Need Information about Diseases as a result of Katrina

[Anonymous]

I'd appreciate some links to articles regardng fears of the spread of disease as a result of the hurricane - It's for a Biology report. Any links would be appreciated. Thanks....

[Anonymous]

http://www.cdc.gov/od/katrina/

[Anonymous]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 738D31.DTL

Bacteria, Lead Taint Water in New Orleans

By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer

Thursday, September 15, 2005
New government tests show dangerous amounts of sewage-related bacteria and lead from unknown sources in the floodwaters in New Orleans, and high levels of chemicals such as hexavalent chromium, used in industrial plating, and arsenic, used in treating wood.

Environmental Protection Agency officials are taking samples daily at sites around New Orleans for biological pathogens and more than 100 chemical pollutants, including pesticides, metals and industrial chemicals.

Elevated levels of E. coli and other coliform bacteria that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and fever have been found at up to 109 times the EPA's safe swimming limit. Lead, which can cause nerve damage, was found in one sample at 56 times the EPA's limit for drinking water; two other samples had it at nearly twice and more than three times the limit.

Five Superfund sites in the region containing some of the nation's worst toxic messes were flooded, and one of them, a landfill where residents took trash for decades, remains underwater and can't be reached. Among all the flooded areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, there are 31 Superfund sites.

There have been five oil spills in the New Orleans area. Some hazardous waste railcars are believed to be flooded, with water at least up to the wheels, although federal rail officials say they've had no reports of leakage so far.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, who called the hurricane flooding the biggest disaster his agency has ever faced, said the lead contamination is a mystery.

"Whether it's lead paint or lead from batteries, we don't know what the source is. But we know we've got a high level, and that's of concern to us," he said Wednesday, revealing test results from samples taken during the past two weeks. Johnson said he has convened a panel of outside experts to advise the agency on how to assess and clean up the flood damage.

Johnson briefed reporters after giving the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee what Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., called "a grave and sobering assessment" of the trouble.

"We heard that the degree of environmental damage is considered catastrophic," Jeffords said. "We also heard that the EPA is still in the very early stages of collecting the soil and water samples that are needed to determine whether it is safe for residents to return to the area."

Tests of the city's air, which has a strong stench even from a couple hundred feet up, indicated no potential health issues. Only a few air pollutants were detected, such as methanol, a wood alcohol, isobutylene, a flammable gas, and freon, a refrigerant.

Federal agencies aren't predicting when the city will be habitable.

The latest chemical samples were drawn Sept. 4 and Sept. 6 by the EPA and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Like previous tests, they turned up high levels of chemicals such as hexavalent chromium, arsenic and lead. A slightly elevated level of thallium was detected at one sampling location, but it was not enough to harm the public.

"An enormous amount of debris," such as tree limbs and building materials, and more than 5,000 "orphan containers" ? gas cylinders and at least one barrel of medical waste ? have been recovered, said Johnson, who dispatched nearly 650 agency officials and contractors and 50 watercraft to the Gulf coast.

Before they could start assessing the environmental damage and public health risks, EPA personnel helped rescue about 800 people from the floodwaters, Johnson said.

Young children are most susceptible to illness because their immune systems still are developing. However, the EPA said the amount of chemicals found in the water would pose a risk to children only if a child were to drink a quart of floodwater a day.

Still, officials from the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly urge people not to wade in or drink the standing water. If contact can't be avoided, soap and water should be used to clean exposed areas.

Some outside experts said the EPA should not promote a false sense of security.

"There's a tendency of looking at numbers that are extremely low and getting a sense of security. The fact that the levels are low is to be expected, because you have so much dilution," said Anthony Buonicore, chairman of Milford, Conn.-based Environmental Data Resources Inc.

Buonicore said that "even though levels of some chemicals may be extremely low, what ultimately happens in the food chain is important." He said the sampling of sediment and sludge, which the EPA has begun, would be more revealing.

___

On the Net:

Environmental Protection Agency:

http://www.epa.gov/katrina/

[Anonymous]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industrie ... gers_x.htm

osted 9/13/2005 10:40 PM     Updated 9/14/2005 9:24 AM
   

      
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Katrina rescue, recovery workers face risks
By Stephanie Armour, USA TODAY
For scores of rescue and recovery workers in areas hard hit by Katrina, the hazards are many.
      Crews wade through water during a house-to-house search in Port Sulphur, La.    
By Chris Graythen, Getty Images

John Molenda, chief financial officer with Safety Solutions in Boynton Beach, Fla., returned this week from helping with recovery efforts in Mississippi. He is still stunned by the devastation and the potential safety risks.

"It's very, very dangerous," says Molenda, whose company, which consults and provides training on dealing with hazards, has been working with government agencies to provide services in Katrina areas. "We went to the World Trade Center, but that was one event. This is widespread, a multitude of states."

Dangerous wildlife lurks in devastated regions; rescue workers came across a 10-foot alligator in a culvert, he says. Snakes, spiders and other insects are thriving in the New Orleans area. There is also fetid water laced with E. coli bacteria, lead, unknown chemicals, natural gas leaks and other chemical and biological hazards.

Rotting chicken has been left behind from some chicken warehouses. Human bodies might lie beneath demolished buildings and homes.
     WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR       

The Centers for Disease Control recommends relief workers get a physical before departing to Katrina-affected areas. Among conditions they might encounter:

Disease. Vaccines can guard against tetanus/diphtheria and hepatitis B, for which health care workers or those who come in contact with bodily fluids are particularly vulnerable.
Injuries. Sturdy shoes and protective clothing, including goggles, hard hats and gloves, can help protect against injuries from debris.
Electrocution. Signals sent to downed power lines from improperly used portable generators can injure or kill people who touch or step on them.
Water illness. Water-borne illnesses, caused by bacteria, parasites or hepatitis A, can lead to diarrhea.
Snake and insect bites. Due to standing water, the risk is high for bites from mosquitoes and other insects and snakes displaced by floodwaters.
Heat. Exhaustion and heat stroke, effects of prolonged exposure to hot environments, can be curtailed by hydrating the body and taking breaks.
Psychological. Extreme stress, grief and depression can lead to physical and behavioral effects, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
Hazardous material. Pesticides or propane from dislodged tanks and drums can be inhaled and cause skin reactions.

Reporting by: Kelly Barry
Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

There are many workers in the New Orleans area, as well as in flood-ravaged counties in Mississippi and Alabama ? from National Guard troops to the American Red Cross to private companies beginning recovery or working to restore power and other essential services.

More than 17,000 volunteer medical personnel have registered with Health and Human Services to assist in recovery, and more than 43,000 National Guard members are on the ground in three states, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says organized data on injuries, illnesses and fatalities of rescue and recovery workers will be compiled, but no data are available yet. There have been two known fatalities: an employee in Mississippi who worked for a power company died when a pole fell on him; and a power company worker in Louisiana was electrocuted while working on a power line.

Keeping rescue and recovery workers safe from the multitude of health hazards ? risks that will linger even as rebuilding begins ? has meant decontamination units on the ground, special safety suits and respirators, counseling to deal with the emotional fallout and, in many cases, gallons of bleach. A major issue is the potential for physical injuries from the recovery work. There is also the emotional stress brought on by retrieving bodies and witnessing the devastation first hand.

"The psychological trauma and stress is significantly more pronounced for this disaster than for 9/11," says Rich Chaifetz, CEO of ComPsych, a Chicago-based provider of employee assistance services that is providing on-the-ground counseling, as well as phone consultations. "We're seeing the need for psychological support at an unprecedented level."

Some of what's being done:

? OSHA is offering public assistance with safety issues for the thousands of workers involved in clean-up and recovery. They've put together public service announcements on the safety concerns with a toll-free number, 800-321-OSHA, for employers and workers to call. Other announcements will deal with specific hazards such as mold, falls and electrical risks.

In addition, OSHA is contacting major power companies in affected areas to provide safety briefings to employees at power-restoration staging areas. They've provided technical assistance to 1,000 crews involved in utility restoration and distributed 3,500 fliers on safety issues following the hurricane.

"The Department of Labor has already dispatched teams of OSHA professionals to the devastated regions to help ensure that the restoration of power and telecommunications facilities and infrastructures are done in a safe way," Labor Secretary Elaine Chao said in an e-mailed statement. "They will continue to be in the region for as long as it takes to ensure the health and safety of workers involved in the rescue, recovery and rebuilding efforts."

? Phil Monaghan, a safety manager in Jackson, Miss., with the National Guard, says risk assessments are discussed with soldiers before each mission. Safety instructions include wearing safety glasses, rubber gloves, not picking up debris and being wary of copperhead and water moccasin poisonous snakes. Military exercises conducted every three years means many guard members are kept current on many vaccinations, including tetanus.

Guard members are handling such jobs as cleaning road debris and accompanying local police.

? Psychological experts and medical personnel dispatched through the International Association of Fire Fighters are on the way or on the ground to aid first-responders in the Gulf Coast region.

The response programs focus on concerns such as vaccinations and depression or post-traumatic stress disorders.

Despite such efforts, injuries already are occurring. Maurice Ramirez is a doctor in Kissimmee, Fla., who works in national disaster medical assistance. He has been rotating into the Katrina-affected area, and recently returned from New Orleans. Rescue workers are coming in with broken legs, sprained ankles, sunburn and foot infections they've contracted after wading through the floodwaters.

Safety is critical, he says. Even the uniforms Ramirez has worn are "red bagged" ? that is, put in biohazard bags. In addition, he says there are ongoing concerns about chemicals and petroleum byproducts in the water that can be flammable or carcinogenic. Both are present because of the heavy industry in the area.

"The scope of this disaster and it's effect are different (than others)," he says. "(New Orleans) is, in effect, in the bottom of a bowl. Nothing can run off; it all has to be pumped out."

But for some workers, the rebuilding and recovery tasks are also personal.

Spencer Coudray, 56, is an ironworker foreman who has been working to build a steel frame designed to hold a crude dam. His home in New Orleans was flooded.

"This will help my house," he says, gesturing across the floodwaters toward his neighborhood. "It will help drain my area of the city. A lot of guys feel like that. We live here."

Contributing: Alan Levin in New Orleans

[Anonymous]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=4836440

[Anonymous]

http://www.thememoryblog.org/archives/000588.html

September 08, 2005
Infectious Disease Research in and Around New Orleans

Summary: At the very least, there are two Level-3 biolabs in New Orleans and a cluster of three in nearby Covington. They have been working with anthrax, mousepox, HIV, plague, etc. There are surely other labs in the city.


Here's a great tip for all reporters looking for a completely new - and extremely important - angle on the situation in New Orleans. As far as I can tell, no one has yet mentioned the biological research labs located in and around NOLA. For example, in nearby Covington, Tulane University runs the Tulane National Primate Research Center, a cluster of Level-3 biological labs containing around 5,000 monkeys, most of which are housed in outdoor cages. According to an article in Tulane University Magazine, "The primary areas of focus today at the Tulane National Primate Research Center are infectious diseases, including biodefense related work, gene therapy, reproductive biology and neuroscience. The Tulane primate center is playing a key role in the federal strategic plan for biodefense research." [Google cache | Memory Hole mirror.]

So what happened to these diseased monkeys living outside in cages? Granted, Covington didn't get hit nearly as hard as NOLA, but it still got hit.

According to the Sunshine Project, which digs up grant proposals and other primary documents from the US biowarfare effort, "Tulane scientists are working with anthrax, plague, and other biological weapons agents." [read more]

And how much of this kind of research was going on within New Orleans itself? Apparently quite a bit.

-- Louisiana State University?s Medical School has a Level-3 biolab in the Clinical Sciences Research Building located at 533 Bolivar Street. According to grant applications, LSU?s facility was the site of research involving anthrax and genetically-engineered mousepox. And that?s just what we know about.

-- The State of Louisiana has a Level-3 biolab in New Orleans. [see this PDF document]

-- It seems highly likely that an institution the size of Tulane has biolabs in New Orleans itself, not just Covington.

-- Then there?s the University of New Orleans, Loyola University, Xavier University of Lousiana, and others. I don?t know whether they?ve been engaged in bioresearch or have high-level biolabs, but it?d be worth finding out.

-- And let?s not forget the New Orleans Medical Complex, which contains over 40 blocks of hospitals and biomedical research facilities. According to this website, it?s been severely flooded.

So with all the known and probable Level-3 biolabs in and around New Orleans, what's happened to the infected animals? Are they free and roaming? Are they dead, with their diseased bodies floating in the flood waters? And what about the cultures and vials of the diseases? Are they still secure? Are they being stolen? Were they washed away, now forming part of the toxic soup that coats the city?

And take a look at this. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a ?Select Agents Program? for any facility that handles highly dangerous germs, including Ebola, Marburg, ricin, avian flu, and anthrax. At the top of their website is the following notice:
----------------------------------
Announcement for Entities Impacted by Hurricane Katrina

Entities that are registered with the Select Agent Program who have been impacted by Hurricane Katrina may contact the CDC Select Agent Program for guidance on actions that should be taken to transfer Select Agents to another registered entity or report the theft, loss, or release of select agents that might have occurred due to storm damage. The CDC Select Agent Program will expedite any special requests from registered entities as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Contact the Program via email at [email protected], phone at 404-498-2255, fax at 404-498-2265, or call your designated CDC representative.
----------------------------------
You can see it here.


I encourage journalists to pursue these worthwhile questions. Edward Hammond of the Sunshine Project helped greatly with this post, and if reporters would like some more background on this, they should contact him here.


Thanks to NE for the initial tip.

[SyN]

what do you all think the repracussions will be to sending the needy to the far ends of the states?  My oppinion is that no technology grows faster then medical so we have that going for us, but its still going to be hard to keep up with many of the outbreaks i think will occur.  but when they do Bush will probably cut funding to hospitals and cut taxes on yachts.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of the information :nworthy:

[Anonymous]

You are welcome!

[FrankWalton]