The
OLIVE PRESS
Mijas Costa FREE
SUFFERER: Of hypertrichosis
Howler!
CASES of ‘werewolf syndrome’ have grown after 16 children were given contaminated medication on the Costa del Sol. Infants developed hypertrichosis - excessive body hair growth - after taking omeprazole which had been contaminated by minoxidil – the active ingredient for alopecia medication. Some 13 babies had initially been diagnosed with the condition before three more cases linked to the tainted drugs were discovered earlier this month. Officials believe the contamination could have affected up to 30 Andalucian pharmacies and more than 50 batches of the drug. Malaga-based pharmaceutical company Farma-Quimica Sur SL has been found to be the source of the batch. The affected batch is from lot 11072/10/42 and most have been recalled while any missing packets are being tracked down. Parents have been advised to seek medical help if their child has been given the formula and check with their pharmacy if they have purchased an affected lot. Hypertrichosis, known as ‘werewolf syndrome’, is a rare condition characterised by excessive hair growth anywhere on a person’s body. Those with the condition have historically been subject to great interest and in somes cases forced to perform in travelling circuses and freak shows. Spanish authorities have said this incident is isolated to children’s formula and that adults taking omeprazole capsules should not worry about developing symptoms. When the children stopped taking the prescription their hair growth subsided. Opinion Page 6
Still a be-leaver! Your expat
voice in Spain
Vol. 13 Issue 325 www.theolivepress.es August 28th - September 10th 2019
The British expats who are proBrexit and proud SEE PAGE 7
TWIST OF FATE Spain battered by tornadoes and hail in series of weather phenomenons
CHAOTIC: (Top right) tornado in Malaga which killed dozens of goats and (right) lightning strikes across eastern Spain while (above left) cars swept by rapids south east of Madrid and (above right) a huge hailstone which fell in the Castilla La Mancha region TORNADOES, rivers of hail and ferocious storms have struck across Spain this week in a series of frightening weather incidents. Campillos in Malaga saw several huge tornadoes destroy power lines and uproot olive trees, causing blackouts and warnings to residents to stay in their homes. Some 70 goats were killed and at least
six warehouses destroyed. The weather phenomenon was caused by colliding winds, a process known as DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos). This is similar to the famous gota fria - or cold drop - according to local meteorologist Jose Luis Escudero. It came as the streets of Arganda, near Madrid, were turned into ferocious
rapids after 40 litres of hail fell per square metre in just 10 minutes. Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET recorded more than 9,300 lightning strikes in six hours. The hail storm caused serious flooding in several villages south east of the capital, with Arganda, Valdemoro and Pinto among the worst hit. Parts of the M40 and M30 motorways were cut off while lines 5 and 9 of the metro were also affected. According to meteorologist Benito Fuentes, strong storms are common in August. “The rain has been fairly heavy but it is not unusual for this time of the year. At the end of summer, the atmosphere is unstable, which causes air streams to collide. This leads to quite strong rainfall and storms,” he said.
At least 50 vehicles were damaged in Arganda alone while several vineyards were also completely destroyed. Residents, who had been sweltering in temperatures close to 38C the day before, were forced to shovel hail out of their homes and businesses. “The storm started around 6pm and only lasted about 10 minutes but has caused a disaster,” one local said. “I have been living here for 20 years and have never seen anything like it.” One shop owner says his premises looks like it has taken a tonne of hail and said there are scenes of chaos as businesses are totally flooded. Meanwhile, Valencia saw a huge storm light up the skies last night while its whole coast has been placed on orange alert for strong winds and rain. The Balearics too, were struck by August downpours yesterday, causing severe flooding in Mallorca and Ibiza - the latter of which saw sewage pipes burst, sending human waste into the Port of Ibiza.
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