The following was received today from Dr. Rudy Xue, Director of Anastasia Mosquito Control District:
September 2, 2014
We have received the confirmed information about imported Chikungunya case in St. Johns County (Northeast area) from the Department of Health. The person traveled back from Caribbean Countries where there are more than 500,000 human cases. So far there are more than 170 imported Chikungunya cases and 7 local-acquired Chikungunya cases in Florida. Our district has increased the surveillance and took some actions to control the virus spread. We will update about the case after we get more information. Thanks, Dr. Rudy Xue, Director, AMCD.
Aedes aegypt Credit University of Florida Entomology & Nematology
Well Chikungunya is here. On June 10, 2014, Dr. Eddie Fleming warned the St. Johns County and City Commissioners of the impending dangers due in Chikungunya Fever and Dengue Fever which was already present in Florida. Dr. Fleming recommended a short workshop for all city and county employees working in and around stagnant and moving bodies of water, swamps, forests and beaches. The workshop would cover protective measures to prevent and avoid sickness and illness due to Chikungunya Fever and Dengue Fever.
St. Augustine Beach and the City of St. Augustine Administrators and Supervisors immediately contacted and began working with Anastasia Mosquito Control District to educate and prevent sickness and illness from Chikungunya Fever and Dengue Fever.
Please be advised that AMCD to date has had no Administrative Supervisors or Commissioners from St. Johns County contact the District relative to the dangers of Chikungunya Fever and Dengue Fever or to make arrangements for instruction of the SJC County Supervisors or a Workshop for SJC County Employees.
Several employees interviewed indicated they had no training of any type relative to the danger of mosquito bites and illness caused by Chikungunya Fever and Dengue Fever. This training, which would include audio and visual, could have been passed on to family members.
And this is the Board that wants to take over Mosquito Control? You’ve got to be kidding me…if they do not care about their employees, what do they think about the residents health?
The above comments have no reference to the St. Johns County and City Law Enforcement Departments.