Zika in Cozumel

[El Graduado]

Zika seems to have taken root on Cozumel. I have seven friends on the island who came down with it in the last two weeks. I have heard of many more cases, but do not know these others personally. It is not restricted to any specific geographical area of the city. I would say it is an outbreak, if not an epidemic.

The good news is, the illness seems to be short in duration and not as bad as dengue or chikungunya, if you aren't pregnant. It starts with a headache and rash, light fever, and general malaise. After around three days it passes. I don't know how long you can pass the virus on to others, or to other mosquitos once you have been infected, but it must be for more than these three days for it to be spreading so fast. I can't imagine what will happen nine months from now when children start being born to mothers who contracted it. The island is poorly equipped to handle that kind of thing.

As I have stressed before, use plenty of mosquito repellent containing 30% to 50% DEET when you visit Cozumel. Or, if you are feeling very lucky and especially invincible, some kind of organic, "chemical-free" banana-flavored repellent.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Banana flavored? I'd always understood that mozzies are attracted to that scent . . . LOL or is that the point you were trying to make? ☺

 

[El Graduado]

Banana flavored? I'd always understood that mozzies are attracted to that scent . . . LOL or is that the point you were trying to make? ☺

It was meant tongue-in-cheek.

 

[chillyinCanada]

OK, I thought it might be but now I'm sure!!

 

[gopbroek]

I was talking with a limited number of people on Monday and heard of 4 cases last week.

Here is news blurb that kinda / sorta confirms it: Laboratorio confirma casos de zika en la isla de Cozumel

The CDC states that 4 out of 5 persons that have the virus will show no symptoms so the actual rate of infection would probably be much higher than the numbers of persons treated or tested by the medical community. Another news blurb about the CDC states; 'Detection of Zika virus RNA in semen has been reported up to 93 days after illness onset. Current evidence suggests that Zika virus persists longer in semen than in other body fluids, including vaginal fluids, urine, and blood.'

 

[chillyinCanada]

Ya so keep it in yer pants boys! You can do it! It's only a quarter of a year, not that big a deal, right?

 

[deepsea21]

For decades everyone who travels to the tropics has been at risk of contracting mosquito-transmitted illnesses. Malaria alone has killed more people than all the wars combined in global history.

Quite simply, if you aren't pregnant or planning to conceive, Zika resides at the bottom of the list of diseases one can contract from mosquitos. 80% of those infected with Zika experience no side effects at all and those who do present symptoms for 3 days that are on par or less offensive than the common cold. I'd take Zika any day over influenza assuming you are not pregnant or intending to conceive over the next 3 months.

Furthermore, locals who have been infected in Coz probably don't apply mosquito repellant every day/night just as I don't in the states... until there is a reason to do so. I guess I'm an optimist as I think Cozumel will react quickly, ramp up the mosquito fogging and spraying, locals will quickly focus on eliminating standing water in everything they can find (as Zika only truly spreads in populated areas), and this will soon become a non-issue. It's a town of 100,000+ people so of course there is going to be a spike in cases when it first arrives but these spikes quickly subside. If there is one thing Cozumel will spend money on it's eliminating any threat to tourism.

Remember when Hurricane Wilma parked itself over the Yucatan for 60 hours and locals were boating through the square? Everyone said Coz would never be the same and how quicky did everything return to normal once the water recided to get those cruise ships back. Cozumel 10 Years On: Greater Than Ever

 

[El Graduado]

I guess I'm an optimist as I think Cozumel will react quickly, ramp up the mosquito fogging and spraying, locals will quickly focus on eliminating standing water in everything they can find (as Zika only truly spreads in populated areas), and this will soon become a non-issue.

You didn't read the Cozumel government's statement in the newspaper article that was attached in gopbroek's post, above, did you? They said they are unaware of any cases of Zika on the island.

For years now, the government has paid teams of workers to go house to house emptying water-catchments, putting larvacide in fountains and tanks, and trying to educate the folks on the island why they need to stop providing easy breeding spots for the mosquito. They have also sprayed the streets and culverts on a semi-regular basis (not daily). So far, it hasn't worked very well.

Just saw this today about how the virus might be able to damage adults' brain cells:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160818131134.htm

I remember not so long ago I posted and article mentioning the dangers of Zika and was shot down by posters who said there was no proof it caused birth defects. I kinda felt like I was a messenger ducking bullets.

I post all of this simply to stress the importance of using repellent. Apply a DEET-containing repellent and don't rely on others to get rid of the mosquito for you by spraying, or whatever other means of eradication they may use. If you use repellent, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. (Unless you plan on having sex with someone who has or has had it!)

I believe the island's population is well under 100,000. Closer to 80,000.

 

[deepsea21]

El Graduado, thank you for your post and recommendation that all apply bug spray when visiting Coz. I intended to do so as soon as I read a post here the other night that Zika has now reached the island and cases are being reported.

A few years ago I was taking a cab to CZM for departure and I asked the driver what the island population was and he said it was over 100,000. I checked an online souce tonight based on your response and, indeed, this source reports the population estimate to be 86,415 as of 3/15/15. Perhaps the cab driver was wrong but it really doesn't matter to me.

Your link to a study that Zika-infected mice may not be able to locate a piece of cheese in a maze as quickly as mice not infected does not cause me concern as I'm not a mouse.

 

[mstevens]

Your link to a study that Zika-infected mice may not be able to locate a piece of cheese in a maze as quickly as mice not infected does not cause me concern as I'm not a mouse..

Smashing mice on their heads with hammers 5 times their body weights also impairs their ability to traverse mazes. Since you are not a mouse, are you not concerned about being smashed on your head with a hammer 5 times your body weight?