El Graduado
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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.
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.