Every ticket also goes into a draw to win a return trip for two to London, sponsored by AirAsia X and exclusive “Angels & Demons” merchandise. Only 600 tickets will be in the draw, so with a pair of tickets, your chances of winning is 1 in 300, which is not bad at all!

Entering is simple. All you have to do is to write a post on the MozzieSafe Charity Screening event, as well as the MozzieSafe charity project itself. Then, trackback to this post or post the link to your article below. The best three posts will win a pair of tickets each to the MozzieSafe Special Charity First-Day Screening of “Angels & Demons” on 14 May 2009, at GSC One Utama.

This is your chance to rub shoulders with invited celebrities, and see one of the most anticipated movies of 2009. You might even win yourself a trip for you and a friend to London, and exclusive “Angels & Demons” merchandise.

Three pairs of tickets are up for grabs. In addition, the first prize blogger will also receive an exclusive “Angels & Demons” merchandise. Good luck, and see you at the Special Screening!

What you need to do:
1) Post a blog entry about the MozzieSafe Special First-Day Charity Screening of “Angels & Demons” on 14 May 2009.
2) Try and include information about the MozzieSafe mosquito project itself.
3) Your post must contain links to:
a) www.mozziesafe.org
b) the MozzieSafe Facebook Page
c) the MozzieSafe Facebook Causes Page, and
d) the MozzieSafe “Angels & Demons” Events Page
4) Your post should also mention that tickets to the event are available at our Partner Outlets.
5) Your post must be tracked back to this article, or post the link to your article using the comments section below.
6) For exclusive updates on this contest, follow Peter Pek on Twitter (optional).

Terms & Conditions:
1) This contest is open to anyone except members of the Rotary Club of Gombak, Partner Organizations, their staff and agencies.
2) Winners will be chosen from articles written before midnight (Malaysian time), Sunday, 10 May 2009.
3) Winners will be contacted and the tickets will be posted or couriered to him/her in Malaysia.
4) If the winner resides outside of Malaysia, the winner may choose to award their tickets to a friend or another person of their choice in Malaysia. The winner may also choose not to receive the tickets, in which case, the next person on the list will be declared a winner.
5) No purchase is necessary to participate in this contest.
6) The decision of the judges is final.

The team behind the global phenomenon “The Da Vinci Code” returns for the highly anticipated “Angels & Demons”, based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard religious expert Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals.

Details as follows:
Date: Thursday, 14 May 2009
Time: Light refreshments at 7pm. Movie starts at 9pm sharp.
Venue: GSC 1 Utama (New Wing)

For every donation of RM100, you will receive a complimentary ticket to the Special Screening. Every ticket will go into a draw on the night. The main prize is a return air ticket for two people to London, sponsored by AirAsia X. Oter prizes include exclusive “Angels & Demons” merchandise.

To receive your complimentary tickets,simply make a donation at any of our Partner Outlets - Jarrod & Rawlins, Sid’s Neighbourhood Pubs or Nam Lee Cheong. Check their websites for locations.

Alternatively, issue a bank draft or cheque made payable to “Rotary Club of Gombak”. Mail it to MozzieSafe, PO Box 12636, 50784 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Include the following information:
- Your Name
- Mailing Address
- Contact Telephone Number/s
- Number of Tickets Required
- Your Email Address (so we can contact you in case of any issues)

Your ticket/s and receipt will be mailed to you.

For more information, call +603 620 35 800 or visit www.mozziesafe.org.

Useful Links
Rotary Club of Gombak
MozzieSafe Facebook Page
MozzieSafe Facebook Causes Page
MozzieSafe Facebook Events Page for “Angels & Demons”

Angels & Demons Official website
Angels & Demons Trailer on YouTube

EXCLUSIVE MOZZIESAFE OFFER: Purchase a Photobook and get another for free! Click here for details.

MAIN SPONSOR	SUPPORTED BY	PARTNER OUTLETS
TERMS & CONDITIONS A minimum donation of RM100 is required for every ticket. Example: If you want 2 tickets, donate RM200. Every ticket will be entered into a draw which will take place just before the start of the movie. The main prize is return air tickets for two people to London, sponsored by AirAsia X. Other prizes include exclusive “Angels & Demons” merchandise. If you are outside of Malaysia, your ticket will not be mailed to you. You can pick it up at the event on the night. Subject to cinema seat availability. If you donate by credit card through www.mozziesafe.org, use the contact form to give us your details. Remember to include your payment reference number from PayPal. Subject to changes by the film distributor. Closing date for donations for complimentary tickets is 14 May 2009.

“After thorough assessment of the situation, I along with my team reached a conclusion that it is predominantly Chikungunya being confused with dengue fever,” said Head of Pathology Department at Rawalpindi Medical College Dr Abbas Hayat while talking to ‘The News’ Friday.

He said that on serological examination of 40 highly suspected dengue victims, only three were found infected with dengue fever virus so it is mainly Chikungunya that has also been feared as Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever in a few cases. “It resembles dengue in its transmission through Aedes Aegypti mosquito although it has also been reported to be spread by another specie Aedes Albopictus.”

He said that Chikungunya also shares with dengue the symptoms including fever, rashes and joint pain yet differs from it in sparing muscles and being less severe and rarely fatal. “Dengue fever is caused by a Flavi virus while Chikungunya is caused by alphavirus,” he said and added that in neighbourhood, Chikungunya has appeared in an epidemic form in the Indian states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Reverse Transcriptase-PCR testing which is not currently available in local settings is used for confirmation of Chikungunya.

“On the basis of current reports and Regional studies, it is deducted that most likely it is Chikungunya which is being confused with dengue fever, so the higher authorities are requested to make arrangement for detailed studies and devise policy according to the problem,” said Dr Hayat.

He added that in recent months, many cases of suspected dengue fever in various Pakistani cities failed to be confirmed on serologic testing. “There should be a high index of suspicion for these cases to be of Chikungunya disease since the clinical presentation of the two is very similar. And serologic testing for Chikungunya virus should be performed on all cases that have a negative serology for dengue virus,” he said and added that in October 2006, more than a dozen cases of Chikungunya were reported in Pakistan.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus, of the genus Alphavirus, which causes an illness with symptoms similar to dengue fever. CHIKV is generally spread through bites from Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes (also the vector for dengue fever) but recent research by the Pasteur Institute in Paris has suggested that Chikungunya virus strains in the 2005-2006 Reunion Island outbreak resulted in a mutation that facilitated transmission by Aedes Albopictus (Tiger mosquito), added Dr Hayat.

Full Story

As the incidence of malaria and dengue rises, so does the sale of mosquito repellents. Whether it is coils, liquid vapourisers, lotions, creams or aerosols — repellents of all kinds are selling like hot cakes. “The sale of major brands of mosquito repellents has increased by about 15-20 per cent over the past month,” says Samar Singh Sheikhawat, vice-president, marketing, Spencer’s Retail.

That may be good news for retailers, but consumers need to be aware that mosquito repellents can have certain potential side effects. Medical experts warn that excessive use of these products for long periods is bad for health. “Nervous weakness is an important side effect of chemicals used in mosquito repellents,” says Dr Pulak Lahiri, Nilratan Sarkar Professor of Zoology at Calcutta University.

“According to the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission, the US, long-term use of Alithrin and Prallethrin, the two major chemicals in these products, are hazardous to human health. They primarily affect our respiratory and immune systems, and in extreme cases, even our nervous system,” he adds.

Most health experts echo Dr Lahiri’s concern. “Smoke-based mosquito repellents such as coils can trigger wheezing attacks, specially in those who are prone to allergies and asthma,” says Dr Narayan Bhattacharya, a city-based general practitioner. “Coils and aerosol sprays are the worst offenders and their toxic fumes should be strictly avoided.”

Naturally, companies that sell mosquito repellents insist that their products are risk free. “The chemicals are present in such small quantities that they have an effect only on mosquitoes. Coils and aerosols cut off the oxygen supply for mosquitoes in the upper layers of the air, causing them to become inactive,” says Subrata Chakraborty of Reckitt Benckiser, which markets mosquito repellents under the brand name Mortein. “They do not harm humans if used in a well-ventilated room,” he asserts. He also mentions that Mortein carries a toll-free number that a consumer can call to lodge a complaint if he or she suffers any health problem on use.

Full Story

Not only is the north much closer to many more of Australia’s neighbours, these countries face many more grave problems that can spill over into Australia. We have seen this with tuberculosis in far north Queensland.

Climate change could well aggravate these geographical realities, place greater demands on local public health services and require deeper co-ordination between the Commonwealth and the northern states.

While climate change may sink Tuvalu and Kiribati, it is making larger parts of the Pacific Islands, Indonesia and the Philippines more hospitable to mosquitoes bearing malaria and dengue fever.

Within Australia, the effects of climate change are bad for mosquitoes in southern Australia, but good for them in the north. Conditions may improve for malaria-carrying mosquitoes as far south as Gladstone, while dengue-carrying mosquitoes could migrate downwards to Rockhampton.

Full Story

US$10 will provide a net that will help protect two people for up to five years by the provision of a high-quality, Long-Lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN) that are impregnated with Permethrin, Deltamethin, Alpha-cypermethrin and Lambda-Cyhalothrin.

US$10 will provide a box of 10 nets that will help protect up to 20 people for up to five years!

To donate a net or a box, just send a cheque or money order to:

The Rotary Club of Gombak,
PO Box 12636, 50784 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A receipt will be issued to you.

Online payment facility will be available soon.

mozziesafe is looking for communites that have a real need for mosquito nets and mosquito education.

Eligible communities:

• Communities that live below the poverty line
• Communities that do not have access to proper education and/or medical facilities
• Community must be located in a mosquito prone area, anywhere in the world

Situational requirement:

• Communities that have been affected by a natural disaster such as major flooding, earthquake, etc.

Currently, requests for nets can only be made by a Rotary Club, a Rotary District, or a recognised NGO via a Rotary Club or District. For more information, contact us.

Is there a minimum that I can donate?
No, you can donate as little or as much as you want. However, you should be aware that the cost for one net is US$10.

Why do the nets cost so much? Surely you can get them cheaper.
US$10 pays for many other things besides the physical net. Other costs that have been factored in include shipping from the manufacturer, shipping to the recipient’s destination, packaging, printing of educational leaflets and posters that go into the boxes, warehousing, and other incidental charges. Boxes designated for malaria endemic regions will also include malaria medication.

How many nets are there in a box?
Each mozziesafe box contains 10 nets, as well as educational leaflets and posters.

We wish to co-brand (have our logo printed on the boxes). Is this possible?
Yes, this is possible with a minimum order of 30 boxes or more. Contact us for more information.

How can we request for nets?
Currently, only Rotary Clubs, Rotary Districts or accredited NGOs can request for nets. Generally, to be accredited, a non-Rotary NGO should be an established and internationally recognised organization operating in 10 countries or more. Contact us and we will send you the relevant documents to make a request.

Once the mozziesafe boxes arrive at their destination, what happens?
Our partner Rotary Club or NGO will assist in the distribution of the nets. mozziesafe has always been more than just nets. They will then conduct an educational session on how to avoid or reduce the chances of infection by mosquitoes. Our partners will then report back to us.

We are a Rotary Club in a mosquito endemic country. How can we be a partner Club and what are our responsibilities?
You can apply to be an official mozziesafe representative from your country or region. Your work will include coordinating mosquito net requests and distribution efforts, fundraising and translating educational materials into your local language. Contact us for more information.

We are not from a mosquito endemic country, how can we get involved?
There are many ways that you can help. You can raise awareness of the mozziesafe project in your community, school, college or workplace. You can also help raise funds to pay for nets for needy communities around the world.

We wish to purchase nets from you but distribute them ourselves. Is this possible?
Yes it is, provided that the mozziesafe branding is left unchanged on the box. Contact us for more details.

How is mozziesafe different from other mosquito netting projects?
mozziesafe is the only mosquito netting and education project that addresses the netting needs for both malaria and dengue endemic areas. We believe that just giving nets alone is not enough – and that education must be part of the process. The need for mosquito nets is monumental. Every organization and project that deals with mosquito netting is needed to help save lives in many areas around the world, and we believe that all should be supported.

Is it possible for me to find out the location of where my nets will go?
It is not possible for us to show tracking of individual nets. However, it is possible for us to track individual boxes. The tracking facility will be available on our website when it is ready.

Is it possible for us to request for nets in a time of emergency such as a natural disaster like floods or an earthquake?
Yes, it is possible for emergency request. However, only Rotary Clubs, Rotary Districts or accredited NGOs can request for nets. Contact your local Rotary Club in a time of disaster for assistance.

The role of a mozziesafe partner is to be the official mozziesafe representative in a particular country.

mozziesafe partners are involved in one or more of the following. They:

• Are the country representative for the mozziesafe international network
• Help to identify needs in their country for mozziesafe nets and educational products
• Help to translate educational materials into the local language
• Assist in the distribution of mozziesafe nets
• Assist in the vetting and assessment of requests for mozziesafe nets originating from their country
• Assist in fundraisaing efforts
• Assist and coordinate Public Relations efforts

Currently, only Rotary Clubs can be an official mozziesafe partner. For more information on how your Rotary Club can be a partner, contact us.