My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica: 17 Chikungunya Virus Cases in Jamaica - Rain Weekend Perfect Stormy Weather for Aedes Aegypti Mosquito come September Back to School

Saturday, August 23, 2014

17 Chikungunya Virus Cases in Jamaica - Rain Weekend Perfect Stormy Weather for Aedes Aegypti Mosquito come September Back to School

“I want to emphasise the importance of protecting oneself from mosquito bites including when travelling to countries with Chikungunya transmission. Persons should also get rid of mosquitoes and their breeding sites in and around the home and be even more vigilant when they have guests from affected areas.”

Director, Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Dr Marion Bullock DuCasse as she confirms seven (7) new Chikungunya Virus cases on Friday

And now there are 17 Chikungunya Virus Cases.

Director, Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Dr Marion Bullock DuCasse was again the bearer of the increasingly bad news. Another seven (7) persons were confirmed by tests done on blood samples by the CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency) that suggests that they do indeed have the Chikungunya Virus as stated in the article “Seven additional cases of Chikungunya confirmed in Jamaica”, published Wednesday, August 20, 2014 6:33 PM, The Jamaica Observer.

This means we have a 17 persons infected with the Chikungunya Virus, 14 from local Transmission and 2 who imported it in their blood. The extra person is still being investigated as the Ministry of Health isn't sure that that it's local or imported. The good News is that the parishes in which the Chikungunya Virus hasn't changed though:

1.      Kingston and St. Andrew
2.      St. Thomas
3.      St. Catherine
4.      St. Ann

Yes folks, Clarendon is STILL Chikungunya Virus free……for now!

Rain Weekend due to Storms – Perfect Stormy Weather for the Aedes Aegypti Mosquito

Looks like I might have to publish these results at least once a week, as I'm very wary of its spread. But I'm become even more wary now that this weekend is set to be a very rainy one,  as the Meteorological Service of Jamaica is predicting Weekend showers as noted in the article  “Islandwide rainfall expected over the weekend -- Met Service”, published Friday, August 22, 2014 7:04 PM, The Jamaica Observer.

This rains is both a blessing and a curse as it comes courtesy of a Storm System that's battering Puerto Rico over the weekend as well as noted in “Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands brace for heavy rain as northern Caribbean faces storm threat”, Friday, August 22, 2014 6:11 PM, The Jamaica Observer.

In Jamaica, these rains have been long anticipated and should help alleviate the drought like conditions. However, not only will it cause localized flooding, but it'll also result in the creating of more breeding sites for mosquitoes. We can deal with the water gathering in tyres and other containers.

However, we can't control water that gathers in Ditches and Gullies which the Government should have cleaned as part of preparations for a hurricane, as we're STILL in an active albeit thus far quiet 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season as noted in my blog article entitled “2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season looking Fairly Quiet - How Hurricanes are formed as Hurricane making Landfall equals Disaster”.

Perfect weather for the Aedes Aegypti Mosquito to multiply like wildfire! Thus the preparations by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health to anticipate a possible spread among children within the Primary, High School and Colleges as stated in my blog article entitled “Education and Health Ministries Meet before 2014-15 Academic Year - How to Stop Chikungunya Virus spread by Aedes aegypti Mosquito among Children”, are just in time.

I’m still yet to determine if any of the infected are children. Currently it appears to be mainly adults; children would indicate that it’s spreading within the Primary, High School and Colleges.

Summer officially ends in September 2014. But if my prediction of a December 2014 Hurricane based on the ESA (European Space Agency) Swarm Satellites readings of  the Earth’s Weakening Magnetic Field as explained in my blog article entitled “ESA's Swarm Says the Earth's Magnetic Field is Weakening - How Weakening Magnetic Field results in hotter Summer Days and Hurricanes in Christmas 2014” is correct, then we may be seeing a lot of hurricanes and rainfall, enough to spawn an army of Aedes Aegypti Mosquitos!

Here’s hoping that Trinidad PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar's extraordinary meeting in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad will result in a greater coordinate effort to reduce the spread of both the Chikungunya Virus and Ebola Virus as hoped for in my blog article entitled “Trinidad PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar's CARICOM Meeting - Preventing Caribbean Chikungunya Virus and Ebola Virus Epidemic by Christmas 2014”.

Right now, I’m gearing up for Storm Weather during the Second to last Weekend of August as Summer 2014 draws to a close.


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