West Nile virus case turns up in Alaska

Anchorage Daily News ^ | 9-19-2002 | Zaz Hollander

[Trailer Trash]

Alaska has confirmed its first reported case of West Nile virus, in a 77-year-old man from the Chicago suburbs who lies seriously ill in an Anchorage hospital, state health authorities said Wednesday afternoon.

The man was bitten by an infected mosquito in Illinois and is not contagious, said officials with the Alaska Division of Public Health. They would not release his name. State officials predicted he will recover.

[Enemy Of The State]

as if they will have to worry about it once winter season comes and wipes out every insect known to warm climate.

[RightWhale]

Haven't seen a live mosquito for at least a week. Definite sign of winter. That, plus all the white birch leaves are down.

[DWPittelli]

Of course winter will kill the adult mosquitoes. Then nothing to worry about... until next spring.

[newsperson999]

33 new cases in IL today and another death..thats 450 total and 23 deaths

[Trailer Trash]

Sounds good.

Do all your sled dogs have a strong pulse?

[RightWhale]

Do all your sled dogs have a strong pulse?

Got just one of those left, and that one is strong but uncoordinated. Trips just walking across the dogyard.

[Eska]

no-see-ums been tough out in the woods, yard or wherever. Would sure like to see some snow though.

[irish guard]

Of all the cases....450 and deaths...23....how many are old people...north of 65? How many have had troubled immune systems due to colds, respiratory illnesses or some form of flu? My guess is the big media is not adding that to the story.

Kinda like the shark attacks last summer. Did you know, you are more likely to be hit on the head by a falling coconut than attacked by a shark?

[irish guard]

shoot, i was wrong...you are more likely to be killed by falling coco\nuts than killed by sharks

Falling Coconuts Kill More People Than Shark Attacks "Falling coconuts kill 150 people worldwide each year, 15 times the number of fatalities attributable to sharks," said George Burgess, Director of the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File and a noted shark researcher. "The reality is that, on the list of potential dangers encountered in aquatic recreation, sharks are right at the bottom of the list," said Burgess who was one of three scientists participating Tuesday in a National Sea Grant College Program and NOAA Fisheries sponsored press briefing on sharks and the risks of shark attacks at the National Press Club. The event served to put the risk of shark attacks in perspective, provide resources on how to reduce the chance of a shark encounter, explain the scientific value of sharks to the coastal ecosystem and discuss fisheries management and conservation issues. The event also marked the launch of a special NOAA informational website on sharks. The need for public education about sharks and shark attacks arose after intense media attention was given to last summer's shark encounters. The frenzy surrounding sharks was capped by one publication dubbing 2001 "The Summer of the Shark" in a July cover story. The result was a frightened public -- especially along the East Coast, where much of the shark attack publicity was centered