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Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/03/health...medium=twitter
Amid water crisis, Flint faces a Shigellosis outbreak
By Sara Ganim, CNN
Updated 3:55 PM ET, Mon October 3, 2016
(CNN)Flint, Michigan, is dealing with another outbreak. This time it's an infectious bacterial disease called Shigellosis, which can cause bloody diarrhea and fever and typically spreads when people don't wash their hands.
That's exactly what's happening in Flint, the county health director told CNN.
A water crisis has plagued residents there for more than two years. Last year, people experienced rashes and hair loss when high levels of lead were found in the local water supply. In 2014, the area faced one of the worst outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in US history.
Still afraid and mistrustful of the water, people in Flint -- who are still forced to use either filtered or bottled water because of damaged water pipes -- are bathing less, and refusing to wash their hands...
...Data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services obtained by CNN shows that Genesee County -- home to Flint -- has the most cases of Shigellosis in the entire state. The county with the second-highest number of cases is Saginaw County, which borders Genesee and is home to many people who commute into Flint for work.
Of the 84 cases so far this year in Genesee County, at least 53 are in the Flint city limits, said Henry, who tracks and investigates disease in the county. At least 27 were hospitalized...
Amid water crisis, Flint faces a Shigellosis outbreak
By Sara Ganim, CNN
Updated 3:55 PM ET, Mon October 3, 2016
(CNN)Flint, Michigan, is dealing with another outbreak. This time it's an infectious bacterial disease called Shigellosis, which can cause bloody diarrhea and fever and typically spreads when people don't wash their hands.
That's exactly what's happening in Flint, the county health director told CNN.
A water crisis has plagued residents there for more than two years. Last year, people experienced rashes and hair loss when high levels of lead were found in the local water supply. In 2014, the area faced one of the worst outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in US history.
Still afraid and mistrustful of the water, people in Flint -- who are still forced to use either filtered or bottled water because of damaged water pipes -- are bathing less, and refusing to wash their hands...
...Data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services obtained by CNN shows that Genesee County -- home to Flint -- has the most cases of Shigellosis in the entire state. The county with the second-highest number of cases is Saginaw County, which borders Genesee and is home to many people who commute into Flint for work.
Of the 84 cases so far this year in Genesee County, at least 53 are in the Flint city limits, said Henry, who tracks and investigates disease in the county. At least 27 were hospitalized...
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