Aerial War against Disease
Satellite tracking of epidemics is soaring
Imagine this: It’s the height of summer a decade from now, and stifling heat blankets New York City. A hidden foe has lurked out of sight for many months, and authorities are on high alert. The streets are deserted, Central Park is sealed, helicopters circle overhead, and residents remain inside with their windows firmly closed. Dousing the city, the surrounding suburbs, and perhaps wider areas with protective chemicals is the only defense.
In this fictional scenario, the city isn’t under terrorist attack. The concealed enemy is the deadly virus that causes West Nile fever, which first emerged in New York in 1999. Attempts at vaccines (SN: 3/16/02, p. 164: Clever Combo: Hybrid vaccine prevents West Nile virus in mice.) haven’t borne fruit, and the heat is creating the ideal conditions for drawing virus-carrying mosquitoes out of their winter refuges.