Speaker 1: There's an additional problem for Ron DeSantis, and the problem is that there is
a malaria outbreak in Florida. Now, you might be saying, David, that really has very little
to do with Ron DeSantis. And there's also some cases in Texas and ba ba ba ba ba. But there
is a very specific reason why this is a problem for Ron DeSantis. And we're going to talk about
that. Newsweek reports Ron DeSantis under Pressure as Florida Malaria Cases Spread.
The article reads DeSantis is facing pressure amid a growing number of malaria cases in Florida after
reports emerged that two public health roles related to combating the spread of disease have
been left vacant for months. Two more cases of the mosquito borne disease were detected in Sarasota
County to the south of Tampa, according to the latest disease monitoring report. This brings the
total number of cases contracted inside the U.S. this year to six in Florida. The county, along
with Manatee County and Miami-Dade, are now under alert. This is the first time in two decades that
the disease caused by a parasite has been locally acquired rather than linked to international
travel. The one reason why this is related to Ron DeSantis and bad for Ron DeSantis is
because there are two public health roles related specifically to combating the spread of disease
that have been left vacant for months. Now you can make the argument, even with those two roles,
you're not going to prevent six cases of malaria. And I'm with you. I don't know that you are going
to prevent six cases of malaria because you fill two roles that are empty. But this is another
example of the disregard and the indifference to properly staffing these roles related to health.
Florida has been having problems with this. They add that wacky doctor, Ladapo anti-vax,
kooky doctor at the helm during COVID firing the woman who was putting together that COVID
dashboard. All of these different things. So it makes them look terrible. Now let's talk about
malaria a little bit. Malaria is a mosquito borne disease. It doesn't only affect humans,
it can affect other animals. It's caused by a parasite which is transmitted by the bites of
infected mosquitoes. When the mosquito becomes infected and then bites an infected person and
then goes and bites a non-infected person, the mosquito is is spreading the disease. The
parasite enters the person's bloodstream, goes to the liver, infects red blood cells. Now, malaria
is usually not directly contagious from person to person unless there's contact of infected blood,
organ transplant, blood transfusion, theoretically, you know, two open wounds
touching each other, although it's rare. So person to person transmission is not common. It can be
transmitted during pregnancy or delivery. And so when you say how contagious is malaria, what's the
R number? It's sort of unclear. The research I did said it could be under one all the way up to 100,
depending on the setting. And it's such a small number of cases that we see in the United States
in this way that it's actually difficult to put a number on it. Diagnosed by a blood test
that can detect the presence of the parasite. Malaria is treated with antimalarial drugs
such as chloroquine, mefloquine and other drugs. Depends on the severity, depends on the type, if
it is untreated, can cause severe complications. And death, including complications can include
swelling of the brain fluid in the lungs, organ failure, anemia, a low blood sugar coma or death
ugly, ugly stuff. The first approved vaccine for malaria is known by the brand name Mask Works.
And as of a few months ago, it's been given to about a million and a half kids living in
parts of the world that have moderate to high malaria transmission. Are six cases in Florida
reason to panic? They're not are six cases in Florida when there are two open positions,
thanks to Ron DeSantis, a political problem for him? Potentially? Very much so. All of these
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