Zika virus makes landfall in continental US as 4 cases in Florida appear after mosquito bites - Polidicks

[quote] Four individuals in Miami-Dade and Broward counties have been infected with the Zika virus by local mosquitoes, Florida health officials said Friday. These are the first known cases of the virus being transmitted by mosquitoes in the continental United States. "While no mosquitoes trapped tested positive for the Zika virus, the department believes these cases were likely transmitted through infected mosquitoes in this area," according to a statement from the Florida Department of Health. [/quote] [url]http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/29/health/florida-health-officials-confirm-local-zika-transmission/index.html[/url] Winter needs to get here fast so not to spread further across the country.

With the fucking Olympic games around the corner you can be sure it won't stop spreading anytime soon.

[QUOTE=_Axel;50795768]With the fucking Olympic games around the corner you can be sure it won't stop spreading anytime soon.[/QUOTE] A load of people go there, get it and come back to their home countries. Just gotta hope cool weather/time of year will stop it. Glad I live in england, mosquitos aren't mega common here.

Fuck; worst time now for mosquitoes here in the summer too. All in all, screw you mosquitoes

It's less of a problem in say, Southern California, but last year at the same time I had a problem with mosquitoes. It just comes down to finding any possible sources of stagnant water, and just dump them out or collect the egg rafts. I collected all the eggs I could, poured water out from stagnant sources, and put the eggs in a Tupperware container with water so I could watch and observe the larval and pupal stages. Though just never let them achieve adulthood, mine either died and were cannibalized, or I later killed when they turned to pupae by putting some vegetable oil in the water, it floats to the surface, effectively cutting off their air supply. Though of course, I know this is out of the question for some places, it's just a good idea to be mindful of local mosquito breeding grounds and to try and eradicate them.

[QUOTE=Lolkork;50795908]The species of mosquito that carries the zika virus can't survive in the northern part of the world.[/QUOTE] Ah so its just 1 species, thats some good news regarding the thing. Any chance of it mutating/adapting to other mosquitoes?

Shit, good to know our little winged bastards now have Zika too. I just hope they're isolated to one area and don't continue to a more northern location of the state.

I bet by the end of the Olympics the virus is going to spread globally, fast.

[QUOTE=Lolkork;50795908]The species of mosquito that carries the zika virus can't survive in the northern part of the world.[/QUOTE] doesn't matter, zika travels through any kind of body fluid other than sweat. Once someone becomes infected in the US and doesn't realize his/her symptoms, they can easily pass it since humans can travel to places where mosquitoes cannot.

I thought zika was already in the US? I have heard of cases in Kansas City. Edit: [url]http://www.kwch.com/content/news/Third-case-of-Zika-virus-in-Kansas-reported-383516001.html[/url] It was travel related, not contracted locally.

Hopefully winter arrives soon so Florida can drop from 85 degrees to 84 degrees

How deadly it's it anyways

[QUOTE=J!NX;50797615]How deadly it's it anyways[/QUOTE] Isn't Zika just some heavy ass fever? The worst thing is giving your babies small heads (Can't remember the proper name, microchepaly? Correct me pls)

[QUOTE=Fox Powers;50797682]Isn't Zika just some heavy ass fever? The worst thing is giving your babies small heads (Can't remember the proper namy, microchepaly? Correct me pls)[/QUOTE] It fucks up the pregnant and can cause brain damage. If endemic in an area it will pose a constant threat to pregnant women and by extension their children

[QUOTE=Sobotnik;50797736]It fucks up the pregnant and can cause brain damage. If endemic in an area it will pose a constant threat to pregnant women and by extension their children[/QUOTE] Hopefully no brain damage to adults though yeah?

[QUOTE=J!NX;50797740]Hopefully no brain damage to adults though yeah?[/QUOTE] In some cases it does. It's very rare that it happens in adults, but it does happen.

[QUOTE=Lolkork;50795908]The species of mosquito that carries the zika virus can't survive in the northern part of the world.[/QUOTE] It can live within the Gulf states, along the eastern coast of the US up to Maryland/NJ region and as far as southern California according to the radio earlier. Essentially, if you're in the Rust Belt, Midwest or northwest, you're safe.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;50798819]It can live within the Gulf states, along the eastern coast of the US up to Maryland/NJ region and as far as southern California according to the radio earlier. Essentially, if you're in the Rust Belt, Midwest or northwest, you're safe.[/QUOTE] You're safe for now, but as the climate gets warmer over the next few decades it will undoubtedly allow the mosquitoes range to push northwards. It would take a very long time for it to get very north however.

Well the virus isnt really scary in the case of physical effects. Fever, Nausea, or other minor stuff. The terrifying fact is that this virus is able to fuck up our reproduction systems. Christ if this shit spreads to Africa, its going to be ugly...

[QUOTE=mdeceiver79;50795799]A load of people go there, get it and come back to their home countries. Just gotta hope cool weather/time of year will stop it. Glad I live in england, mosquitos aren't mega common here.[/QUOTE] We've had so many tropical nights in the last few years in Germany that I wouldn't be surprised if we got those fuckers over here as well, soon.

The good news is that we already have at least four vaccines currently seeing limited human testing, so Zika should be short lived.

[QUOTE=mdeceiver79;50795939]Ah so its just 1 species, thats some good news regarding the thing. Any chance of it mutating/adapting to other mosquitoes?[/QUOTE] idk but the city i live in is at 900m altitude, and the mosquito can't survive here (i heard this in a passing comment though so take it with a grain of salt). apparently, there's been years where the only cases of dengue (also transmitted by the aedes aegypti) here were diagnosed in people who came from out of town

When can we render mosquitoes extinct

Mosquitoes serve no purpose other than irritate you in your sleep at best or, at worst, spread deadly diseases.

[QUOTE=DeEz;50801399]When can we render mosquitoes extinct[/QUOTE] it has been discussed,and there is a large talk about how mosquitoes arent even that helpful to the ecosystem anyways (although there is still an argument going on with that) one method i saw to render mosquitoes extinct would be to introduce some genetically modified mosquitoes to a population with a gene that doesnt take effect for several generations. these mosquitoes mate with other mosquitoes and the gene is spread, and within a certain number of generation when the gene is spread amoungst much of the population, the gene takes effect and kills its host, or at least render it infertile or something. with this method, we can greatly reduce mosquito populations without using chemicals or stuff that affect other species

That means a vaccine will arrive shortly!

[QUOTE=da space core;50806425]it has been discussed,and there is a large talk about how mosquitoes arent even that helpful to the ecosystem anyways (although there is still an argument going on with that)[/QUOTE] The argument against a mosquito holocaust is generally delivered from the pro-mosquito lobby who everyone knows receives massive kickbacks from Big Mosquito. I say kill'em all and let their Mosquito God sort them out.

[QUOTE=Burre.png;50818089]From a quick Google search, mosquitoes are mostly just a food source. Not to mention the larvae are packed with proteins and nutrients and whatnot that are essential to lizards and birds and etc. Completely eradicating them would remove a food source for other animals. But, there are still flies, gnats, ants, and other insects. So, really, I see no harm in eliminating them. Also wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets can go too. Fuck those assholes.[/QUOTE] I wouldn't go genocidal on wasps, hornets and yellow jackets.

[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;50801078]The good news is that we already have at least four vaccines currently seeing limited human testing, so Zika should be short lived.[/QUOTE] That's unfortunate.

[QUOTE=da space core;50806425]it has been discussed,and there is a large talk about how mosquitoes arent even that helpful to the ecosystem anyways (although there is still an argument going on with that) one method i saw to render mosquitoes extinct would be to introduce some genetically modified mosquitoes to a population with a gene that doesnt take effect for several generations. these mosquitoes mate with other mosquitoes and the gene is spread, and within a certain number of generation when the gene is spread amoungst much of the population, the gene takes effect and kills its host, or at least render it infertile or something. with this method, we can greatly reduce mosquito populations without using chemicals or stuff that affect other species[/QUOTE] just gonna say i already heard about this plan before but seeing it worded like that is scary as fuck.