Update - Zika Virus Apocalypse in Rio Olympics

[OBenario]

And, so far, nothing has happened.

Fear mongering as usual.

[Siwsan]

1. It's not like the Bubonic Plague, where giant boils suddenly erupt and people topple over.

Many people don't even know they've become infected because they might exhibit no symptoms or those symptoms might be so mild, they are ignored. That's the danger.

[OBenario]

3. Yep, but the satanization of the Olympics was completely out of tone. n/t

[Siwsan]

6. From what I saw of the conditions there, before the games, I think it needed SANITIZATION.

I have to 'disclose' that I don't watch the Olympics - haven't since they let professionals compete - but I did see quite a few reports before the games, and I found the conditions to be frightening. Hopefully those reports were mostly media hype.

[OBenario]

11. Yep, media does that to people.

It's called "satanization". I could also make people thing Apocalypse is coming by only showing bad parts of Chicago, Detroit, etc. That's how developed world media portrays all non-developed nations ir order to make their citizens think "wow, thank God I don't live there".

What scared you so much in Rio?

[Siwsan]

16. The one thing I remember was the conditions of the water, specifically body parts washing up

that was pretty alarming.

http://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/13343832/2016-rio-olympic-water-poses-serious-health-risks-test-finds
http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/30/americas/rio-olympics-body-parts-found/index.html
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/07/05/super-bacteria-rio-olympics/86698852/

And some of the teams were sending out photos of the accommodations that weren't even completed, yet, when they arrived! Maybe this is common for Olympic villages - I don't know.

Look, I'm sure that, like most places, Rio is beautiful if you know the places to go and the places to avoid. I just question if they were properly prepared to host such a big event.

[OBenario]

19. I see...

I remember Chicago was one of the cities competing to host the 2016 Olympics.

I could also only focus on news like these ones, couldn't I:

Chicago River still teems with fecal bacteria, tests show

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-river-bacteria-20150827-story.html

Chicago River among most threatened waterways in U.S., group says

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-05-17/news/ct-met-chicago-river-endangeredlist-20110517_1_chicago-river-waterways-water-quality

Chicago police find child’s body parts near Garfield Park

http://wtvr.com/2015/09/06/childs-body-parts-near-chicago-park/

[OBenario]

21. As for the Olympic villages...

... yes, there were some problems regarding finishing of the buildings.

Nothing comparable to Athens and other cities, of course.

[Siwsan]

22. Well, like I said, I don't watch the games. Just a few things caught my eye, this time

One of the joys of early retirement is I have the time and energy to pay attention to things I wouldn't have had the time or energy for, while working.

[tecelote]

2. The United States does not like Brazil

Have you seen any positive PR on this absolutely beautiful country?

[OBenario]

4. Absolutely never.

And, as a sad consequence, even some "progressive" Americans have a lot of stereotyped perceptions marked by xenophobic insights about Brazil.

[roamer65]

12. The smearing started when they elected Lula president.

How dare they elect a leftist president!

[tecelote]

23. Yup, that's it.

'Have to maximize US corporate profits, you know?

[sarisataka]

5. I don't know much about Zika

what is the incubation period and is there any screening that can/will be done on people returning to their home countries from Rio?

[Siwsan]

8. This is what the CDC says

Incubation period for Zika virus disease is 3–14 days.
Zika viremia ranges from a few days to 1 week.
Virus remains in semen longer than in blood.

CDC recommends Zika virus testing for symptomatic people living in an active Zika transmission area, or who have recently traveled to an area with Zika, or who have had unprotected sex with a man confirmed to have Zika virus infection.

Testing blood, semen, or urine is not recommended to determine how likely a man is to pass Zika virus through sex. This is because there is still a lot we don’t know about the virus and how to interpret test results. (emphasis mine)

Available tests may not accurately identify the presence of Zika or a man’s risk of passing it on through sex. As we learn more and as tests improve, these tests may become more helpful for determining a man’s risk of passing Zika through sex.

[sarisataka]

13. Thanks that is helpful

Given the closing is the 21st and those ranges I would guesstimate it will be late September or early October before we will know if the virus succeeds in spreading to other areas of the world. 4-6 incubation cycles should be enough to show a rising trend in a previously uninfected area.

[OBenario]

15. The virus will succeed in spreading to other areas of the world.

It's already throughout the Americas, inside the United States, etc. It's just a question of time.

[sarisataka]

18. I read about a section of Miami

closing because of 6 cases of Zika. What will happen if it is 600?

Although I guess we need our yearly World Disease Scare. The various super-flu viruses have proven to be less deadly (in the US) than our run-of-the-mill flu viruses.

[OBenario]

20. That's what I'm saying.

So far, Zika virus is much less threatening than diseases such as dengue, for example.

Not sure Miami really needed to close a section over 6 cases - or 600.

[OBenario]

9. According to WHO

Last edited Sat Aug 13, 2016, 01:42 AM - Edit history (1)

"The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) of Zika virus disease is not clear, but is likely to be a few days. The symptoms are similar to other arbovirus infections such as dengue, and include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache. These symptoms are usually mild and last for 2-7 days."

Complications are rare (in Brazil 3,5 thousand / 1.5 million infected).

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/zika/en/

Screening is available for residents and tourists 24 hours per day.

http://www.saude.rj.gov.br/upas-24-horas/623-imprensa/31243-ses-amplia-capacidade-de-testes-para-o-virus-zika-durante-os-jogos-olimpicos.html

[sarisataka]

14. I would guess it would take

several incubation cycles for a spike to show up in a new area. A lot of factors will be in play and even if it spreads, many areas likely lake appropriate vector to keep a small infection viable.

Still it will take some time to know if the Olympics are a non-factor.

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. Zika found to remain in sperm for record six months

The Zika virus has been found in the sperm of an Italian man six months after his first symptoms, twice as long as in previously reported cases.

Doctors at the Spallanzani Institute for Infectious Diseases in Rome said it pointed to the possibility that the virus was reproducing itself in the male genital tract.
...
Current guidelines recommend infected patients should use condoms or abstain from sex for at least six months after the onset of symptoms.

The doctors said in light of this new evidence an extension of this recommendation might be advised, as well as the continued testing of semen after six months.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37057934

[4lbs]

7. In Rio, it is winter time, although most people wouldn't know it by the 70 and 80+ degree temps.

The mosquitoes have moved north.... to Florida.

[OBenario]

10. Exactly. N/T