While Zika stood out as the latest emerging threat in the report, it also showed a long-term increase in cases of tick-borne Lyme disease,
which can attack the heart and nervous system if left untreated.
These increases are due to many factors, including growing populations of the insects that transmit them
and increased exposure outside of the United States by travelers who unknowingly transport diseases back home.
Numbers of reported infections increasing !
These numbers do not include unreported reports of infections.
Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.
The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.
So far the false positive rate is 100%.
At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.
*sigh* Such is life, and death...
If only someone would invent a cheap and safe pesticide that they could use to eradicate mosquitos and ticks. Maybe they could spray it from helicopters and trucks. It needs a simple name. Maybe three letters. How about we call it DDT?
I remember an America without these Zika and Lyme invaders, when you could peacefully stroll over hill and dale. You got bit, of course, and occasionally had to pull off ticks, but you didn’t get serious, life-threatening diseases.
The increases are due to the inability to spray effectively with all the EPA restrictions. Bring back a DDT for ticks and skeeters.
Strange, I keep hearing this strange telegraph ticking in my head...
D-D-T, D-D-T, D-D-T.
will say that the tick population this spring here in Westchester NY is unreal right now. Having had lyme disease and passing out on the highway I can tell you it’s some scary stuff.
I am going to go out on a limb and guess that the deer tick population has increased because the deer population has increased.
They are regularly seen walking down city streets here now. Bears wandering into peoples’ yards are now not unusual. Recently they captured a bobcat aboard a popular tour boat. Not long ago a coyote was shot within a mile of downtown.
Start cleaning up the environment and all the pesky wildlife returns. Go figure.
Due to climate change, no doubt.
p