Upstream With An Expensive Paddle; Mosquito Madness Returns; Leaving Not So Fast On A Jet Plane

News For 10 August 2021

Two young men found themselves in a spot of bother when they took to the Rhine on their stand-up paddle boards. Most will know the weather has been less than sunny over the last few months, causing rising water levels on the Rhine to a record high, and the flow of water running at a rapid pace. As the Basel cantonal police made public on their Facebook page, they were alerted that two young men were out on the Rhine in a rubber dinghy and the next day on stand-up paddle boards. In both cases, the Basel-Stadt rescue team was also called in. The young men now have to pay the full operational costs that they caused "due to their negligent behaviour”, costing 2400 and 3,253 francs. There are very strict rules about when you can and cannot enter the Rhine, with the recusers adding: “The young men who were fined could easily have paid for their negligence with their lives.”

*****************

The Tiger Mosquito has returned for a second time in Basel over recent weeks. The Tiger Mosquito likes to lay its eggs in standing pools of water, such as in watering cans, rain barrels, flower vases or animal troughs. Breeding grounds can also form in blocked drains or rain gutters. The Basel Tropical and Public Health Institute, the Swiss TPH, recommends checking your own garden or balcony regularly and avoiding accumulation of water. Standing water should be replaced at least once a week. The females of the Tiger Mosquito can transmit various viruses. The most well-known diseases are dengue and chikungunya as well as the zika virus. In order for these diseases to spread, an infected person has to be bitten by a Tiger Mosquito, which then stings another person and thus spreads the pathogen. It is worth noting that the transmission of disease is highly unlikely.

*****************

Anyone who wanted to fly from Basel's EuroAirport on holiday at the weekend had to be very patient. A spokesperson from EuroAirport said that on "Saturday alone, more than 80 arrivals and departures were planned for passenger flights”. Due to the travel restrictions and travel regulations, there are longer waiting times at the checkpoints, both when leaving and entering. This is coupled with limited space at the airport itself. EuroAirport recommends that passengers arrive at the airport early. Specifically, that means arriving at the airport at least two hours prior to your flight's departure. All provisions and regulations are also listed on the website of the airport and on those of government authorities.