5.05.2006

Diseases move north

The Washington Post reports on one more piece of evidence that BushCo conveniently ignores:

TORONTO -- Valere Rommelaere, 82, survived the D-Day invasion in Normandy, but not a mosquito bite. Six decades after the war, the hardy Saskatchewan farmer was bitten by a bug carrying a disease that has spread from the equator to Canada as temperatures have risen. Within weeks, he died from West Nile virus.

Global warming -- with an accompanying rise in floods and droughts -- is fueling the spread of epidemics in areas unprepared for the diseases, say many health experts worldwide. Mosquitoes, ticks, mice and other carriers are surviving warmer winters and expanding their range, bringing health threats with them.

Malaria is climbing the mountains to reach populations in higher elevations in Africa and Latin America. Cholera is growing in warmer seas. Dengue fever and Lyme disease are moving north. West Nile virus, never seen on this continent until seven years ago, has infected more than 21,000 people in the United States and Canada and killed more than 800.
Living in the DC Metro area, I'm sure it won't be long before I need a mosquito net. At what point Republicans in government stop and say, 'this global warming thing is real.' Probably when Washington ends up under a couple of feet of sea water.

1 comment:

Candy Minx said...

Well, I'm with you...we have to do something.

(Do you have a blog about your architecture too?)