“Content should be organic, factual and captivating.”

Your toilet has a lot to say about you— including if you have COVID-19

By Megan McNeilPublished: May. 14, 2020 at 5:43 PM MDT|Updated: May. 14, 2020 at 5:44 PM MDT

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – The University of Arizona is tracking the novel coronavirus in our community, and around North America and the method gets personal.

Director of the University of Arizona West Center, Dr. Ian Pepper and his team are taking samples of sewage water twice a week from a wastewater treatment plant in Tucson and several others from around the country and in Canada. The samples are mailed to the UArizona lab to be screened and tested for COVID-19.

“It really answers the question, is the virus in that given community?” said Pepper.

Studies have shown viruses can be detected in wastewater two-to-three weeks before many patients are diagnosed. People shed viruses this way and it’s an easy, quick way to get a general idea of the kind of presence a virus has in an area.

“Sewage surveillance is a leading indicator as opposed to deaths, that’s a lagging indicator. That’s the last thing you see,” said Pepper.

The researchers are not yet able to tell exactly how many people have a virus, like COVID-19, from the sewage water samples, but can see if things like social distancing are working by tracing the virus levels found in samples. The group has been collecting wastewater samples in Tucson since mid-March.

“We’ve seen concentrations increase, we’ve seen them stabilize and more recently we’ve seen them decrease, which is a good thing,” said Pepper.

They have found traces of COVID-19 in storm water in New York this way, and will use it when students return in the fall. Sampling sewage from dorms, researchers said they will be able to tell if even one person is positive for COVID—even if they aren’t showing symptoms. This will be part of a plan from the University to combat COVID-19 as students move back in the fall, which includes temperature checks, COVID testing and antibody testing.

Pepper said tracing sewage water can be one of the first methods to detect a resurgence in the virus. He said the method is so accurate, it can pick up a single positive case in a group of 10,000.

https://www.kold.com/2020/05/14/your-toilet-has-lot-say-about-you-including-if-you-have-covid-/

Red Cross sees lowest blood supply in a decade

By Megan McNeil

Published: Oct. 29, 2021 at 6:36 PM MDT

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) -The American Red Cross is again asking for help, as the blood shortage continues to worsen. Now, their blood supplies are at their lowest point in a decade.

“This is something I can do that can make a huge difference in a life,” said Jessie Hansen, a former nurse who was donating blood on Friday.

Hansen has donated regularly for a few years. While her Friday appointment may have been normal, the need for blood is exceptional.

“I know there’s a huge shortage, I do it anyway, but certainly now it’s critical,” she said.

A shortage of blood has been lingering for months. It’s the last call from the Red Cross, when their national stores were at their lowest in six years, turned up many donors, but not enough. Supplies now at their lowest in ten years.

“We’ve actually been experiencing it for about the last month. Different reasons why we’re maybe experiencing it, we’ve seen COVID surges in certain areas, school is back in session…we’ve seen a drop in donor turnout,” said Courtney Slanaker, the head of the Southern Arizona chapter of the American Red Cross.

Donors of all blood types, especially type O are in critical need, but, platelets and plasma supplies are strained too. Several reasons are likely the culpri: COVID-19 surges continuing, society being occupied by school and holidays and plasma donations suffering because of border closures. For Southern Arizona alone, the Red Cross said they need 35 people a day through at least the rest of the year donating platelets to stock their shelves again, but nationally for blood, there’s still a cry for help.

“Right now, in order to curb the shortage, we need an additional ten thousand units, so ten thousand people donating blood,” said Slanaker.

That’s ten thousand people every day needed across the nation. The local chapter of the American Red Cross is giving out $10 amazon gift cards for donors who give November 1-23, and those who donate from the 1-12 will be entered to win a trip for two to Hawaii.

Here are the upcoming opportunities to donate:

Cochise County

Douglas

11/10/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Douglas Fire Department, 1400 E 10th St.

….

https://www.kold.com/2021/10/30/red-cross-sees-lowest-blood-supply-decade/

University of Arizona welcomes delivery rovers to campus

By Megan McNeil

Published: Nov. 30, 2021 at 7:16 PM MST

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – It’s the way of the future on the University of Arizona campus. Food delivery rovers are now bringing students their snacks and meals.

“If we can take rovers onto Mars, why can’t we just use little rovers here on campus to deliver food,” said Mari John, student union at UA.

It’s nameless and faceless, but cute nonetheless.

“They’re about the size of a small suitcase, and they essentially drive about 5 mph from point A to point B,” said Toby Snuggs of Yandex Self-Driving Group. “So, so exciting. They’re really cute, and they’re just a fun way for students to receive their orders.”

They’re basically a mini self-driving car. Loaded up with food ordered from Grubhub, then they’re on their way within the main campus to deliver a good meal. They’re surrounded with sensors and radars, pausing if anything gets too close. They’ll head out on pre-mapped sidewalks and pathways within the main campus—totally autonomously, but there is a backup plan in case something happens.

“The remote operator can take that over and operate it. These rovers are actually designed to run basically autonomously all the time, and they’re designed to go off-map, off these pre-mapped areas, but it’s much more efficient if they do operate in these pre-mapped areas,” said Snuggs.

It’s a cool technology, but one needed more and more in today’s day in age. More people are demanding delivery, and as the pandemic still spreads, it’s a way for people—especially those in quarantine—to get food right at their door.

“Quite frankly, there aren’t enough human couriers really to meet that delivery demand,” said Snuggs.

“Now, these rovers can bring food to them wherever they might be,” said John.

So next time you’re on campus, watch out for these hardworking robots. UArizona is only one of two campuses in the US with the Yandex self-driving rovers. Right now, they don’t cross any major streets and stay within the heart of the main campus. The university said they are in talks with the city to see if they can eventually rover a little farther.

https://www.kold.com/2021/12/01/uarizona-welcomes-delivery-rovers-campus/

Maggots stave off surgery for Tucson woman

By Megan McNeil

Published: Oct. 14, 2021 at 5:46 PM MDT

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – It’s the spooky season for creepy crawlies, but maggots? Tucson Medical Center recently used them to help keep a patient from having surgery. It’s a method that could be used more.

“She had wounds on both sides of both ankles, very severe wounds, and she had several medical conditions that make her immunocompromised,” said Dr. Erika Huston, a podiatrist on-call at TMC.

Dr. Huston and nurse practitioner, Ashlee Garcia, treated a woman who had infections in her leg wounds, and actually came in with live maggots on one of them, giving the medical team an idea.

“My original plan was to take her to surgery to clean out and remove the maggots and all the dead tissue,” said Dr. Huston. “(I) took the dressing off the next day, and the maggots had cleaned the wound significantly…so I said, ‘let’s see if we can do that while she’s here.’”

“With the maggots, they’re very selective. So, they only eat the dead tissue and the wound essentially stays about the same size,” said Ashlee Garcia, wound care nurse practitioner.

By ordering and carefully putting medical maggots, meaning maggots raised in a sterile environment, on the patient, the patients injuries didn’t grow or get worse, they got better.

“They often don’t need to go to surgery because the maggots have already done my job for me,” said Dr. Huston.

The maggots are carefully placed and left for about two days, during which time they eat the dead tissue. It’s a practice that is well known, but not used too frequently. It had been about 15 years since TMC had ordered and used maggots on a patient. The largest hurdle, often, is patient hesitancy to use the maggots on their wounds.

“I would say at minimum (they) double in size over the 48 hours” said Garcia. “She was very open to it, she didn’t mind so much, she didn’t want to watch the process, but she was really okay with the concept.”

The patient had an antibiotic IV to help with infections, and the medical team urges people to NOT try and treat wounds with maggots themselves.

“The free-range maggots, as we call, them are not sterile, you do not want to stick your foot out and hope a fly lands on it…it’s not sanitary,” said Dr. Huston.

The patient has since been discharged and is finishing the last bit of recovery at home. It’s a process this team hopes they may be able to use more, giving patients a quicker recovery time and avoiding surgery.

https://www.kold.com/2021/10/14/maggots-stave-off-surgery-tucson-woman/

60,000 people expected to fly through Tucson this week

By Megan McNeil

Published: Nov. 24, 2021 at 5:57 PM MST

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – The busiest travel day of the year is here. Millions of people took to the skies on Wednesday, Nov. 24 to head home for Thanksgiving. It’s a big bump in passengers from what airlines saw last year, but it’s still down from normal.

The Tucson International Airport expects more than 60,000 passengers to be arriving or departing Thanksgiving week. That is about 50% more people than in 2020.

On Wednesday, many hugged and embraced for the first time in at least a year, if not longer.

“I’m just so thrilled everybody could come and visit. They live so far away, and we have this opportunity to be together for the holidays, it’s always a lot of fun,” said Charlie Ybarra, picked up his son. “Definitely, definitely, love seeing their smiling faces…and give them big hugs.”

Ybarra said the family did not get together in 2020 due to the pandemic. This year is extra sweet for them, being able to see each other and spend time together. His son, Tomaz Ybarra, said the airports were not as crowded as he had anticipated.

“I honestly had less to deal with as far as security than when I flew out to San Diego two months ago in the middle of the week. Kind of surprising for the day before Thanksgiving,” said Tomaz.

Nationwide, about 9% fewer people will be flying this year than in 2019. The Tucson International Airport expects about a 3% drop from 2019. Even with fewer people, holiday travel and crowds can be frustrating and put more folks on edge.

“What we’re telling people is to pack your patience when you come to the airport. You will see lines and really full airplanes. We’re expecting all of our flights around this thanksgiving holiday to be 100% full,” said Bruce Goetz, COO Tucson Airport Authority.

Goetz reminds people that masks are required, regardless of vaccination status, in all parts of the airports and planes.

https://www.kold.com/2021/11/25/60000-people-expected-fly-through-tucson-this-week/