The end is nigh! The Zika Virus Doomsayer Thread

[IndiraLightfoot]

Hi!

 

Have I read too many novels about Earth 50 years from now, where viruses/diseases turn peeps into zombies or automatons, or is this Zika virus a real global threat that authorities blatantly ignore for commercial reasons?

 

"Hey! Let's go ahead with the Olympics despite the Zika outbreak in Brasil."

 

Err, what?

 

And now the little bugger is sucking its way into Florida. 1,800 cases of infected pregnant women IIRC, the worst virus outbreak in American history.

 

And still everyone talks about Trump and Hillary. Let me tell you this; there's a new bad ass in town: Mrs. Zika.

 

Discuss!

Edited August 2, 2016 by IndiraLightfoot

[Chilloutman]

Olympics in Brazil are horrible idea even without Zika, I am not sure who sane would go there with Zika around

[IndiraLightfoot]

Indeed. This almost has passed under the radar newswise, at least compared to all the shootings etc, and Brazil gets to keep the Olympics, despite Zika truly being a killer disease. Wrong kind of violence, I guess? I'm just baffled by the blasé attitude over months and months towards something so life-threatening like a pandemic disease.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

I'm fairly sure Smallpox would be the worst outbreak in American history (likely followed by either Polio or the Great Influenza, I'll n run numbers when I'm off work later but I'd be very surprised if Zika didn't have a long way to go before it places in the top three worst outbreaks).

 

But, regardless of its actual numerical placement in the history of epidemics, I do think that Zika is a threat and shouldn't be taken lightly. Not only is there likely going to be economic impact of children effected by microcephaly, not only to families but also general welfare systems across the board, but this burden is more likely to hit already economically stressed groups do to the lack of reproductive planning resources (something that is only going to be compounded by Zika acting like an STD).