Europe recorded almost as many locally caught cases of dengue in 2022 as it had over the previous 11 years, new figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) show.
There were 71 cases of the disease - which generally causes fever and muscle pain but can be more severe and even sometimes fatal - last year, mainly in France. Between 2010 and 2021, there were 74 cases.
The health agency warned at a press conference on Thursday there is an increasing risk of a number of mosquito-borne diseases in the European region, including dengue, zika, chikungunya and West Nile virus, linked to the changing climate and the spread of mosquitoes carrying the viruses.
“If this continues, we can expect to see more cases and possibly deaths from diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and West Nile fever," said Andrea Ammon, ECDC director. "Efforts need to focus on ways to control mosquito populations, enhancing surveillance and enforcing personal protective measures.”
The agency said that the mosquito species Aedes albopictus, which spreads chikungunya and dengue, was moving further north and west in Europe. Aedes aegypti, which spreads diseases including dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya, became established in Cyprus last year and could make further inroads, it said.
South Florida neighborhoods under quarantine due to disease-spreading giant African land snails: ‘One of the most damaging snails in the world’
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, along with its Division of Plant Industry, has implemented a quarantine for some South Florida neighborhoods after giant African land snails were spotted recently, officials said Tuesday.
Giant African land snails pose health risks to humans by carrying parasite rat lungworm, which is known to cause meningitis in humans. They also could be harmful to the environment, as they consume at least 500 types of plants, making it “one of the most damaging snails in the world,” according to a news release from FDACS.
It is illegal for import or to possess giant African land snails in the U.S. without a permit, according to FDACS.
“These snails could be devastating to Florida agriculture and natural areas as they cause extensive damage to tropical and subtropical environments,” FDACS said.
The quarantine applies to part of Broward County, which is Florida’s second-most populated county and the 17th-most populated county in the United States, according to Statista. Under the quarantine, it is illegal for residents to move a giant African land snail or related items, such as plants, soil, yard waste, debris, building or compost materials, and more, without a compliance agreement, according to the release.
The decision to quarantine specific areas of Broward County comes after a giant African land snail was confirmed in the Miramar area of the county earlier this month. FDACS said it will use snail bait, scientifically known as metaldehyde-based molluscicide, that is approved for residential use in order to treat the areas where the snails have been detected.
Britain could be facing invasion of killer Asian hornets
- Ed Cullinane
Britain could be facing a record invasion of killer Asian hornets after an "astronomical" rise in their population.
The explosion of the dangerous bugs has been recorded on the Channel Island of Jersey - their UK "frontline HQ."
The battle there is seen as vital to stop the spread of the insects that could invade Britain and decimate the native bee population.
In 2022 on Jersey, 55 queens were caught and 174 nests discovered.
This year 438 queens were trapped, which could point to a mass rise in the number of nests.
Asian-hornet co-ordinator Alastair Christie said the numbers were ''an unprecedented, astronomical increase'."
He said: "Despite catching 438, we may find that there are as many, if not more, nests than last year. We just don’t know at the moment."
The species began to spread through Europe in 2004 after arriving in the south of France inside a freight ship.
The hornets are able to kill with one sting among people who have an allergy while they also pose a threat to the environment and native species.
1 comment:
Bill Gates has his trillions of mosquitoes primed and ready.
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