News Brief: Feb 27 – March 3

Overview

Canadian Family Takes World Tour Before Children Lose Their Vision

Person Dies of Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba in Florida

Aftermath of Sunday’s Tornadoes

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International

Canadian Family Takes World Tour Before Children Lose Their Vision

Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare genetic condition which causes a loss or decline in vision over time. Three children of Montreal residents Edith Lemay and Sebastien Pelletier were diagnosed, while their fourth was given the all-clear.

“There’s nothing you can really do,” Lemay said when explaining the lack of cure or effective treatment to slow down the progression of retinitis pigmentosa. “We don’t know how fast it’s going to go, but we expect them to be completely blind by mid-life.”

Amid navigating the complications and helping their children build skills necessary for later in life, a specialist gave a suggestion: engross them with visual memories while they can.

“I thought, ‘I’m not going to show them an elephant in a book, I’m going to take them to see a real elephant,” Edith said. “I’m going to fill their visual memories with the best, most beautiful images I can.”

The couple slowly saved money to travel the globe with their kids for an entire year. A global pandemic delayed their plans previously, but in March 2022, they began their journey, which can be read about here.

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National

Person Dies of Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba in Florida

Though infections in winter months are rare according to the CDC, an unidentified individual in Florida has died from a rare brain-eating amoeba.

Cases are almost always deadly: only four of the 154 people infected in the United States since 1962 have survived. Infections are most often contracted through the nose, as stomach acid is strong enough to kill the organism, making it safe enough to drink.

Officials suspect the individual used untreated tap water to rinse their sinuses. The CDC recommends sterile, distilled, or boiled and cooled tap water for safe practices. While officials investigate this case, it is advisable to avoid water-sinus contact while swimming, bathing or showering.

For more information, click here.

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Local

Aftermath of Sunday’s Tornadoes

The aftermath of the storm on Sunday, Feb. 26, left one dead, 15 hurt and numerous houses damaged.  One tornado went through Tuttle and Mustang. Another was spotted in Shawnee, narrowly missing the mall according to officials. In Cheyenne, a 62-year-old died when yet another twister formed that evening.

A tornado also touched down in Norman, where David Stanley resided.

“The windows exploded in the house, the garage door came off;, we’ve got holes in the roof,” Stanley said. “We’ve got glass everywhere inside.”

In total, there were nine confirmed tornadoes, the most in February Oklahoma ever. February tornadoes are rare in general, these being the first in over a decade. However, the right conditions were created, as a line of severe thunderstorms spanning hundreds of miles coupled with hurricane-force gusts of winds swept down the plains, peaking at a 114 mph gust in Memphis, Texas.

Click here to read more.