With The Ann Arbor Art Fairs happening this week I am somewhat concerned about the spread of COVID in southern Michigan. Artists from all over the world, not just North America will be in town as will visitors from all over. This, as always is the perfect vector for spreading viruses.
The current situation is that COVID is relatively low in Michigan and most of the Great Lakes states, although it is higher in Minnesota and Pennsylvania. What will the situation look like in a week or two.
There are also concerns about avian influenza (bird flu) in Michigan. Fortunately while humans can catch it from birds, we cannot spread it to other humans. That’s the nature of influenza. In the past however, avian influenza has become a human virus and caused massive epidemics and pandemics. The 1918 influenza pandemic began as an avian influenza than jumped to humans and then pigs. The pigs then passed a swine influenza back to humans. It was a rather complex situation. It wasn’t all that long ago that an influenza epidemic consisted of 1/4 each European swine, North America swine, bird and human influenzas. So, when you have a chance to get your next flu shot please get it.
Now, on to a virus that is being driven north by climate change – dengue.
Historically, dengue has always been in the southern U.S. is very small numbers. But now it is also being found in norther states.
This map shows the situation in 2024. And it should be of concern.
There is no vaccine for dengue. Symptoms appear about 7-10 days after infection and run their course in another 10-14 days. Symptoms are usually mild, but there can be deadly cases. A n umber of people die every year of dengue fever.
But how can climate change drive a virus to spread northward? Simple, the virus is spread by mosquitoes. And southern mosquitoes with the virus are spreading north.
Here’s the situation in Florida. People who have contracted the virus peak in southern Florida and numbers drop heading north. This concerns me because we spend a month in Florida and Alabama in late winter/early spring.
But this totally surprised me. Twelve counties in Michigan have had cases of dengue so far this year. Four of these cases have been in Washtenaw County where Ann Arbor is located. It’s time to make sure that you are using mosquito repellent when outside in the evening.
Scientists have also made a good argument for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) being the result of climate change. Southern bats in Asia are moving further north and coming into contact with other mammals which leads to the mixing of more animals viruses resulting in what is called spillover, when viruses junp from species to species.
So, what will the next epidemic or pandemic be the result of?
More later…
Michael's Place 