More than two million households are preparing to spend winter without central heating, as rising energy bills force families into drastic decisions. The number taking this step has surged by nearly a quarter in just one year, leaving millions braced for a cold winter ahead. Experts warn the scale of the heating switch-off poses a significant health risk that could define the cost-of-living crisis this winter.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Sunday reported the first human case in the US of travel-associated New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, from an outbreak-affected country. The case, investigated by the Maryland department of health and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was confirmed by the CDC as New World screwworm on 4 August and involved a patient who returned from travel to El Salvador, HHS spokesperson Andrew G Nixon said in an email to Reuters.
The contamination traces back to the Manhattan Project, the US-led World War II research and development effort that produced the first atomic bombs. Much of the radioactive material was improperly stored, leaving it exposed to wind and rain for decades. Over time, the waste spread into nearby Coldwater Creek, and a 2025 study found that individuals who lived near the creek during childhood face an increased risk of cancer from prolonged exposure to the contaminated water.