The other day, with the sun shining down on our island paradise as usual, I was enjoying my afternoon stroll along the beach trail in Rathtrevor Park when I was accosted. No not like that! By a television reporter with a very large shoulder supported video camera.
He wanted to know "if I was at all worried about the Cryptococcus Gattii virus". I replied "not in the least", and when he posed the expected follow up question. "Why not"? I said that I had read that I was many times more likely to be involved in a car accident on the way to the park, than to be attacked by that particular bug.
Actually its not a bug or a virus or even a Mafia Don, but rather a yeast like fungus that appears to have migrated to BC from some tropical or sub-tropical clime such as Papua or Northern Australia, possibly thanks to atmospheric warming. It has also now been detected in both Washington and Oregon States. Its airborne spores can cause various lung diseases, meningitis, and miscellaneous other rather unpleasant disorders, and may actually have been the cause of some 8 deaths within the 218 cases diagnosed during the past 10 or so years in BC, in addition to a number of other fatalities in the United States. Unlike most causes of human sickness, it is also known to affect animals, including dogs and cats, dolphins and koalas, with the latter specie being rather less likely to be a victim in our area.
And the bottom line: I wished my wandering reporter a safe return home to Victoria, commenting that I trusted he would not himself stumble upon a Cryptococcus Gattii, or a grizzly bear while visiting our park. Not surprisingly, the local Chamber of Commerce was apparently responsible for removal of the signs warning of the fungus... not at all good for business. And no, we don't have grizzlies on our island... they are not allowed to board our beautiful new, and rather expensive, BC ferry fleet.
That's all I've time for today folks... I'm off for a walk in the park.
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