Here in SC, about 6 weeks ago, when cases started turning up in LA, a map was printed in the paper showing the southern states where cases had been reported this year. The only blank state on the map was SC though nothing was mentioned of the anomaly in the article. Yet someone must have noticed because, after that, the search was on, as if it was an embarrassment to be the only state without it - like being last in education or something. At the time it was hard to find a live mosquito in the drought-stricken state. But now it has been "manufactured" in birds and horses in several counties and we had oour first human case (though she may have picked it up in LA).
Lance ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rex Teague" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 4:55 PM Subject: Re: West Nile > On 17 Sep 02, arabica wrote: > > > Canada has had their first confirmed death in Ontario and a couple are > > sick in Quebec. Infected birds have been collected so far only as far > > west as Saskatchewan. So, I'll assume it will make its way westward > > to Alberta and BC next summer. Michael > > Lynn Landes' article "Nile Virus - A Manufactured Crisis" has a different > slant... > > What to do about West Nile? Don't do anything. It has the smell of a > manufactured crisis. The news on West Nile is a disturbing > combination of hype, confusion, distortion, and omission. Take a look > at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for, "West Nile > Virus Update - Current Case Count," and you'll see a startling > variation in the incidence of West Nile infections and fatalities from > state to state - and even within the same region. It makes me > wonder. > > On a daily basis TV reporters raise the alarm and breathlessly > announce new cases of West Nile, but it's hard to tell if they're talking > about fatalities or infections. > > We're told that both children and the elderly are most at risk, when in > fact children are the least at risk for the disease, according to the > CDC, but most at risk for the toxic effects of pesticides and mosquito > repellents. > > Both the CDC and state public health agencies give out general > information about the number of victims, but not specific data on > individual victims that may shed light on the medical reality of this so- > called crisis. > > The virus is characterized as new and dangerous, when it's not > significantly different from viruses that have been in the United States > for decades. > > Continued at: > http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0902-08.htm >
