The Air Rescue Team of FEMERAID International informs all our members, Knights and Dames of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta, Federation of the Autonomous Priories (KMFAP) about the followings:
Last week, the WHO issued a warning that diseases such as dengue fever and chikungunya could possibly enter Europe in 2023 with local transmission rather than being brought in from endemic regions. It is worth noting that the Aedes aegypti mosquito species serves as vector of both diseases, in addition to yellow fever. The FEMERAID team believes that because this mosquito has the ability to cross the Sahara Desert, which has historically acted as a natural barrier preventing the spread of those diseases to North Africa and Europe, then furthermore, the Anopheles mosquito may also be capable of making the same journey, potentially introducing cases of Malaria Falciparum to these regions, North of Africa and Europe.
Coincidently, there have also been case reports of locally transmitted Malaria Vivax in the US state of Texas.
We are concerned that El Nino, with its warmer and stronger winds, could reintroduce diseases that have long been eradicated in various parts of the world. Therefore, it is crucial to take special precautions in controlling the mosquito population.
Our medical team will continuously monitor this situation and, when appropriate, provide recommendations to prevent mosquito bites.
Keep safe and healthy!
NGC
12th July 2023