Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Deadly malaria infects half a billion Does this sort of grim news ever end??
More than half a billion people – nearly double previous estimates – were infected by the deadliest form of malaria in 2002, scientists reveal in a report out today.
They calculate that one in three in the world – a total of 2.2 billion people – are at risk from the mosquito-borne parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
The discovery that malaria is far more prevalent than anyone had realised is a jolt to public health chiefs the world over. The disease claims 1 million lives a year in sub-Saharan Africa alone, most of them children under five.
Of the four malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum is by far the most dangerous, especially to the undernourished, weak or very young. It is prevalent throughout the tropics, and has developed resistance to successive drugs.
http://www.junkscience.com/malaria_clock.htm
It’s horrible news all right, but not shocking. We are exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet. Just as with any other species that becomes overpopulated, diseases increase to cull the numbers. We humans are just very adept at fighting the diseases.
Look at AIDS, it’s a horrible killer, has a long, hidden period where it can be spread, and is invariably deadly if untreated. Africa is ravaged by it – and STILL our population increases. I fear this sort of story will just become more and more prevalent until a really ugly, unstoppable pandemic arises.
Sadly, given many cultural and religious attitudes, birth control doesn’t seem to be a viable option. Well, this is nature’s method of birth control, ugly as it may seem.
Now I’ve depressed myself again…
This is a result of criminal behavior on the part of governments (how typical). DDT offers the world a safe solution. It has been inappropriately maligned and the media made it into a poison, long ago. In reality, it offers the world health, control of malaria, and boutinful harvests.
Wake up, world. You have convinced yourselves that the prevention of thin eggshells and the loss of some bird speciies (a questionalble claim to begin with) justifies the death of millions of humans via malaria and starvation.
Bravo, UN. Bravo, Mr. Environmentally Concerned Citizen. Unfortunately you have fogotten that the human species is also part of the environment and is perfectly “natural”.
DDT? Where are you living…in 1964?
The “human” species has infested the planet like a cancer. We might be a species, but we’re not that “natural”. If we’d stop breeding like we are prey animals……….
When I was a kid MR was what we called kids who acted mentally deficient….and slow. (Well, that and the nicname ‘tard). Nice to see the term is still being accurately used.
One gigantic city I lived in was declared malaria free by the UN. Yet, there were probably thousands of cases in my city alone. I never got it, but it was all around.
Because of our malaria free status, we received no UN funds for the problem.
Our local bureaucrats just didn’t bother to gather the data (or were too incompetent to do so, pocketed the study money or whatever… it’s never clear) so they just declared the city malaria free!
It is not shocking news becase every second country faces these problem. Look at AIDS, it’s a horrible killer, has a long, hidden period where it can be spread, and is invariably deadly if untreated