A while back I raised the spectre of an epidemic of some sort

[malaise]

being the logical outcome of neo-liberal policies destroying the social good as it relates to public health globally.

Forget Ebola - the majority of the Caribbean is dealing with Chikungunya. Offices, schools, everywhere is suffering as staff and students call in sick for between three to five days. I can name several friends in different islands with ChikV (as they call it).
We're lucky I guess - we meshed our place two decades ago and I rub my arms with rubbing alcohol before going for my regular walk. I never use deet.
Musicians are writing songs about the mosquito borne virus which means it is everywhere. We can smell the pesticide as I type from the non-stop fogging to kill the mosquitoes.

There is a reason why governments promoted public health for ages.

What are the Chikungunya numbers in the US?

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs327/en/

[malaise]

1. Shite - I just googled

https://www.google.com.jm/search?q=chikungunya&newwindow=1&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&ei=o6MsVJXDOtK0ggTarYDIAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=797&bih=370

[spanone]

2. Mosquito Virus That Walloped Caribbean Spreads in U.S.

A mosquito-borne virus that can cause debilitating joint pain lasting for years has spread to the continental U.S. after infecting hundreds of thousands of people in the Caribbean and Central America.

The virus is called Chikungunya, an African name meaning “to become contorted.” While the illness, first identified in Tanzania in 1952, has long bedeviled Africa and Asia, the only recorded cases in the U.S. before July involved patients who contracted the virus abroad.

Now, 11 cases have been confirmed as originating in Florida, spurring concern this may be the beginning of the type of explosive growth seen elsewhere from a disease that has no vaccine or cure. Medical and environmental experts are debating how best to quell the outbreak before it takes off.

“In a way it’s surprising it hasn’t been here yet,” said Scott Weaver, a professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-30/mosquito-virus-spreading-in-u-s-that-walloped-caribbean.html

[pscot]

4. It's the new mother nature

taking over.

[malaise]

5. It is everywhere

Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, Barbados - all the islands. Jamaica has huge numbers but DR is worse.
It is now in Texas as well.
One of my childhood friends is recovering - says it was the worst thing that hit her ever - fever joint pains and a rash - all lasting three to five days but the joint pains can recur over time.

It's flaring up in India as well.
The good news for the US is that winter is coming so the mosquitoes numbers will be reduced big time.

[suffragette]

11. It sounds terrible. So sorry for your friend and others who have to go through this

[malaise]

12. We're lucky

Several folks have died in Puerto Rico

[Scootaloo]

3. Fortunatly for most of the United States...

the primary vector for this disease is Aedes aegypti - also the main vector for dengue, west nile and yellow fever. This is a primarily tropical species of mosquito, though it does live in the southeastern US. Another member of the Aedes genus - the tiger mosquito - can also be a vector, though less commonly (it's more widespread in the eastern US, though)

of course, as the temperatures climb and weather patterns change...

[malaise]

6. Winter should spare most of the US

The first cases we heard about were in St Lucia early this year. Now it is full blown as the rainy season arrived.

[Louisiana1976]

7. True. Global warming could cause its migration northward.

[scarletwoman]

8. Every year for many years now there are people in Minnesota diagnosed with West Nile virus.

Contracting West Nile virus from mosquitos in Minnesota has become so common over the last decade or so that it's become just one more routine summertime health warning - along with using sunscreen and wearing life jackets when boating.

If West Nile virus comes from the same species of mosquito that also carries Chikungunya, then we're already in trouble, 'cuz we've got those mosquitos - they show up every year without fail.

[Scootaloo]

9. That one is carried mostly by the tiger mosquito

And it can also incubate in bird populations - I don't know if ChickV can do that, I think it might be primate-only

[malaise]

10. There's a proverb in Jamaica

about taking serious things and laughing about them

This is one of the popular DJs song about the virus - I think it was released today because it sure was playing on every radio station.