The Daily Mail has reported that aircraft flying into the UK, from countries hit by the (dreaded) Zika virus, will be sprayed with insecticides to stop the spread of the virus.(We’ve already written about how spraying is common place but to our knowledge, this will now include the US and we aren’t sure the UK has ever sprayed planes coming from the states.)
The UK is afraid that the Aedes mosquito, which carries Zika, will spread throughout out the continent and then infect women, thereby giving their unborn children microcephaly, something that STILL has not been proven. Zika has been around for many years and until now has never caused the condition.
From the article:
“Planes arriving in the UK from ALL countries where cases of Zika have been confirmed in South America and the Caribbean will be sprayed as a precautionary measure.
But yesterday Florida, a major tourist destination for British folks, declared a health emergency over the virus after a tiny breakout that raised pandemic.
The UK Department for Health said the precaution, known as disinsection (spraying a quick-acting insecticide spray immediately before take-off with passengers on board), already occurs on many flights, from South America and the Caribbean, as a precaution against mosquito-bourne malaria. They will also treat interior surfaces of the plane with a residual insecticide spray, minus the food preparation areas. And remember, just like the CDC, the WHO says that no evidence has been found that insecticide sprays used in planes are harmful to human health. Sure.
The WHO warned this week that Europe could be “hit” by the disease as mosquitos capable of carrying the disease are found in much of southern Europe – raising fears of the bug hitting holiday makers in the Med.”
(Any chance the widely corrupt WHO are buddies with Florida Gov Rick Scott? He does, after all, have a HUGE financial (multi-million) stake in the Zika spray companies.)
It seems unlikely, and the DfH agrees, that the bugs and virus could survive and breed in the UK given the lower temperatures but, safety first. However, just this week the first case of Zika in Europe (Spain) was reported, which was probably the straw that broke the camels back.
More from the article:
“A 24-year-old Brazilian journalist, Ana Caceres, who has microcephaly has criticised comments from the Brazilian government that Brazil would have a ‘damaged generation’ because of the condition.
She said: ‘Microcephaly is a box of surprises. You may suffer from serious problems or you may not. So I believe that those who have abortions are not giving their children a chance to succeed.’”
This is how planes were sprayed BEFORE Zika:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAkM_Ps5-gM
So, what do we KNOW about ZIKA? Well, it was first discovered in a monkey in Uganda in 1947 (the name comes from the Zika forest where it was first discovered) and it’s native (mainly) to tropical Africa, but there have been outbreaks in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, as well. It appeared in Brazil in 2015, after they released the GM mosquitos, and has since been seen in many Latin American countries and the Caribbean islands.
It’s transmitted via bites from the same kind of mosquito that can spread other tropical diseases, like dengue fever, chikungunya and yellow fever (yet Zika has never been proven to be harmful like the others listed). It may also be spread by sexual intercourse.
The WHO says that Zika is rapidly spreading in the Americas because it’s new to the region and people aren’t immune to it. But those who DO get Zika usually just develop mild symptoms like fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes – which usually lasts no more than a week.
What is more likely is that the larvicide has caused the microcephaly (or maybe the GM mosquitos reproducing, even though they weren’t supposed to be able to), than a mosquito bite and a virus that has been around forEVer…
Bottom line? Don’t be afraid and take responsible and health conscious precautions (i.e.- don’t use bug spray with DEET) to limit your exposure to the virus.
Source: Daily Mail