WNV Infections Continue Rising

More than 5,000 WNV infections reported to CDC

WNV infections in the U.S. have caused at least 183 deaths thus far in 2012.

At least five thousand one hundred and twenty-two [number of cases to be confirmed] West Nile virus infections have been reported to CDC ArboNET from 48 states as of posting. The cases are from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

• About 70 percent of the cases have been reported from 8 states (Texas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, South Dakota, Michigan, and Oklahoma).
• More than a third of all cases have been reported from Texas.
• More than 51% of the cases are classified as neuroinvasive disease (such as meningitis or encephalitis).

Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak:

• 23 dead
• 285 infected
• Infections reported across 16 states

NOTE: 282 cases of fungal meningitis, stroke due to presumed fungal meningitis, or other central nervous system-related infection meeting the outbreak case definition, plus 3 peripheral joint infections (e.g., knee, hip, shoulder, elbow). No deaths have been associated with peripheral joint infections, CDC reported.

Spain Earthquake

Large scale groundwater extraction caused a 2011 earthquake in Spain which left at least nine people dead, more than 100 injured and thousands homeless,  researchers said.

• A 5.1 magnitude  earthquake near the city of Lorca in southeastern Spain occurred at a shallow depth 3 km, causing extensive damage.
• Researchers found the water table in the Alto Guadalentin Basin had dropped by 250 meters since 1960 due to groundwater extraction.
• “Modeling results are consistent with a groundwater crustal unloading process, providing a reasonable explanation for the observed fault slip pattern.” They said.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!