since Christmas Day, when there were 973 people in hospital.