Public Health Wednesdays- The M Word (Monkey Pox & Marbug Virus)

    MONKEY POX

Monkey Pox

Monkey Pox does not come from this guy or any of his 260 relatives. Monkey Pox comes from rodents. 

The United States and Monkey Pox

In 2003, local residents in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin had cases of Monkey Pox. Here is the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report(MMWR) for that incident. 

The United States banned six rodents to fight the infectious monkey pox in 2003

Monkey Pox Reported Cases in Africa

Small outbreaks of monkey pox have occurred in Sierra Leone, Congo, and Central African Republic. Nigeria has reported multiples cases of monkey pox throughout the country. The country of Cameroon's primate population experienced a monkey pox epidemic. Fatality rates are quite low and occur with younger populations and are rare. 

What is Nigeria doing about the outbreak?

How do you contract Monkey Pox? 

The monkey pox virus is transmitted to people from various wild animals but has limited secondary spread through human-to-human transmission.

Symptoms  

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion

Outbreaks can be controlled with a host of options

To understand more on the Monkey Pox
 

MARBUG VIRUS -UGANDA

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW?

A severe, highly fatal virus called Marburg has infected and killed three people in Uganda. While that's a small number of infections, any cases of Marburg are cause for concern given the virus' high fatality rates and similarities to the deadly Ebola virus. Here's what you should know.

WHO Report on the Marbug Virus

How is Uganda handling an outbreak?

They are doing well, they have one more mandatory cycle to complete and it should be declared under control. 

There are still reported cases of the Dengue Fever in Burkina Faso though reported cases are dropping. Madagascar is taking control of the plague, far from over but relief is on the way. 

See you next PHW-Public Health Wednesday

Muldays Mondays: China's Waterplomacy "The OMFG, The Ugly and the Bad.......

Waterplomacy: China's Water Woes

“To understand the politricks behind water security and related topics, simply pay attention to these terms: Economic Activities and Development, Peace and Political Stability, Financing (Remember W.A.S.H?), Ecosystems, Drinking Water, Water Pollution, Climate Change, Good Governance and Transboundary Cooperation”

— Water & Cassava

.... OMFG- The Case of The Gambia  

On May 22 2017, The Bolong Fenyo Wild Life Reserve in Gambia was poisoned by the Chinese owned company Golden Lead Factory. The color of water ranges from pink to red, because of the dead animals discovered in the reserve and surrounding areas. After an investigation, it was discovered the pipelines were dumping toxins to the reserve. The company blamed the local fishermen for killing every single fish in the reserve.
I am sure you can imagine, the local people and government had some difficulty believing this formal response. The Gambia National Environment Agency sued The Golden Lead Factory for violating environmental regulations and for the pollution of the sea. 

Bolong Fenyo Wild Life Reserve after poison

Please click below to learn more:

Now after this, you will think Gambia will be singing this to China:

But in the words of the young boyz from Philadelphia:

As of August of this year, Gambia decided to work with China on supporting and building on infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism. China in return will have unrestricted access to the Gambian market and about the  T word....

“China: Gambia you understand there is only one China
Gambia: We understand that Taiwan is not a country, Please don’t go away”

— Imagined by Water & Cassava

To read more on Gambia not wanting China to go away:

 

...The UGLY-The Case of Cameroon 

Meanwhile down south from Gambia, we have the country of Cameroon. A country that has had the same president for the last 30 years, home to 5 separate groups that wish to take their independence from the country and ninth country to benefit from Chinese loans and aid. 

“The Cameroonian Ministry of Economy signed multiple technical and economic agreements with China worth FCFA 49.4 billion (594 million yuan) for a drinking water supply project”

To get the brief gist of this project:

SPEAKING OF HELL AROUND THE CORNER..

Cameroon is the walking definition of the song above.  

“...Cameroon owes China $1 billion dollars in loans”

— Water & Cassava

....The Bad: The Case of China's Water Security Issues

China has a host of water security issues internally and with neighboring countries. Home to 1.3 billion people, that is roughly 20% of our planet's population. China struggles with access to fresh water but in order to understand the role of agriculture in China's water woes, read this article: 

“Birth Control OR Control of Birth ”

— Water & Cassava

The answer from the China government to water security concerns, is the South-North Water Transfer Project that will cost the government $62 billion dollars. There are some serious concerns on the role of pollution in the building of such a massive project including serious risk to the population. Read below to understand why such concerns are alarming:

CHINA AND INDIA WATER WARS: BUDDAH BE A FENCE

China's attempt to deal with water scarcity has been to build more dams to divert water in regions of the country that lack water. This diversion has cost India lives and over $30 million in damages. Read this article to understand the growing tensions between India and China that stem from water manipulation

Until next Mulday!