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Warnings of 'catastrophic' Chikungunya epidemic; fears it could spread during the World Cup

Wednesday, April 16th 2014 - 04:36 UTC
Full article 14 comments

A team of French and Brazilian researchers warn that chikungunya virus is poised to invade, and become epidemic in the Americas according to research published ahead of print in the Journal of Virology. Read full article

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  • Troy Tempest

    From reading this article then, is one to conclude that the disease coinciding with a huge influx of visitors from around the globe, has a potential to spread very quickly to all regions of the world, and spread further from there?

    No wonder health authorities are alarmed.

    Mind you, if the airports aren't ready anyway, and high crime targeting tourists, visitor numbers will not be as high as expected.

    Apr 16th, 2014 - 04:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    Put's a whole new meaning on “Take a little of Brazil back home with you”.

    Apr 16th, 2014 - 10:55 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • LEPRecon

    @1 Troy

    Indeed. In fact the world is way overdue for some sort of pandemic, which is why whenever a new strain of a virus (swine flu/bird flu/SARS), the WHO tend to go a bit overboard.

    Normally there is a pandemic every 30-40 years or so. The last true pandemic (which killed over 50 million people worldwide) was the Spanish flu strain that hit in 1918, although the H1N1 strain of flu was declared a pandemic because it affected people in over 206 countries and caused over 6,000 deaths around the world. It fortunately didn't have the impact of the 1918 event, probably due to better understanding of how disease spreads, the use of influenza vaccines, anti-virals, and better medical care added to modern technology making it easier to get Public Health messages out.

    Lets hope that this disease doesn't spread.

    Apr 16th, 2014 - 03:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Troy Tempest

    3

    Cancel the WC - they're not ready yet, anyway

    Apr 16th, 2014 - 06:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brasileiro

    England does not rule the world. No more.

    hahaha

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F4Lkni3Xxk&list=FLmXPTu1f8AdGlizWNiASx2A&feature=mh_lolz

    Apr 16th, 2014 - 07:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Jack Bauer

    @5 Brasileiro ..“”England does not rule the world. No more....hahaha“” Are we supposed to laugh ?? what the hell does that have to do with 'dengue' and 'chikungunya' ??
    Do you realize what a fool you make of yourself ? obviously not.
    And, I suppose you think that Brazil will one day rule the world ? With the current government, it can't even rule itself...but I'm sure YOU will vote for Dilma....again....that's right, just make sure you don't lose your “bolsa família”...

    Apr 16th, 2014 - 09:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brasileiro

    Comment removed by the editor.

    Apr 16th, 2014 - 11:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Clyde15

    #7
    I think you are somewhat self deluded to the nth degree !!

    Apr 17th, 2014 - 09:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • yankeeboy

    Ack, what a horrible place.

    Apr 17th, 2014 - 01:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Jack Bauer

    Don't know what Brasileiro posted in @7 to have it removed , but must have been some of his usual sh*t.....In view of one or two of his more recent posts which gave the impression he might be “recuperable”, I was prepared to cut him some slack....but by the look of it, he's gone back to being his idiotic self....so Brazzo, f**k you , sh*thole !!

    Apr 17th, 2014 - 05:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    IF this disease becomes endemic in the areas stated and the death rate is 1 in 1,000 then as at least half the planet is too cold for it to survive it still leaves us with 3 million dead.

    Or the whole population of Uruguay. Food for thought.

    Apr 17th, 2014 - 07:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brasileiro

    In 2015 I will meet Scotland. Independent.

    Apr 18th, 2014 - 11:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Jack Bauer

    @12...keep on dreaming, asshole !!

    Apr 19th, 2014 - 06:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • GringaBrazilien

    Oh Please - this is getting silly.
    What else are the scaremongering media will preposterously come up with against the World Cup?
    Martian pitch invasion?
    The football will be square?
    Enough of this nonsense!

    Apr 23rd, 2014 - 08:27 am - Link - Report abuse 0

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