popular logistics

Thanks to Futurismic for their post -

The Mosquitoes Are Coming! reports Futurismic, based in Wisconsin, where

the record rainfalls over the past month have become something of a concern. The biggest water-related concern Southeast Wisconsin - Milwaukee in specific - has had in the last 20 years is the cryptosporidium scare we had in 1993. Now, though, with nearly an entire summer’s worth of rain in just less than a week, we’re in trouble. Why? Mosquitoes.

The biggest hazard with mosquitoes in Wisconsin in the West Nile Virus. With large - and I’m talking football-field-sized - ponds all over the area, it’s prime breeding grounds for large quantities of mosquitoes that carry the virus. The National Health Administration and the CDC have warned of a possible outbreak. It’s one of those concerns that a people don’t really think about, and it carries potentially lethal outcomes.

Many people are rebuilding after the devastating floods, and this will only be an additional burden. It’s one of those times when it’s nice to be advanced enough in medicine to deal with such large-scale problems.

About ten years ago, when New York City went through its West Nile Virus scare, we had a few scary rounds of aerial spraying - but no concerted municipal effort to do anything about standing water. (One was able to make this inference by observing puddles in front of police stations and parks department buildings - as well as everywhere else). But at the time, it wasn’t obvious (to me, anyway) that we were experiencing a tropical disease outbreak - one that happened too far north - and too early in the season, anyway - and therefore at least possibly related to global warming.

We wish our midwestern cousins well - perhaps this is a moment for many squeegees - and new uses for the sandbags as the flood waters recede.

Thanks to Futurismic for this report.