Mystery ‘attack’ in Cuba likely mozzie spray

| 20/09/2019 | 16 Comments
Cayman News Service
Aedes aegypti mosquito

(CNS): Canadian researchers might have identified the cause of a mystery illness suffered by diplomatic staff in Cuba three years ago as mosquito repellent gas. After several overseas staff from various countries reported mysterious symptoms, officials from the US, in particular, accused the Cuban government of an “acoustic attack” with a secret sonic weapon.

But the Canadian team have suggested that neurotoxins from mosquito fumigation are the more likely cause, according to a report by the BBC. So-called “Havana syndrome” caused symptoms including headaches, blurred vision, dizziness and tinnitus.

It serves to remind the public that the war on mosquitoes continues to have a human cost as countries battle to find new ways to reduce the population of Aedas aegypti, which responsible for transmitting a host of unpleasant diseases through different chemicals.

But with the pests constantly increasing their resilience to various larvacides and the traditional chemicals used to combat them, scientists have been turning to alternatives. But this news about mosquito pesticide making people ill comes in the wake of news that the genetically modified mosquitoes released in Brazil and here Cayman could also have some long-term negative effects, which may make the disease-carrying mosquito even more resilient.

While the Cuba mystery is not definitively resolved, researchers found that with the rise in Zika cases at the time, fumigation in Cuba had increased and Embassy records showed a significant increase in fumigation around offices and diplomats homes.


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Category: Caribbean, Environmental Health, Health, Medical Health, World News

Comments (16)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Ooops egg see face. Just another day in the Trump presidency. When will it end?

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    • Anonymous says:

      “Three years ago” it says right in the article, so before even the election, never mind inauguration January 20, 2017. The ‘anti-Trump’ people fancy themselves intellectually superior, but then make (many) comments like this, which are misguided at best

  2. Anonymous says:

    I get a headache everytime my wife speaks to me, Please halt MRCU’s pesticide spray!

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  3. Tina Rus says:

    It is alarming to think of the long-term effects of the Cayman mosquito experiment, particularly on the children of Cayman. With schools so close to the dump and the toxins that pollute the groundwater added to this report of hazardous spraying, Cayman may be an unhealthy place for everyone, but especially for the young.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    This highlights the lunacy of the Genetically Modified mosquito program that was introduced into Cayman….nobody knows the long term effects?
    What exactly does MRCU spray at night whilst fogging in season?
    What exactly does Camana Bay spray on its property on a regular basis?

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    • Anonymous says:

      So instead of SPRAYING toxins on us they modified the pests themselves. I’m no genius but I can deduce that one is better for our health then the other. Bring back oxitec.

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    • Anonymous says:

      8:55, I certainly do not see the link between the genetically modified mosquito program and the spraying / fogging of pesticides. They are two completely different actions. I would certainly take the genetically modified program over the spraying / fogging. Oxitec’s program certainly looks good.

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      • BeaumontZodecloun says:

        Except the tiny little fact that WE had to pay for it, and it didn’t work. Even now, the MRCU is underfunded because of the investment in Oxitec.

        Every wonder why Florida rejected the experiment, but Oxitec wanted to do it here, where the effects would be geographically limited?

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  5. Anonymous says:

    30% of birds population in the USA has ceased to exist, that is billions of birds, insects and other field creatures, all because of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides. Why someone would think humans are different and can survive all kind of chemical attacks on their environment? Because someone is saying it is harmless?

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