A NETFLIX star and British rapper has been charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving after a fatal crash.
Justin Clarke-Samuel, who stars in Netflix series Supacell, allegedly failed to stop after hitting a 20-year-old man in Ilford, east London, on October 18.
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British rapper Ghetts has been charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving after a fatal crashCredit: GettyBritish rapper Justin Jude Clarke-Samuels, aka Ghetts performs live on stageCredit: Getty
The 41-year-old, who goes by the name Ghetts, appeared at Stratford Magistrates’ Court on Monday, the same day the man died in hospital.
The indictment could change from causing serious injury to causing death by dangerous driving at the next hearing.
The rapper, from Woodford Green, was remanded into custody and is due to appear at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on Monday, October 27.
Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash to come forward.
The rapper has featured alongside Skepta, Stormzy and Ed Sheeran, racking up millions of hits on Spotify.
In 2024 he performed at Glastonbury. In 2008, Ghetts was nominated for a BET Award for Best International Act: UK along with Chipmunk, Giggs, and Skepta.
His music has since been played on national radio stations including BBC Radio 1, Kiss 100 and BBC Radio1Extra.
Clarke-Samuel has toured internationally with Top Bar star and fellow rapper Kano, and was a member of East London British grime group Nasty Crew.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
WASHINGTON — The Navy admiral who oversees military operations in the region where U.S. forces have been attacking alleged drug boats off Venezuela will retire in December, he and the Defense Secretary announced Thursday.
Adm. Alvin Holsey became the leader of U.S. Southern Command only in November, overseeing an area that encompasses the Caribbean Sea and waters off South America. These types of postings typically last between three and four years.
The news of Holsey’s upcoming retirement comes two days after the U.S. military’s fifth deadly strike in the Caribbean against a small boat accused of carrying drugs. The Trump administration has asserted it’s treating alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants who must be met with military force.
Frustration with the attacks has been growing on Capitol Hill. Some Republicans have been seeking more information from the White House on the legal justification and details of the strikes, while Democrats contend the strikes violate U.S. and international law.
Holsey said in a statement posted on the command’s Facebook page that it’s “been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend our Constitution for over 37 years.”
“The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so,” he said. “I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe.”
U.S. Southern Command did not provide any more information beyond the admiral’s statement.
In a post on X on Thursday afternoon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked Holsey for his “decades of service to our country, and we wish him and his family continued success and fulfillment in the years ahead.”
“Admiral Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation,” Hegseth wrote.
Officials at the Pentagon did not provide any more information and referred the Associated Press to Hegseth’s statement on social media.
The New York Times first reported on Holsey’s plans to leave his position.
Toropin and Finley write for the Associated Press.
Following the tragedy, the FA insisted that it would carry out a safety review of perimeter walls in the National League.
But officials at Wingate and Finchley have already made steps to increase safety around the pitch at the Maurice Rebak Stadium.
The Daily Mail has reported that work has been commissioned to make improvements.
The ground did comply with current regulations, but the club has now demolished the wall completely.
It follows on from a petition calling on brick walls around pitches to be banned reached over 4,000 signatures.
On the immediate review, a FA spokesperson said: “[It woudl] include looking at ways we can assist National League system clubs to identify and implement additional measures at their stadiums that they determine will help to mitigate any potential safety risks.”
Billy Vigar dead: Ex-Arsenal star dies aged just 21 after suffering ‘significant brain injury’ hitting head during match
Meanwhile, the PFA called for an investigation and demanded that players should “not be put at unnecessary and avoidable risk”.
Vigar, from Worthing, West Sussex, spent his youth career with Arsenal after joining at age 14 and signed a professional contract in July 2022.
He worked his way up to the U21 team in North London, alongside loan spells with Derby County U21 and Eastbourne.
He left the club permanently in 2024 after being unable to progress to the senior team, joining Hastings United in the Non-League Premier before his move to Chichester.
Full statement from Arsenal
Everyone at Arsenal Football Club is deeply sorry to hear of the tragic passing of Chichester City forward and former Arsenal academy player, Billy Vigar.
Billy joined our academy on schoolboy terms aged 14, after being scouted at his hometown club Hove Rivervale FC and excelled as a striker at Hale End, scoring 17 goals in his debut season.
In 2020, his performances earned him a scholarship and joined us full-time for the 2020/21 season, his intake including current players Charles Sagoe Jr, Remy Mitchell and others such as Omari Hutchinson, Charlie Patino and Brook Norton-Cuffy.
Quick, powerful and fiercely determined, his first season as a scholar was blighted by a serious hamstring injury, but he made up for it in his second, scoring four goals in 18 under-18 appearances and signed professional terms for the club at the end of that 2021/22 season.
Billy went on to appear for us in the PL2 and EFL Trophy and proved to be an asset across the forward positions and even deputised in defence – his versatility illustrating his commitment to the coaching staff and his team.
He enjoyed loan spells at Derby County and Eastbourne Borough and at the end of the 2023/24 season, headed back to his native south coast, signing for Hastings United – prior to a move to Chichester just last month.
As well as his significant talent, Billy will always be remembered for his love of the game, pride at representing our football club – he once called the day he was spotted by our scouts as ’the most Important of his life’ – and a character beloved by teammates and coaches alike.
Our deepest condolences go out to the Vigar family and his many friends at this extremely difficult time.
Charlie Kirk, an influential right-wing activist and a close ally of US President Donald Trump, wasshot dead while speaking at an event at a university in Utah.
Here is what we know.
What happened?
Kirk, 31, was speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem on 10 September, 2025 as part of his “American Comeback” tour.
He sat under a white gazebo to take questions from a crowd of about 3,000 in the university’s “quad”, an outdoor courtyard.
Footage shows the moment before Charlie Kirk is shot
At about 12:20, he is asked by a member of the crowd: “Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?”
He replies: “Too many.”
The questioner then states there had been five in 10 years and asks Kirk how many mass shootings there had been in that time.
“Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk replies.
Then a single shot is heard, which is believed to have been fired from the roof of the Losee Center, a building overlooking the quad.
Kirk then slumps in his chair with a clearly visible wound to his neck. He is bleeding profusely as his staff get him off stage.
The crowds around the tent then begin to flee, and screams can be heard.
Students flee moments after deadly shooting
What do we know about the suspect?
FBI
And image released by the FBI of a “person of interest”
No-one has been caught so far– and authorities haven’t named a suspect or their alleged motive.
But Utah’s public safety commissioner said the gunman appeared to be of “college age”, and had blended in well with other students.
Investigators have released photos of a “person of interest” and appealed for public help identifying the man pictured, who was wearing sunglasses, Converse shoes and a “distinctive” long-sleeved black top featuring an American flag and an eagle.
At a press conference on Thursday night, Utah Governor Spencer Cox also released a video of what police believe is the suspect fleeing the scene.
Watch: Officials release new video of Kirk shooting suspect fleeing the scene
A figure dressed in black is seen running across the roof of the building from where the shot was fired and jumping to the grass below, before walking towards a nearby road and a cluster of trees.
The FBI earlier said they found a high-powered firearm – an imported Mauser .30-06 bolt action rifle – wrapped in a towel in a wooded area.
Other videos, including two examined by BBC Verify, also appear to show a dark figure running across the roof of a building in the aftermath of the shooting.
Officials say a palm print and forearm imprints were also discovered, and that “a lot” of forensic evidence is being processed in federal and state laboratories.
“We are going to catch this person,” Governor Cox said on Thursday. “We’ve been working with our attorneys, getting everything that we need… ready so that we can pursue the death penalty in this case.”
Utah is one of 27 states in the US where the death penalty is legal.
Thousands of tips from members of the public have been pouring in, the largest number the FBI has received since the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, he added. More than 200 interviews have been conducted too.
Eyewitnesses at the university during the shooting have also been describing what they saw to reporters.
Witnesses describe scene before and after Charlie Kirk shot
“I heard a loud shot, a loud bang and then I saw his body actually – in slow motion – kind of fall over,” one witness said.
“We all dropped to the ground, and I want to say we sat like that for about 30 to 45 seconds, and then everyone around us got up and started running,” said Emma Pitts, a reporter from Deseret News.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Kirk was one of the most high-profile right-wing activists and media personalities in the US. He was a trusted ally of Trump, attended his inauguration and regularly visited the White House.
As an 18-year-old in 2012, he co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a student organisation that aims to spread conservative ideals at liberal-leaning US colleges.
He became known for holding open-air debates on campuses across the country, fielding quick questions in a signature “Prove Me Wrong” style.
His social media feed and daily podcast offer a snapshot of what he often debated – the issues ranged from gun rights and climate change, to faith and family values.
Kirk had many critics who saw him as a divisive figure that promoted controversial and, at times, conspiratorial beliefs such as the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump.
But he also had his fans. They credit him with playing a key role in convincing younger voters to turn out for Trump in last year’s election.
He was valued within the Trump administration for his keen understanding of the Maga movement.
What has the reaction been?
There has been shock, grief and anger across the political spectrum.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No-one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.
“He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me,” the president added, ordering that all flags be flown at half-mast across the country.
Getty Images
Kirk pictured with Trump in December at an event by TPUSA
Former US presidents have offered their condolences. Joe Biden said there was “no place in our country for this kind of violence”, while Barack Obama called the shooting a “despicable act”.
But the death has also laid bare the deep polarisations within American politics.
From the Oval Office on Wednesday night, local time, Trump said “radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people”.
Some of his allies – including Laura Loomer and Elon Musk – similarly pinned blame on the left or the Democratic Party, and called for mass arrests.
Conservative commentators have also highlighted tasteless comments by left-wing activists appearing to celebrate or condone Kirk’s death.
This has spilled out in Congress, where shouting broke out after a moment of silence for Kirk. Republican representative Anna Paulina Luna accused Democrats of spreading hateful rhetoric.
However, the comments from Trump and his allies have stirred controversy, with critics saying they neglect to acknowledge that the spate of violence is affecting left-leaning politicians too, and arguing they could heighten tensions further.
Democrats and Republicans react to Charlie Kirk shooting
Is political violence in the US increasing?
The US has experienced about 150 politically motivated attacks in the first six months of this year.
That is nearly twice as many as over the same period last year, an expert told Reuters news agency.
Mike Jensen – from the University of Maryland, which for more than 50 years has tracked political violence in a database – said the US is in a “a very, very dangerous spot right now”.
“This could absolutely serve as a kind of flashpoint that inspires more of it.”
Kirk’s murder is the latest in a string of high-profileattacks against political leaders in the US, including two attempted assassinations on Trump during his 2024 election campaign.
The president suffered an ear injury in an attempted assassination at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July.
Getty Images
Gabrielle Giffords and Nancy Pelosi, both targets of political violence themselves, have condemned the attack
In June, Minnesota’s top Democratic legislator and her husband were murdered in their home.
In 2022, the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was bludgeoned with a hammer after a man broke into the couple’s home looking for the top-ranking Democrat with the intention of taking her hostage.
Former US representative Gabby Giffords – who survived being shot in the head during a meeting with constituents in 2011 – also condemned the attack.
“Democratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence.”
Correction: An earlier version of this story said Kirk’s wife and children were present at the event. In fact this is unclear.
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, a shocking act of political violence that brought widespread condemnation.
Hours after the shooting, the suspected gunman was taken into custody, FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” President Trump said on Truth Social. “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us.”
Videos shared on social media show Kirk sitting under a white canopy, speaking to hundreds of people through a microphone, when a loud pop is heard; he suddenly falls back, blood gushing from his neck.
Before he was shot in the neck, he was asked about mass shootings.
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“Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” an audience member asks.
“Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk responds.
Almost immediately, Kirk is shot in the neck. One video shows blood pouring from the wound. As the crowd realizes what has taken place, people are heard screaming and running away.
A source familiar with the investigation told The Times that a bullet struck Kirk’s carotid artery.
Charlie Kirk speaks before his fatal shooting Wednesday at Utah Valley University.
(Tess Crowley / Deseret News / AP)
Utah Valley University police said in an alert that “a single shot was fired on campus toward a visiting speaker” and that it was investigating the shooting.
Law enforcement sources said Kirk was fatally wounded from a considerable distance, perhaps 200 yards away, by a sniper-style shot.
Videos shared on X, show an older man in handcuffs on the ground whom witnesses claimed was the gunman. The man is heard saying, “I have the right to remain silent.” In another video, police escort the man while the crowd jeers him. One woman is heard screaming, “How dare you!”
Earlier Wednesday afternoon, Trump posted a message about the incident on Truth Social.
“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” he said.
Mike Lee, a Utah senator, posted on X shortly after videos circulated online that he was “tracking the situation at Utah Valley University closely.”
“Please join me in praying for Charlie Kirk and the students gathered there,” he said.
The shooting drew immediate words of support and calls for prayers for Kirk from leading conservative politicians.
“Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father,” Vice President JD Vance posted on X.
Crowd members react after Charlie Kirk’s shooting at Utah Valley University.
(Tess Crowley / Deseret News / AP)
Leading Democrats also moved swiftly to condemn the attack.
“The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on X. “In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.”
Gabrielle Giffords, a former Arizona congresswoman who survived a political assassination attempt in 2011 and is a gun violence prevention advocate, said on X that she was horrified to hear that Kirk was shot.
“Democratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence,” she wrote.
Kirk, a conservative political activist, was in Utah for his American Comeback Tour, which held its first stop at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
The tour, as with many of his events, had drawn both supporters and protesters. Kirk’s wife and children were at the university when he was shot, Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin posted on X.
Kirk, 31, was one of the Republican Party’s most influential power brokers.
The founder of the influential conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, Kirk had a vast online reach: 1.6 million followers on Rumble, 3.8 million subscribers on YouTube, 5.2 million followers on X and 7.3 million followers on TikTok.
During the 2024 election, he rallied his online followers to support Trump, prompting conservative podcast host Megyn Kelly to say: “It’s not an understatement to say that this man is responsible for helping the Republicans win back the White House and the U.S. Senate.”
Just after Trump was elected for a second time to the presidency last November, Kirk frequently posted to social media from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where he had first-hand influence over which MAGA loyalists Trump named to his Cabinet.
Kirk was known for melding his conservative politics, nationalism and evangelical faith, casting the current political climate as a state of spiritual warfare between a righteous right wing and so-called “godless” liberals.
He declared that God was on the side of American conservatives and that there was “no separation of church and state.” And in a speech to Trump supporters in Georgia last year, he said that “the Democrat Party supports everything that God hates” and that “there is a spiritual battle happening all around us.”
Kirk was also known for his memes and college campus speaking tours meant to “own the libs.” Videos of his debates with liberal college students have racked up tens of millions of views.
Matthew Boedy, a professor of rhetoric and composition at the University of North Georgia, has written a forthcoming book about Christian nationalism that prominently features Kirk and his influence. The book, “The Seven Mountains Mandate,” comes out Sept. 30.
“Today is a tragedy,” Boedy said in an interview with The Times on Wednesday. “It is a red flag for our nation.”
Boedy said the shooting — following the two assassination attempts against Trump on the campaign trail last year — was a tragic reminder of “just how divisive we have become.”
In June, a shooter posing as a police officer fatally shot Minnesota state House Democratic leader Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home in an incident that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called “a politically motivated assassination.”
Another Democratic lawmaker, state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, were also injured at their residence less than 10 miles away.
In April, a shooter set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion, forcing Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to flee during the Jewish holiday of Passover.
In July 2024, Trump himself survived a hail of bullets, one of which grazed his ear, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa. Two months later, a man with a rifle was arrested by Secret Service agents after he was spotted amid shrubs near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago golf resort.
Kirk’s presence at the Utah campus was preceded by petitions and protests. But, Boedy noted, that was typical with his appearances.
“Charlie Kirk is, I would say, the most influential person who doesn’t work in the White House,” he said.
Boedy said Kirk reached a vast array of demographics through his radio show and social media accounts and was “in conversation with President Trump a lot.”
Kirk had said his melding in recent years of faith and politics was influenced by Rob McCoy, the pastor of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park in Ventura County. Kirk called McCoy, who often spoke at his events, his personal pastor.
Boedy said McCoy turned Kirk toward Christian nationalism, specifically the Seven Mountains Mandate — the idea that Christians should try to influence the seven pillars of cultural influence: arts and religion, business, education, family, government, media and religion.
Boedy said Kirk “turned Turning Point USA into an arm of Christian nationalism. There’s a strategy called the Seven Mountains Mandate, and he has put his TPUSA money into each of those.”
Boedy said Kirk was a vocal 2nd Amendment supporter and that the shooting likely would further the desire among his conservative followers who tout the idea of having good guys with guns “to have more guns everywhere, which is sad.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency was closely monitoring reports of the shooting.
“Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected,” he said on X. “Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”
Meanwhile, 345 miles to the east, at least three students were in critical condition following a shooting at a high school in Colorado.
The shooting happened earlier in the afternoon at Evergreen High School in Jefferson County. A fourth person may have been hurt as well. Among those injured was the shooter, who was described by authorities only as a juvenile. No other details were provided on the shooting.
Times staff writer Ana Ceballos contributed to this report.
CHICKENPOX has gained a reputation as a ‘harmless’ childhood illness that it’s best to get over with – but it could result in dangerous complications for some and may even prove fatal.
One to three-year-olds in the UK will receive the chickenpox vaccine along with themeasles, mumps and rubella(MMR) jab.
The combined vaccine will now be dubbed MMRV, as it will protect against the varicella zoster virus.
Responding to news of the chickenpox vaccine rollout in the UK, Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, from the UK Health Security Agency, said: “For some babies, young children and even adults, chickenpox can be very serious.
“It is excellent news that we will be introducing a vaccine. It could be a lifesaver.”
The news was coupled with warnings from experts that nearly one in five school-starters are not fully protected against preventable diseases – with uptake for the four-in-one diphtheria, tetanus, polio and whooping cough booster and MMR jabs having dropped again.
Chickenpox is a highly contagious infection known for its telltale itchy, spotty rash that blisters and scabs over.
But before these spots appear, the virus can also cause a high temperature, aches and pains, and loss of appetite.
Though it’s mostly known to infect children, adults can also catch chickenpox if they didn’t pick it up in childhood.
These infections tend to be more severe and adults with a varicella infection are more likely to be admitted to hospital.
How getting vaccinated protects the most vulnerable among us
Most people will recover on their own within a week or two, but the infection can be serious, even life-threatening, for some – especially if they’re very young or old, pregnant or have a weakened immune system.
The illness can result in bacterial skin infections and in rare cases, pneumonia, brain swelling and stroke.
For some, these complications can be fatal.
An average of around 20 people die of chickenpox per year, according to the Vaccine Knowledge Project at the University of Oxford.
Chickenpox spots can appear anywhere on the body – including inside the mouth and around the genitals.
They tend to develop into fluid-filled blisters, before bursting and scabbing over, which can take a few days.
The spots tend to be maddeningly itchy, so it can be hard to resist the temptation of scratching them – though soothing creams and cool baths can help.
Chickenpox symptom timeline
The main symptom of chickenpox is an itchy, spotty rash anywhere on the body.
Before or after the rash appears, you might also have:
A high temperature
Aches and pains, and generally feel unwell
Loss of appetite
Chickenpox happens in three stages, but new spots can appear while others are becoming blisters or forming a scab.
Stage 1: Spots appear
The spots can:
Be anywhere on the body, including inside the mouth and around the genitals, which can be painful
Spread or stay in a small area
Be red, pink, darker or the same colour as surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone
Be harder to see on brown and black skin
Stage 2: Spots become blisters
The spots fill with fluid and become blisters. The blisters are very itchy and may burst.
Stage 3: Blisters become scabs
The spots form a scab, some are flaky, while others leak fluid.
It usually gets better on its own after one to two weeks without needing to see a GP.
Source: NHS
Sometimes the chickenpox spots can get infected with bacteria – probably from scratching, according to healthcare provider Bupa.
Signs of a bacterial infection include a high temperature and redness and pain around the chickenpox spots.
You should seek urgent medical help if you or your child develop these symptoms.
2. Dehydration
Young children do run the risk of becoming dehydrated due to chickenpox.
For babies and kids, fewer wet nappies and peeing less can be telltale signs of dehydration.
Other signs may include:
Feeling thirsty
Dark yellow, strong-smelling pee
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Feeling tired
A dry mouth, lips and tongue
Sunken eyes
Call NHS 111 if you suspect you or your little one are dehydrated from chickenpox.
3. Pneumonia
Some people – especially adults – can develop pneumonia, inflammation of the lungs, after being infected with chickenpox.
Pneumonia is the most common chickenpox complication in adults, according to NICE.
Smokers are particularly at risk.
Symptoms of pneumonia can include:
A cough with yellow or green mucus
Shortness of breath
A high temperature
Chest pain
An aching body
Feeling very tired
Loss of appetite
Making wheezing noises when you breathe
Feeling confused
4. Brain swelling
Infection or swelling of the brain, known as encephalitis, is a rare complication of the chickenpox infection.
Professor Benedict Michael, Institute of Infection, University of Liverpool, said: “Varicella-zoster virus is the second leading cause of brain infection (or ‘encephalitis’) in the UK, which can be life-threatening.
“Early diagnosis and treatment are essential, but prevention through vaccination is the most effective way to protect children and families from this serious complication.”
Dr Ava Easton, Chief Executive of Encephalitis International, added: “By making [the chickenpox vaccine] available to every child, we’re not only reducing the spread of chickenpox but also helping to stop some families from ever facing the devastating impact of encephalitis.
“That’s a powerful step forward for children’s health and for awareness of a condition too few people know about.”
Encephalitis usually starts off with flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature and headache.
More serious symptoms develop in the next few hours, days or weeks, including:
Confusion or disorientation
Seizures or fits
Changes in personality and behaviour
Difficulty speaking
Weakness or loss of movement in some parts of the body
Loss of consciousness
Dial 999 for an ambulance immediately if you or someone else has these serious symptoms.
5. Stroke
According to the Stroke Association, children who develop chickenpox may have a four times higher risk of stroke in the six months following infection.
“However, stroke in children is still rare and the finding translates into a very small actual increase in their stroke risk,” it noted.
Studies by the organisation also found that adults with shingles – also caused by the varicella zoster virus – may also have an increased risk of stroke up until six months afterwards.
“This is particularly within the first few weeks, and for individuals with shingles around the eye,” Stroke Association said.
“Oral antiviral drugs used to treat shingles may be able to reduce this risk.”
What are the symptoms of stroke?
The FAST method – which stands for Face, Arms, Speech, Time – is the easiest way to remember the most common symptoms of stroke:
F = Face drooping – if one side of a person’s face is dropped or numb then ask them to smile, if it’s uneven then you should seek help.
A = Arm weakness – if one arm is weak or numb then you should ask the person to raise both arms. If one arm drifts downwards then you might need to get help
S = Speech difficulty – if a person’s speech is slurred then this could be a sign of a stroke
T = Time to call 999 – if a person has the signs above then you need to call 999 in the UK or 911 in the US for emergency care.
Other symptoms include:
sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
difficulty finding words
sudden blurred vision or loss of sight
sudden confusion, dizziness or unsteadiness
a sudden and severe headache
difficulty understanding what others are saying
difficulty swallowing
6. Sepsis
In rare cases, chickenpox can result in sepsis – when the body’s immune system overreacts to an infection, attacking its own tissues and organs.
Sepsis can be life threatening and requires immediate medical help.
It can also be hard to spot, as there are lots of possible symptoms.
