Octopus Overlords

Cases of chikungunya virus, a painful, mosquito-borne disease that has spread rapidly through the Caribbean in recent months, spiked higher in New York and New Jersey in the past week, according to new federal data.
The number of cases in New Jersey more than doubled to 25, while New York has recorded 44 cases, the highest number outside Florida, where the disease first established a toehold in the United States, according to data released late Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Officials in New Jersey and New York do not believe any of the cases originated in their state.

Symptoms, which develop three to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, include high fever, headache, muscle pain, back pain and rash. In rare cases it is fatal. Small children and the elderly are more likely to develop severe cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The CDC said the United States averaged 28 cases of chikungunya each year since 2006 but until recently all have been travel related. Three people in Florida contracted the disease from local mosquitoes this month in what the CDC said are the first cases of the disease to originate in the United States.
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Chikungunya, a virus more commonly found in Africa and Asia and transmitted by the same daytime-biting aedes aegypti mosquito that causes the more deadly dengue fever, was first detected in the eastern Caribbean seven months ago.

The name ‘chikungunya’ derives from a word in the Kimakonde language, meaning "to become contorted" and describes the stooped appearance of sufferers with joint pain

Isgrimnur wrote:Yeah, but WNV is an old hat. We need a new health scare to drive media hysteria.

Isgrimnur wrote:Not content to savage people in the Caribbean and Florida, it's moving on the New York and New Jersey.

MHS wrote:Isn't the Ebola thing taking care of that?

Isgrimnur wrote:Ebola is too remote. No direct connection except for the US health workers catching it.

LawBeefaroni wrote:

Isgrimnur wrote:Not content to savage people in the Caribbean and Florida, it's moving on the New York and New Jersey.

What's the likelihood of catching this in the US? Unless someone in New York or New Jersey actually bites you, you really don't have much to worry about, right?



Ok, wait...this is scary.

MHS wrote:

Isgrimnur wrote:Ebola is too remote. No direct connection except for the US health workers catching it.

The guy who died in Nigeria last week was an American citizen who was planning a trip home before he died. For someone like me who hangs out in lots of airports with who knows who traveling through, it's close enough to be nervous-making.

Isgrimnur wrote:Ebola is too remote. No direct connection except for the US health workers catching it.

Smoove_B wrote:

Isgrimnur wrote:Ebola is too remote. No direct connection except for the US health workers catching it.

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to share the info I'm getting via email...so I won't. But suffice to say now is not the time to panic.

The latest in scary news that seems to only happen in Florida is a flesh-eating bacteria that has hospitalized 32 and killed 10 along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The bacteria, Vibro vulnificus, thrives in salt water and is related to bacteria that causes cholera. The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County issued an official warning today about the flesh-eating bacteria that leads to a life-threatening blood infection.

According to the Florida Department of Health, the bacteria is naturally found in warm, “brackish” and salt water such as estuaries and coastal channels, but can seriously infect people with open wounds who swim there.

Wounds infected with Vibrio vulnificus are usually painful, swollen, and red, according to health officials. Additional symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, chills, as well as blistering skin lesions. Health officials encourage residents to contact a physician immediately if they are experiencing these symptoms.

If the infection is left to fester, it can breakdown the skin and lead to ulcers, hence, the “flesh-eating” descriptor. Eventually, the infection can enter the bloodstream, which is when it can become life-threatening.

But it’s not just swimmers that should be wary. People can contract this bacteria from eating raw or undercooked shellfish that hasn’t gone through a post-harvest treatment process, especially if they already suffer from a condition that weakens their immune system such as hepatitis C, liver disease, diabetes, cancer, or stomach disorders.

MHS wrote:For someone like me who hangs out in lots of airports with who knows who traveling through, it's close enough to be nervous-making.

Brian wrote:You'll let us know when, right?

Isgrimnur wrote:How about ocean-borne flesh-eating bacteria?

Smoove_B wrote:

MHS wrote:For someone like me who hangs out in lots of airports with who knows who traveling through, it's close enough to be nervous-making.

Unless you let someone with Ebola lick your face or you're handling their fluids (like, say they start liquifying on the plane) you should be ok.

MHS wrote:

Smoove_B wrote:

MHS wrote:For someone like me who hangs out in lots of airports with who knows who traveling through, it's close enough to be nervous-making.

Unless you let someone with Ebola lick your face or you're handling their fluids (like, say they start liquifying on the plane) you should be ok.

Good to know, thanks. I'll decrease my allowance of face-licking.

Isgrimnur wrote:How about ocean-borne flesh-eating bacteria?

The latest in scary news that seems to only happen in Florida is a flesh-eating bacteria that has hospitalized 32 and killed 10 along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The bacteria, Vibro vulnificus, thrives in salt water and is related to bacteria that causes cholera. The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County issued an official warning today about the flesh-eating bacteria that leads to a life-threatening blood infection.

According to the Florida Department of Health, the bacteria is naturally found in warm, “brackish” and salt water such as estuaries and coastal channels, but can seriously infect people with open wounds who swim there.

Wounds infected with Vibrio vulnificus are usually painful, swollen, and red, according to health officials. Additional symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, chills, as well as blistering skin lesions. Health officials encourage residents to contact a physician immediately if they are experiencing these symptoms.

If the infection is left to fester, it can breakdown the skin and lead to ulcers, hence, the “flesh-eating” descriptor. Eventually, the infection can enter the bloodstream, which is when it can become life-threatening.

But it’s not just swimmers that should be wary. People can contract this bacteria from eating raw or undercooked shellfish that hasn’t gone through a post-harvest treatment process, especially if they already suffer from a condition that weakens their immune system such as hepatitis C, liver disease, diabetes, cancer, or
stomach disorders.

Ralph-Wiggum wrote:

Isgrimnur wrote:How about ocean-borne flesh-eating bacteria?

The latest in scary news that seems to only happen in Florida is a flesh-eating bacteria that has hospitalized 32 and killed 10 along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The bacteria, Vibro vulnificus, thrives in salt water and is related to bacteria that causes cholera. The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County issued an official warning today about the flesh-eating bacteria that leads to a life-threatening blood infection.

According to the Florida Department of Health, the bacteria is naturally found in warm, “brackish” and salt water such as estuaries and coastal channels, but can seriously infect people with open wounds who swim there.

Wounds infected with Vibrio vulnificus are usually painful, swollen, and red, according to health officials. Additional symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, chills, as well as blistering skin lesions. Health officials encourage residents to contact a physician immediately if they are experiencing these symptoms.

If the infection is left to fester, it can breakdown the skin and lead to ulcers, hence, the “flesh-eating” descriptor. Eventually, the infection can enter the bloodstream, which is when it can become life-threatening.

But it’s not just swimmers that should be wary. People can contract this bacteria from eating raw or undercooked shellfish that hasn’t gone through a post-harvest treatment process, especially if they already suffer from a condition that weakens their immune system such as hepatitis C, liver disease, diabetes, cancer, or
stomach disorders.

This one actually scares me. I go fishing in the Gulf off Florida about once a week and since I'm in a kayak, I'm almost always in contact with the water. Plus, some medication I'm on compromises my immune system. Obviously, I do my best to prevent any open wounds, but it's not uncommon for me to get a small nick or two (from a hook or a fishes spine, etc) while out there.

Smoove_B wrote:

MHS wrote:For someone like me who hangs out in lots of airports with who knows who traveling through, it's close enough to be nervous-making.

Unless you let someone with Ebola lick your face or you're handling their fluids (like, say they start liquifying on the plane) you should be ok.

$iljanus wrote:

Smoove_B wrote:

MHS wrote:For someone like me who hangs out in lots of airports with who knows who traveling through, it's close enough to be nervous-making.

Unless you let someone with Ebola lick your face or you're handling their fluids (like, say they start liquifying on the plane) you should be ok.

And resist the urge to accept any friendly offers of bush meat on a flight. Stick to the pretzels.

Brian wrote:I'm not 100% certain what "bush meat" is but it's probably not what first came to mind.

Mount Sinai Hospital is performing tests on a patient who had recently traveled to a West African country where Ebola has been reported, the hospital says.

A male patient with high fever and gastrointestinal symptoms came to the hospital's emergency room on Monday morning, officials said.

ABC News' Dr. Richard Besser cautions, "Many things cause fever and gastrointestinal symptoms. The steps they are taking are wise given the travel history, but nothing about the symptoms is specific to Ebola."

Smoove_B wrote:I'm not familiar with Colorado, but is the Eagle County area experiencing higher than normal precipitation this year?

“We have not had a case since 2005, so it is a little rare for us to see that in Eagle County,” said Jennifer Ludwig, Eagle County Public Health Director.

Brian wrote:Definitely not.

Isgrimnur wrote:Much to the dismay of the pubic lice populations. (Bloomburg link)

Anonymous Bosch wrote:

Ralph-Wiggum wrote:

Isgrimnur wrote:How about ocean-borne flesh-eating bacteria?

The latest in scary news that seems to only happen in Florida is a flesh-eating bacteria that has hospitalized 32 and killed 10 along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The bacteria, Vibro vulnificus, thrives in salt water and is related to bacteria that causes cholera. The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County issued an official warning today about the flesh-eating bacteria that leads to a life-threatening blood infection.

According to the Florida Department of Health, the bacteria is naturally found in warm, “brackish” and salt water such as estuaries and coastal channels, but can seriously infect people with open wounds who swim there.

Wounds infected with Vibrio vulnificus are usually painful, swollen, and red, according to health officials. Additional symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, chills, as well as blistering skin lesions. Health officials encourage residents to contact a physician immediately if they are experiencing these symptoms.

If the infection is left to fester, it can breakdown the skin and lead to ulcers, hence, the “flesh-eating” descriptor. Eventually, the infection can enter the bloodstream, which is when it can become life-threatening.

But it’s not just swimmers that should be wary. People can contract this bacteria from eating raw or undercooked shellfish that hasn’t gone through a post-harvest treatment process, especially if they already suffer from a condition that weakens their immune system such as hepatitis C, liver disease, diabetes, cancer, or
stomach disorders.

This one actually scares me. I go fishing in the Gulf off Florida about once a week and since I'm in a kayak, I'm almost always in contact with the water. Plus, some medication I'm on compromises my immune system. Obviously, I do my best to prevent any open wounds, but it's not uncommon for me to get a small nick or two (from a hook or a fishes spine, etc) while out there.

Just take along some wound-cleanser and veterinary glue as an emergency first aid kit prior to going fishing, and you should be safe as houses.

Veterinary glue is basically a cheaper equivalent to Dermabond, or surgical superglue, which will seal you up tighter than a drum. As long as you properly cleanse any wounds before applying, you're good to go.

Liberian medical chiefs warned that their war-shattered health service was being overwhelmed by the Ebola outbreak, as reports emerged of residents dumping bodies of suspected victims of the virus in the streets.

Tolbert Nyenswah, the deputy chief medical officer and assistant health minister, said the outbreak had forced a number of hospitals and clinics to close because staff were scared to work in them. He disclosed that some 67 health workers had become infected, and that many of the 6,000-strong work force were reluctant to return to their jobs.
...
On Wednesday night, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declared a state of emergency across the country, and also despatched troops in full combat gear to block people travelling to Liberia’s capital from rural areas hit by Ebola.

In some parts of the country – devastated by civil war during the Nineties – locals had been dumping bodies of family members on the streets rather than taking them to hospitals or morgues, said Liberia’s information minister, Lewis Brown.