Health Tip: Stay away from Shanxi

If you are trying to squeeze in one last summer getaway before fall rolls around (which wouldn’t be a bad thing right now considering the near 40 degree weather we all have to endure lately), and a stop in Shanxi (山西) province is on your itinerary, Shanghaiist is urging you to reconsider. From Interfax News Service, we learned this:

A deadly encephalitis B outbreak has killed 19 and is believed to have infected at least 41 others in Yuncheng, in northern China's Shanxi Province. According to state media, the virus originated in pigs in rural areas surrounding the city, and was transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.

Chickens and other fowl in local farms breathed a collective sigh of relief upon hearing this news. Hogs on the other hand are understandably concerned in light of what happened to their canine buddies in Shandong and Yunnan provinces recently. No word yet if a massive culling is planned, but the Ministry of Health did issue statements saying that the epidemic is “under control”. Think we’ve heard that before, and like last time, we aren’t buying any of it. So our advice: “Stay the @#$! away from Shanxi!” You never know what those crazy bastards in charge of small town PRC would do in a panic: You just might get culled!

P.S. We do apologize if our post screwd up your travel plans. While you might not be able to visit Shanxi for a few months, here is an interesting story about a small Shanxi town Shanghaiist editor Dan Washburn wrote while travelling there a few years back, enjoy!

The full Interfax article can be found here.

For more on info on encephalitis, visit WebMD

Photo from oldtasty.