Barbie
07-25-2003, 07:36 PM
FUCKING BUGS!! (http://www.canada.com/calgary/story.asp?id=E452883A-4463-4BFF-9702-A5BA55B73790)
West Nile invades Calgary
Mayor wants province to join fight
David Heyman, Tony Seskus and Mark Reid
Calgary Herald; With files from the Canadian Press
Friday, July 25, 2003
ADVERTISEMENT
Mayor Dave Bronconnier has called on the province to join attacks on the city's mosquito population after West Nile virus was discovered in two dead crows in the Calgary area.
Calling the issue one of human safety, Bronconnier said Alberta Health and Wellness should help the city spray for West Nile-carrying mosquitoes around the Calgary region.
"We . . . have raised these concerns with the government of Alberta for the past four months now, wishing they would work proactively with the City of Calgary to be out there larviciding," Bronconnier said Thursday.
His comments came as a municipal expert on the problem revealed the proportion of mosquitoes capable of carrying the virus has soared in Calgary in the last week.
The city has spent $400,000 this year on its mosquito control program.
But an Alberta government spokesman said the province is sticking by a decision it made earlier this year not to participate in spraying programs to fight West Nile.
The province, which has instead launched public awareness and mosquito surveillance programs, believes spraying won't help the situation.
"There's no scientific evidence that would do anything to reduce the risk to humans," said Howard May, a spokesman for Alberta Health and Wellness in Calgary.
On Thursday, two dead crows -- one near Calgary and one near High River -- were found to be infected with West Nile virus. The birds have been sent to confirm the diagnosis.
It's the first time the disease has been discovered in the city and immediate vicinity.
Two magpies near Camrose and Medicine Hat tested positive earlier this month, as did mosquitoes trapped near Brooks earlier this week.
The fact there are more West Nile virus-carrying mosquitoes in the area likely means Calgarians have a greater chance of contracting the disease, said Dr. Judy MacDonald, the CHR's deputy medical officer of health.
But the likelihood of falling seriously ill from a mosquito bite remains very low, she said.
Eighty per cent of those who get West Nile virus won't get sick, with most of the rest suffering only mild fever, aches and pains. In rare cases, the disease can cause serious symptoms and even death.
According to the City of Calgary, between 15 and 30 per cent of the mosquitoes caught in Calgary traps this week were Culex tarsalis, which is known to carry the disease.
Last week, that percentage was about two per cent, said Bashir Jamal, manager of the resource division of Calgary Parks. The sudden rise is due to the fact Culex tarsalis like warm weather, and temperatures in Calgary have risen above 30 C in recent days.
Meanwhile, city crews are ready to spray areas where they find concentrations of the mosquito.
"If we find heavy pockets of them, we'd hit them with larvicide," he said.
Ontario officials announced a resident of their province is Canada's first probable case of West Nile virus of the 2003 season, although the person likely contracted the disease while on a trip to the U.S.
Ontario's chief medical officer of health announced that an individual from Renfrew County, near Ottawa, tested positive for the disease and is recuperating at home. Follow-up testing is being done to confirm the diagnosis.
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I live with DEET. I love DEET. DEET is my friend.
FUCK!
West Nile invades Calgary
Mayor wants province to join fight
David Heyman, Tony Seskus and Mark Reid
Calgary Herald; With files from the Canadian Press
Friday, July 25, 2003
ADVERTISEMENT
Mayor Dave Bronconnier has called on the province to join attacks on the city's mosquito population after West Nile virus was discovered in two dead crows in the Calgary area.
Calling the issue one of human safety, Bronconnier said Alberta Health and Wellness should help the city spray for West Nile-carrying mosquitoes around the Calgary region.
"We . . . have raised these concerns with the government of Alberta for the past four months now, wishing they would work proactively with the City of Calgary to be out there larviciding," Bronconnier said Thursday.
His comments came as a municipal expert on the problem revealed the proportion of mosquitoes capable of carrying the virus has soared in Calgary in the last week.
The city has spent $400,000 this year on its mosquito control program.
But an Alberta government spokesman said the province is sticking by a decision it made earlier this year not to participate in spraying programs to fight West Nile.
The province, which has instead launched public awareness and mosquito surveillance programs, believes spraying won't help the situation.
"There's no scientific evidence that would do anything to reduce the risk to humans," said Howard May, a spokesman for Alberta Health and Wellness in Calgary.
On Thursday, two dead crows -- one near Calgary and one near High River -- were found to be infected with West Nile virus. The birds have been sent to confirm the diagnosis.
It's the first time the disease has been discovered in the city and immediate vicinity.
Two magpies near Camrose and Medicine Hat tested positive earlier this month, as did mosquitoes trapped near Brooks earlier this week.
The fact there are more West Nile virus-carrying mosquitoes in the area likely means Calgarians have a greater chance of contracting the disease, said Dr. Judy MacDonald, the CHR's deputy medical officer of health.
But the likelihood of falling seriously ill from a mosquito bite remains very low, she said.
Eighty per cent of those who get West Nile virus won't get sick, with most of the rest suffering only mild fever, aches and pains. In rare cases, the disease can cause serious symptoms and even death.
According to the City of Calgary, between 15 and 30 per cent of the mosquitoes caught in Calgary traps this week were Culex tarsalis, which is known to carry the disease.
Last week, that percentage was about two per cent, said Bashir Jamal, manager of the resource division of Calgary Parks. The sudden rise is due to the fact Culex tarsalis like warm weather, and temperatures in Calgary have risen above 30 C in recent days.
Meanwhile, city crews are ready to spray areas where they find concentrations of the mosquito.
"If we find heavy pockets of them, we'd hit them with larvicide," he said.
Ontario officials announced a resident of their province is Canada's first probable case of West Nile virus of the 2003 season, although the person likely contracted the disease while on a trip to the U.S.
Ontario's chief medical officer of health announced that an individual from Renfrew County, near Ottawa, tested positive for the disease and is recuperating at home. Follow-up testing is being done to confirm the diagnosis.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I live with DEET. I love DEET. DEET is my friend.
FUCK!