COVID drug for cats and why people in the UK are against a solar park

The government in Cyprus has approved the use of Molnupiravir, a drug against COVID-19, to be used in cats after a viral outbreak has killed thousands of felines in the country.

Coronavirus in cats is an intestinal infection that affects the epithelial cells or the lining of the small and large intestines. It is therefore known as Feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). The infection which spreads through contact with cat feces has been known since 1963.

Sometimes though, the virus acquires mutations that give it the ability to infect enterocytes or the absorptive layers of the intestine. The condition is called feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which has been known to be incurable and hence often lethal.

The Mediterranean island has seen a spike in Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus (FIPV) cases since the beginning of this year and the veterinarian association of the country petitioned the government to make Molnupiravir accessible at reasonable cost.

Recently, the government approved the sale of the drug at 2.5 euros a pill, which is estimated to help 85 percent of the cases of the illness and return cats to good health.

Neither FECV nor FIPV are related to COVID-19 and cannot infect humans either.

Why people in the UK are against a solar park

A nearly 50 MW solar farm planned between the counties of Suffolk and Essex in the UK is facing some resistance from residents of the area. The solar park could generate enough energy to power 12,500 homes with clean electricity but residents are not convinced.

The establishment of the solar park requires an area of 120 acres of land, most of which is arable. Another 22 MW solar farm was approved in Essex in 2020 and six other farms are in the pipeline in the same area.

Residents in the area who are largely farmers are opposed to the plans since projects are expected to last 40 years and could take another 40 years for the land to be arable again.

They are recommending the use of car parks, highway embankments, roof tops and other brownfield sites in the area to harness solar power, instead of "plastering the countryside with plastic panels".

Do you agree with the farmer's point of view? Let me know in the comments section below.

Pokkali Rice: An Age-Old Crop Facing Modern-Day Challenges

A similar situation persists in the southern state of Kerala in India, where the government is asking farmers to cultivate fish in their fields, which have for generations grown a local variety of rice that is not just nutritious but environmentally resilient too.

Switching to fish culture, while economically beneficial takes the farmers away from its local customs and culture, while also leaving lesser land for the cultivation of the rice variety which is not only saltwater tolerant but also naturally pest repellent.

Read more about this conundrum in this post on our blog.

As always, please do share this newsletter with your friends who would also like to know more about the world of science.

Until next time,

Ameya