Malaria Mania as Florida Faces New Infections

Malaria Mania is here as Florida health officials have reported not one, but two additional cases.  That brings the total tally of locally acquired infections to a whopping seven since May. Ladies and gentlemen, it seems our sunshine state is under attack from an unlikely enemy.  The dreaded mosquito.

According to NBC Miami, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sounded the alarm on June 26, sending hospitals into a frenzy. They warned medical professionals to be on high alert for patients showcasing symptoms of malaria. They urged them to kick into high gear by diagnosing and treating the ailment within a mere 24 hours. Talk about pressure!

Dr. Manuel Gordillo, an infectious disease specialist at the renowned Sarasota Memorial Hospital, has had the distinct honor of treating four of Florida's malaria patients this year. Bravo, Doctor! He revealed that some of the infected individuals arrived at the hospital in quite a sorry state, suffering from fevers and dehydration. Ah, yes, the perfect way to begin a Floridian adventure.

To make matters worse, it appears that some of these unfortunate souls neglected their symptoms until they reached a state of "complications." Neglecting symptoms? That seems like a recipe for disaster.

It's a serious disease, sometimes fatal, transmitted by mosquitoes who act as tiny, ruthless, disease-carrying ninjas. Their evil plan involves transferring a parasite to us unsuspecting humans through their sneaky little bites. Symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue, like the aftermath of a wild night in Vegas.

So, for all of us Floridians, take this warning and keep your insect repellent close, your windows shut, and your senses sharp. For the mosquitoes are upon us, and they won't rest until they've made us all honorary members of the "Malaria Club."

When you go on an adventure, you want to take it all in, but in doing so there could be some risks and you won't guess one of the most dangerous tourist activities.

When you think of popular things to do on summer vacation, or even things to do as a local in Fort Myers, Cape Coral or Naples, you may think of a dolphin cruise or a deep sea fishing adventure. Possibly renting a kayak or a waverunner. Or a winter vacation of skiing or ice skating. And while you're there to enjoy a vacation, there could be some risks that come along with these activities. Now, these all sound a little tame compared to the extreme thrills that some people seek out. Think the Titanic exploration mission. Or flying into space.

I try, when on vaca, to have a mix of fun and relaxation. I do tend to do more adventure type things like kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, things like that. But I stay away from the extremes. My goal is to have fun and come back in one piece.

Travel site Nomadic Yak put together a list of 30+ of the most dangerous tourist activities you can do while on vacation looking at how many people have died doing them in the US, UK, Australia and Europe. Before you freak out, it's important to know that even the deadliest thing on the list only has a 0.032% chance of death. But some things on the list might surprise you. Like eating (#11) or zorbing (#32). To see the full list, click here. Below are the top 10.

I never understood why people voluntarily do this. The chance of death? 1 in 111,111.

I understand the thrill people get from this. I personally, am content staying on land. The chance of death- 1 in 90,909.

Obviously this can be risky anywhere, not just on vacation. Chance of death is 1 in 58,823.

Hiking is one of my favorite things to do. There are some things to consider though like falling off the edge or a chance encounter with wildlife. Chance of death is 1 in 50,000.

I know plenty of people who have suffered severe injuries while mountain biking. Thankfully none as serious as death. Fatality rate = 1 in 28,571.

Every time I see paragliders it makes me want to try. It looks so freeing and fun, but can also be super dangerous. Chance of death is 1 in 13,513.

To me I feel like this is a pretty low risk activity. But I guess all it takes is to be thrown off or stepped on. Chance of death is 1 in 10,000.

We all know here in Florida, taking to the roads is risky, especially when half the population can't see over the steering wheel. Chance of death is 1 in 7,142.

My biggest fear is that if I were to cave dive that for some reason I wouldn't make it back out. Maybe I've seen too many movies. Chance of death is 1 in 3,333.

And the deadliest tourist activity- mountaineering and rock climbing. Should be saved for those with experience and not on a whim. Chance of death is 1 in 3,125.