A Single "Ebola-Like" Lassa Virus Death Recorded, In Iowa... Patient Recently Traveled To West Africa: A Disconcerting Development.

It is absolutely true that the risk to the public in Iowa or the US generally is. . . infinitesimal.

Moreover, it was a native Iowan who went to Africa and returned, likely unaware that the virus had found a host.

Even so, it should be a reminder that in this modern jet age -- we all need to be each other's keepers. Viral agents do not respect lines drawn on some General's map. We need to think in terms of GLOBAL public health efforts (and to be clear, I am thinking here mostly of public education and outreach efforts -- as well as sanitary water devices / supplies for all humans, worldwide), not just local and in state- or country.

That's my $0.02, for what it is worth -- now, here is the story, from STAT:

. . .A person from Iowa who recently returned to the United States from West Africa has died after contracting Lassa fever, a virus that can cause Ebola-like illness in some patients. State health officials reported the case on Monday.

“I want to assure Iowans that the risk of transmission is incredibly low in our state. We continue to investigate and monitor this situation and are implementing the necessary public health protocols,” Robert Kruse, state medical director of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement posted to the department’s website. . . .

I might again mention that both climate change (which is forcing African populations to migrate deeper into mountainous regions in search of stable water supplies), and deforestation that comes from taking back these areas from wild nature. . . inexorably puts humans in increasing contact with bats, boars and spiders that for perhaps 12,000 years have seen no human contact (since the last Ice Age). So it is likely (and we've covered it before) that the quadruple triple outbreak in Africa right now -- Ebola, Lassa, Mpox and Marburg. . . is in some measure also. . . climate related.

Now you know. . . with airport runs (from Heathrow -- by way of a month in Tbilisi, Georgia -- crazy election stories, there, too BTW!) this evening -- getting excited! Grin.

नमस्ते