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Briefs News

World in Brief: COVID19, fatal shooting, Strom Dennis and Sanders wins New Hampshire

Health experts from all over the globe gathered in Beijing last Sunday to discuss the Coronavirus, newly named COVID19. The experts from the World Health Organization were rushed as the death tolls and numbers of infected people drastically rose in the last week, reported the Agence France Presse. On Monday, there were 1,770 casualties in mainland China and 71,000 infected globally. Meanwhile, Canadians who repatriated last week and are currently in quarantine in CFB Trenton, are reportedly healthy and are expected to leave the military base on their anticipated departure date, reported Global News.

A 28-year-old man died and four were injured last Sunday in a fatal shooting in Hartford, Connecticut. Police had been dispatched in front of the nightclub where the shooting happened following previous disturbances, reported the Associated Press. Police were able to provide immediate medical assistance. Surrounding streets were closed until 7 a.m. on Sunday. Investigations are ongoing.

Storm Dennis continues to damage the UK with heavy rains and flooding. The nontropical cyclone has been devastating England over the weekend. It has been described as a historical bomb cycle as it brought a month’s worth of rain to parts of Wales in just 48 hours, reported CTV. More than 200 flood warnings have since been issued, a record number for the country. The damage caused by the storm could have been reduced if the area hadn’t been from trying to recover from last week’s Storm Ciara, which left eight people dead across Europe.

Bernie Sanders becomes frontrunner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination after winning the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 10. Official results came out on Wednesday morning, putting Sanders ahead of Pete Buttigieg with 25.7 per cent of the votes over 24.4 per cent. The victory was declared “the beginning of the end for Donald Trump” by Sanders’ team, believing they now have momentum. Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren came fourth while Joe Biden barely secured the fifth position with 8.4 per cent of the voters’ support.

 

Graphic by @sundaeghost

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News

Simply Scientific: Viruses

The Coronavirus is a family of viruses that produce symptoms which can range from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS.

With the recent outbreak around the world originating in Wuhan, China, the World Health Organization (WHO) began working on ways to minimize its spread. But how exactly does this virus function?

Viruses are interesting in that they are both considered living and non-living things, according to different experts. Why? Because they are not made of cells, but they have the interesting ability to replicate.

Viruses are shaped like spiky tennis balls. The “body” is called a virion with proteins (spikes) on its surface that dictate how the virus will affect someone. Depending on the shape of the spikes, the viruses can connect to cells from different parts of the body. In the case of the Coronavirus, it attaches itself to lung cells––resulting in pneumonia-like symptoms.

When this happens, the virus binds itself to receptors on the cells and hijacks them to override their DNA reproduction process. The virus sends in its genetic information to be duplicated by the cell’s ribosomes––which are the DNA’s reproductive machines. The cell becomes a reproductive hub for the virus.

Once the new virus  is big enough, it begins exiting the cell’s membrane, usually killing its host in the process. Its next destination? Other cells to replicate again and again. Wonderful! You’re now a virus- making organism.

But your body is not dumb. Au contraire, when your cells start dying and degrading, your body immediately senses this and triggers an immune response. Ever heard of a fever, runny nose, cough, chills? Those are not actually triggered by the virus, but in fact your body’s response to its invader! Now you can blame your own body for having to drink gross tasting cough syrup.

Eventually you get over your symptoms and get rid of the virus. However, it is too soon to say what will happen with the Coronavirus as the WHO is still researching the outbreak. For more information on how to protect yourself against the Coronavirus, visit the WHO website.

 

Graphic by @sundaeghost

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Logic – Supermarket

Supermarket is not only the worst album of Logic’s career, but the worst album I’ve heard in years. This awful excuse of a project inhibits all the bad habits Logic has been pushing since his mediocre third album, Everybody. Gone are the quickfire verses and boom-bap beats that he mastered early. Instead, Logic trades his rapping for bad singing and lyrics corny enough to make Hopsin seem like Tupac. This isn’t a rap album—it’s a pop-crossover travesty. Listening to it was a more difficult experience than trying to beat a Dark Souls game blindfolded. Don’t listen to it. I did, and I think the world deserves better.

1/10

Trial Track: “Baby”

Star Bar: “Come get me, but don’t hit me / I smoke weed, so I’m trippy / Get litty, get gritty / Rick Sanchez, get schwifty”

– Logic on “Lemon Drop”

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