Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

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Venezuela: And now, malaria

When you remember that the country stopped reporting economic indicators years ago, the fact that the increase in malaria is reported makes it twice as alarming:

Hard Times in Venezuela Breed Malaria as Desperate Flock to Mines. Many turn to panning for black-market gold in the watery pits of mines, where mosquitoes infect them. Once they return home to recover, the disease spreads.

Venezuela was the first nation in the world to be certified by the World Health Organization for eradicating malaria in its most populated areas, beating the United States and other developed countries to that milestone in 1961.

. . .

In the first six months of the year, malaria cases rose 72 percent, to a total of 125,000, according to the figures. The disease cut a wide path through the country, with cases present in more than half of its 23 states. And among the malaria strains present here is Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes the most fatal form of the disease.

More 21st Century Socialism news: Once again, Venezuelans Travel Miles to Shop in Colombia After Border Opens. Toilet paper in demand; some carry back a car tire on each shoulder

Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro’s decision to reopen the border with Colombia grants his countrymen a lifeline of crossing into frontier towns to buy what they need. Six border crossings were opened under a plan announced by both presidents to gradually normalize movement. Cars will be allowed to cross in a month.

It may grant “his countrymen a lifeline”, while it also allows a release for the pressure against his mismanagement.

I wonder what kind of deal was made on currency exchanges.

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Zika in the news: Brazil’s government approves forced entry into homes, Venezuela lacks meds

Perigo. Agente da Secretaria municipal de Saúde coleta amostras numa casa abandonada na Avenida Maracanã: possíveis focos de 'Aedes aegypti' Foto: Agência O Globo / Custodio Coimbra

The Brazilian government has approved a Public Health Emergency Measure allowing health department employees accompanied by police to enter private homes by force, if necessary, to fumigate for Aedes aegypti mosquitos.

The Aedes aegypti transmit dengue, chikungunya, and zika.

O Globo reports that it applies to homes where the owner has been absent and appear to have been abandoned. Health department officials must give notice ten days in advance to the owner of record, and verify its vacancy by visiting the property twice during the 10-day period.

You can read the original article in Portuguese here.

In Venezuela,

Venezuelan Health Minister Luisana Melo on Friday said there are 4,700 people allegedly infected with the Zika virus in the country, out of which 225 people are suffering from one of the virus complications: the Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Although the minister, in an interview with state-run TV channel VTV, further admitted that Venezuela lacks immunoglobulin, which is the main treatment for the virus, she pointed out that THE antibody would be provided to patients who need it, since “we are facing a crisis.”

As for plasmapheresis, which is another treatment for this disease, Melo stated it is available only in 46 hospitals nationwide.

Seemingly, the local health authority said there is a 25% medicines deficit in drugstores. “We cannot deny this situation,” she stressed.

Melo, who blames consumers who brush their teeth for the toothpaste shortage, says “the country’s pharmaceutical industry would produce 80% of high-consumption drugs late in July this year”.

Good luck with that.

UPDATE
W.H.O. Declares Zika Virus a Global Health Emergency, First Time Since Ebola

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Brazil: All this, and Zika virus, too

The country that imported 4,000 cuban medics two years ago faces another health crisis:

Spreading Virus Adds to Brazil’s Woes. Some health officials link outbreak of mosquito-borne pathogen to rising instances of infant deaths from rare disease

With its introduction into Brazil and other countries in the Americas, including Colombia, El Salvador and Mexico, Zika is following a pattern similar to other mosquito-borne viruses that are riding speedily to new parts of the world.

The virus is carried by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus species, the same mosquitoes that transmit dengue and a similar disease, chikungunya. Those mosquitoes populate the southern U.S., Caribbean, Central and South America, Dr. Powers said.

The size of the Brazilian outbreak may be the reason health authorities are finding unusual neurological symptoms and disorders for the first time, she said.

Another reason may be a mutation in the virus, she said, adding that scientists are studying genetic sequences to look at whether changes have occurred that could lead to these disorders.
. . .
The Zika virus first surfaced in Africa in the late 1940s, and has hopscotched to Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific and more recently to Latin America. Exactly how it reached Brazil, why it is spreading so fast and how it became such a threat to developing fetuses isn’t yet understood. Brazilian health officials don’t know the exact number of adults infected with the Zika virus because the vast majority of them don’t receive hospital treatment

Brazil is scheduled to host the 2016 Olympics. Now may be a good time to reconsider DDT.

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Answers: Where can women go, instead of Planned Parenthood?

Don’t believe for a moment that poor women have no alternatives to the abortion-mills-trading-in-human-organs. To be specific, there many better options than Planned Parenthood:

More answers at my post, Answers: Where can women go, instead of Planned Parenthood?

Related:
I Used To Be Pro-Choice. So I Know This Is An Opportunity For Life Advocates To Start Changing Minds.

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Venezuela: Deadly new illness

El Nuevo Herald and La Patilla reports that Venezuelan doctors are on the alert for a mysterious new illness whose victims die within 72 hours and which the hospitals don’t know how to treat.

Eight people from the state of Aragua have died in the past ten days. The symptoms are general malaise, high fever, skin rash, and mouth sores that become infected, after which the patients develop internal and external bleeding.

Duglas León Natera, president of the Venezuelan Medical Federation, has gone on the record saying, “we don’t know what it is.”

Happening in the middle of a health crisis in the country, the Venezuelan government has denied the reports, accusing Natera of “engaging in a campaign of rumors and terrorism.”

In other medical news, Exported to Venezuela, miserable Cuban doctors clamor to get into U.S.


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Let’s talk about clothes and enclothed cognition

“Enclothed cognition”? That’s what psychologists call the premise that the clothes you wear directly affect how you think and what you do.

It turns out the study was paid for by Lululemon, which has managed a lot of free publicity because of some see-through pants, and because the CEO managed to tell the truth – that their clothes are not for the overweight:

Psychology of Lululemon: How Fashion Affects Fitness
Does expensive athletic wear actually incline us to work out? “Enclothed cognition” proposes that the clothes you wear directly affect how we think and what we do.

“It’s all about the symbolic meaning that you associate with a particular item of clothing,” Adam said. And he thinks the study’s results can be applied to many more fields, including activewear and fitness. “I think it would make sense that when you wear athletic clothing, you become more active and more likely to go to the gym and work out.”

Especially if you have spent $300+ on an outfit you could get for under $40 at Old Navy.

Let’s compare:
Lululemon:
En Route Jacket $148.00
Hustle & Bustle Tank $58.00
Astro Pant (Tall) *Full-On Luon $98.00
Total: $304.00

Old Navy:
Micro-Performance Fleece Jacket $10.00
Active by Old Navy Compression Tank $14.00
Fold-Over Yoga Pants $14.00
Total: $38.00

Yes, the prices above are as of today, and you can get almost ten Old Navy outfits for the price of one Lululemon.

“But Fausta,” you’ll say, “Lululemon’s yoga and running gear are designed for sweaty workouts (Full-On Luon fabric is sweat wicking, four-way stretch and breathable)! Old Navy’s isn’t!”

Ask yourself how many times a week/month/year you run outdoors long enough to break a sweat: that’s when you need the high-performance materials. If you work out indoors, you’ll do fine with Old Navy. At the end of your sweaty workout, you’re done, and you’ll be showering and changing anyway.

Unless, of course, you have to impress yourself and everybody else with the brand name (be it Lululemon, Patagonia, Athleta, or whatever), in which case, by all means, do. It all has to do with enclothed cognition.

However, keep one thing in mind: I don’t weigh myself, and I keep to a low-carb diet because I must, so the way I keep track of my weight is by seeing whether my non-stretchy clothes are getting tight. Once you get into the habit of wearing stretchy clothes all day, clothes that “give” (particularly around the waist), you lose track of that.

Which brings me to the question:
If you spend $300 on an outfit, would you be wearing it all day, and skipping the gym because breaking a sweat would mean changing into something less stylish? Or do you really get the activewear for working out?

Only you can answer that.

Related: Althouse goes Heisenberg and asks,

What I think would be fun to talk about is articles of clothing that you have used to alter your perceptions. And have you rejected items of clothing that you thought would skew your perceptions in ways you didn’t like? Remember to exclude the idea of how others perceive you and how their response to you will affect you. It’s just you. You and that item of clothing.

For a snowy day,

Blogging on Latin American politics shall resume later.


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