West Nile virus -BBC1 tonight

[jjcollins]

Did any of you watch the BBC1 series Body Snatchers tonight it featured the West Nile Virus tonight

For 4 years now the yanks having been battling it, with not much luck. Theres no cure or antidote.

I know i've taken some stick on these boards about reporting West Nile Virus -- but again tonight i feel a bit vindicated.


Please don't take any chances wear some bug repellent with DEET in it.


jj........

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

I saw it too, JJ - horrific viewing. I didn't know anything about the programme, just looked up the old viewing guide on Sky and there was the title Bodysnatchers - thought it was probably a dramatisation of Burke & Hare or something similar

What an horrific programme - thank goodness it wasn't on at teatime.

I am ALWAYS packing the strongest mozzie repellant. We were warned big time before we went over to Florida in October by friends who live in W Palm Beach that, due to the very wet summer, the mozzies were still a problem, and when we arrived at the Poly there were notices in our room to explain about the precautions Disney take to try and erradicate some of the problem. Never saw a one in Orlando.

Different story (obviously) when we travelled down south to Marco and Naples and especially around the Everglades. Not even my extra-strength super-duper deluxe DEET model deterred these little devils. Interestingly though, one of the beautiful nature reserves we visited one day actually had notices up saying not to worry about mozzies because there they have birds which eat the mozzie larvae. Still sprayed myself, but only got bitten twice. Mind you, I'd rather mozzies anyday compared to the spider we saw there

I'm one of those people who attract them very easily - sweet meat and all that At one stage I had to run back to the car because no sooner had I sprayed myself than there were three biggies on me munching Reckon a lot of them are getting immune to our stuff

Funnily enough, when we were in St Lucia back in May I sprayed myself every night - and every night I'd get well and truly bitten (came back with 62 mozzie bites) - but they were no problem, hardly itched, were gone in two days and the only one to leave a mark was one under my watch strap which I guess kept moist and wouldn't heal until I left my watch off.

Every day in Marco there was an article either on the TV or newspapers about West Nile Virus - it must be taken seriously, but people must not panic either, just take sensible precautions.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

As nasty as West Nile Virus is, there is a far higher chance of being killed in a road accident while in Orlando than contracting this disease. Sensible precautions about mosquito repellent are indeed sensible (and I echo JJ's comments about DEET-based spray), but we shouldn't get the level of risk out of proportion. You are better advised to worry about how you cross the road than whether you will contract a rare disease like WNV.

Regards

Rob

 

[Ellay]

Hi,

were's going to Orlando for the first time next April - will mosquitos be a problem at that time of year?

 

[Mike Jones]

...we've been last 3 years at April and had very little bother.. just occasional nibbles near water on a few evenings... we didn't use any mozzie stuff unless we got attacked.... however.. I'm sure jj can find something far nastier than that to frighten the pants off us!!.. what's next, jj, rabid alligators?!!


Mike

(no stick intended... if worried wear the deet!)

 

[jjcollins]

Ok you wanted something worst -- here you go, this was only a few months ago

Eight Palm Beach County residents diagnosed with malaria in what is one of the biggest and most perplexing U.S. outbreaks of the infectious disease in almost 50 years. Despite a massive search by the county Health Department, the source of the malaria has not been found, and the slow but persistent spread of the disease over three months and several mosquito life cycles has epidemiologists from several nations closely watching what is now called the "Palm Beach outbreak".


True story


jj.......

 

[Mike Jones]

EEk!