First the floods, then the diseases – why NZ should brace for outbreaks of spillover infections from animals

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 14:14:20 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/first-the-floods-then-the-diseases-why-nz-should-brace-for-outbreaks-of-spillover-infections-from-animals-201162>

"When Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand in February, it left a trail of
destruction across the North Island. At least 11 people died, and more than
10,000 were displaced. Bridges were washed out (35 in the Hastings district
alone), roads closed and communications cut.

With potable water and wastewater systems damaged and land covered in silt,
there is another consequence that may yet appear – diseases, or more
specifically, zoonoses that spread between animals and people.

Floods and their aftermath are a time of higher risk for disease spread. While
we do not have much data specific to New Zealand, due partly to the difficulty
of diagnosing and reporting diseases during times of crisis, we can use
information from overseas to predict which diseases may flare up after floods."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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