The New Exotic
According to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seasonality report published in
late 2021, all seasons have warmed in the U.S., with winter temperatures increasing by nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1896.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that temperatures in North Carolina have risen more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900.
While 10 cases isn’t a huge number, it’s what it could mean about future mosquito-borne disease outbreaks as climate change creates a more inviting habitat in North Carolina that has officials concerned.
What climate change could make more likely is the local transmission of an exotic ailment as viruses found in warmer climates find previously cooler areas more to their liking. And with a reservoir of mosquitoes or other insects already here or also moving into new habitats, officials warn that’s not a good combination.
Climate change also might not just mean more mosquitoes, but potentially an extended infection season for West Nile. Doyle, the state entomologist, said while vector-borne viruses have a “favorite” mosquito they like to partner with, they also have certain weather conditions they like to thrive in. For West Nile, that’s the cycle of heavy rains followed by extended dry conditions − the very weather pattern climatologists warn North Carolina is likely to see in coming decades, and to some degree is already starting to experience.
This article is what the cartoon is about. Please don’t manufacture other meanings for it that don’t exist.
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Cartoon originally published in the Asheville, NC alt weekly paper, “The Mountain Xpress”.
© 2022 – Brent Brown, Brent Brown Graphix
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