Levels of protective antibodies in people wane “quite rapidly” after coronavirus infection, say researchers. Antibodies are a key part of our immune defences and stop the virus from getting inside the body’s cells. The Imperial College London team found the number of people testing positive for antibodies has fallen by 26% between June and September.

They say immunity appears to be fading and there is a risk of catching the virus multiple times. The news comes as figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of Covid-19 deaths in the UK rose by 60% in the week of 16 October. The ONS figures suggest there have now been more than 60,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK. More than 350,000 people in England have taken an antibody test as part of the REACT-2 study so far. In the first round of testing, at the end of June and the beginning of July, about 60 in 1,000 people had detectable antibodies.(BBC)…[+]

A photo of a Komodo dragon facing a truck has raised concerns about a “Jurassic Park” attraction being built on an Indonesian island. The multi-million dollar site is part of the government’s plans to overhaul tourism in Komodo National Park. The viral image has sparked questions about the impact on the conservation of the famed dragons, the world’s largest lizards.

Officials said no dragons had been harmed and their safety was paramount. Komodo dragons are only found in the wild on a handful of Indonesian islands where they are estimated to have roamed for millions of years. They draw visitors from around the world and in recent years authorities have grappled with how to manage conservation and tourism in the national park.(BBC)…[+]

Protests have broken out in Philadelphia after police shot and killed a 27-year-old black man they said had been armed with a knife. The shooting happened on Monday afternoon when two officers responded to a report of a person with a weapon. Police said the officers opened fire when the man, identified as Walter Wallace, “advanced towards” them. An investigation has been opened.

Hundreds took to the streets to protest against the shooting. The protests, which began late on Monday and continued into the early hours of Tuesday, turned violent at times, the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper reported.

Images from the scene showed a police vehicle set on fire. There were also reports of looting. Some 30 officers were injured, most of them from being struck by objects such as bricks and stones, according to preliminary information from police cited by the Associated Press (AP) news agency.(BBC)…[+]