In the Globe and Mail, more evidence of global warming is coming forward. This evidence link is not good news!
Apparently since 2001, a rare and deadly fungus has been killing people and animals alike on the southeast coast of Vancouver Island.
Carolyn Abraham, in her article in the G&M (February 10, 2007), describes the mainly equatorial, single cell fungus as “ Cryptococcus gattii, a microscopic pathogen normally found in tropical or sub-tropical locales in Australia, Africa, India or South America — was first identified on Vancouver Island in 2001. Many suspect that global warming has recently enabled the one-celled organism to thrive in the trees, soil, water and air along the island's east coast. ”
Humans, household pets and porpoises seem to be the most infected so far and they have all had deaths from the growth of this fungus. The equatorial fungus seems to cause a pneumonia like disease in the lungs and it also has been shown to attack the central nervous system through meningitis.
According to Abraham. “ as of December, 2006, 165 people had been infected and eight have died. ”
This statistically represents a 4.85% chance of death if you contract this nasty and deadly fungal growth which mainly invades the lungs.
As a result, foreign medical and tropical disease experts have issued world medical and health alerts for persons who become ill after visiting the rain forest areas of western Canada.
Even socialized medicine can’t control the outcome of newly evolving diseases as the world’s climate changes.
Pass me a respirator, I’m headed to Victoria in the next few weeks.
