Advertisement
Thursday, May 7, 2026
A tornado watch has been issued covering 16 Florida counties, with residents warned to prepare for dangerous conditions. Forecasters expect heavy rain and hail to accompany the threat.
Sources: The Gainesville Sun
Hantavirus has been found in rats native to Florida, prompting public health attention amid a broader international outbreak linked to a cruise ship off South Africa. The viruses are primarily spread from rodents to humans, and a University of Florida molecular genetics researcher notes there is no solid evidence of person-to-person transmission for most strains. UF’s Safder Ganaie, who studies hantaviruses and therapeutic responses at the cellular level, is among the experts offering guidance on symptoms, transmission, and protective measures.
Sources: UF News · The Gainesville Sun
A brush fire burning south of Hawthorne has grown to nearly 1,000 acres and reached 50 percent containment as Florida Forest Service crews work around the clock to control the blaze. Firefighters have been conducting controlled burns to reduce available fuel, a tactic that sent ash drifting over East Gainesville and the town of Waldo. County Road 325, which had been closed during earlier stages of the fire, has since reopened.
Sources: Mainstreet Daily News · The Gainesville Sun · WCJB TV20 · WUFT News
University of Florida biologist David Duffy led research showing that a single water sample can simultaneously identify DNA from animals, plants, fungi, and human waste, providing a rapid portrait of ecosystem health. The technique detected the deadly amphibian fungus B. dendrobatidis in Ireland for the first time, revealing a previously unknown threat to the country’s frog population. The same method also tracked sewage pollution over time, capturing a measurable decline in human waste after a new wastewater treatment facility began operating.
Sources: UF News
In Brief
Advertisement