Disease claims first Katrina victims

[wvrevy]

The scary part is that these will likely be far from the last.

Vibrio Vulnificus Responsible for Katrina Deaths

 

[lyeag]

I wish for their own safety, everyone would leave NO. We have had enough death from this tragedy. I pray there aren't any more.

 

[totalia]

That's horrible. But not unexpected. It should never have happened. I actually debated replying to this. I don't know what to say.

 

[N.Bailey]

Wow, this is so sad. It just keeps getting worse all the time.

I'm not familiar with Lake Pontchartrain. Is it used as a recreational facility? This water will also be going into the gulf. Imagine the damage that it could do. What if the fish get some of the disease and then we eat that fish? Do people fish in Lake Pontchartrain?

I only ask these questions because we have a lake in our town too. Actually, it's a huge manmade lake and we house the biggest marina in the state. It's used very recreationally and that's what concerns me here.

 

[totalia]

Lake Ponchatrain isn't used for any form of fishing. Swimming is not allowed and boating is extremely discouraged. The water is not safe for human consumption. The animals in it are believed to be toxic.

The Lake has been poisoned for hundreds of years. Its been cleaned out but it is still extremely nauseatingly dirty. It is, however, extremely large. If you are in the middle of the lake, you can only see water as far as the eye can see. Its probably one of the few places on the earth that you can actually see the curvature of the earth as you move.

 

[N.Bailey]

Lake Ponchatrain isn't used for any form of fishing. Swimming is not allowed and boating is extremely discouraged. The water is not safe for human consumption. The animals in it are believed to be toxic.

The Lake has been poisoned for hundreds of years. Its been cleaned out but it is still extremely nauseatingly dirty. It is, however, extremely large. If you are in the middle of the lake, you can only see water as far as the eye can see. Its probably one of the few places on the earth that you can actually see the curvature of the earth as you move.

Well, that's a little good news.

I hope whatever hits the gulf is minimal and nature takes care of it before anything else can happen.

 

[totalia]

*nods* But thats why the levees breaking was so devastating. Because Lake Ponchatrain has been used as a sewer of sorts for a very long time. The levees of the lake breaking is part of what led to many of the dangers.

The Lake is quite beautiful and amazing. I'd never seen a water spout before I went over that lake. Nor had I seen the effect of actually watching the horizon rise like that before. You just don't see that kind of thing on land and I don't live near any major body of water. Its my hope that this will also make them clean up the lake more thoroughly, though other things have priority of course.

I have a manmade lake in my city too btw. Its the city's pride and joy and everyone goes there. Though they don't like people swimming either.

 

[Southern4sure]

Lake Pontchartrain is used for swimming, fishing and recreational use. Just recently June 22, 2005, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin had a Swim Safety program. Here is the link to read up on the program and learn more about recreation and boating on the lake.

http://www.saveourlake.org/swimming.htm

 

[totalia]

Interesting. I was told not to go swimming in the Lake because it could hurt you (no not by my fiance). Perhaps it depends on the person you talk to.

 

[catherine]

One of my great concerns is that there are going to be several epidemics of all types of diseases. That's why I posted earlier to see if there were any plans to immunise people. With huge groups of people living together who are not immunised there is a great possibilty of numerous deaths.

 

[Planogirl]

I wonder if it's such a good idea to have thousands of people who were potentially exposed all jammed together in one big space? How many of the potential outbreaks are communicable?

 

[catherine]

It's not a good idea if a large number of those people are not immunised against various diseases. That's why I asked if there's any plan to immunise them. I once read that there are fewer children immunised in Mississippi than in developing countries.

"Immunization: To combat the exposure to viruses and bacteria from contaminated water, everyone who has been evacuated from the devastated area or who remains there or is coming down to help should be immunized immediately against hepatitis A and typhoid. Physically stressed people who are packed tightly in small areas are at great risk for passing illness back and forth. For that reason, any flood victims whose immunizations for measles-mumps-rubella, varicella, and tetanus have lapsed or are missing should be brought up to date with new shots, ideally with an added boo st of diphtheria and whooping cough protection. It will be better to err in favor of over-immunizing, since there is no harm (beyond the risk of a slightly achy arm) in giving an extra shot to an already protected person. It is also imperative that children be brought up to date for these vaccines and also for protection against the most common form of meningitis, which is prevented by the HIB vaccine."

 

[Southern4sure]

According to the link I provided, there is an area not designed for swimming and fishing......I know I wouldnt swim or fish in the lake even before the hurricane.

ETA: This might explain why you were told not to go swimming, fishing and etc.

Swimming Advisory

The First “no swimming sign and advisories were posted in July 1962 along the New Orleans Lakefront due to pollution from sewage. By the late 1980’s the advisories included the entire south shore and also covered the rivers on the north shore.

Currently there is still an advisory (not a ban) about swimming along the south shore of Lake. Sampling indicates that water quality conditions have greatly improved in the intervening decades since the advisories were introduced. Today south shore water quality is almost always suitable for swimming. Water quality is directly related to rainfall and associated runoff and discharges. If heavy rains occur, we recommend staying out of the water for two to three days.

The story is a bit different on the north shore. The rapid growth has introduced many new sources of pollution into bayous, rivers, and the Lake. The department of Health and Hospitals advises against swimming in the rivers or near the mouth of rivers. We believe people should wait at least three days after a rain on larger rivers like the Tchefuncte and Tangipahoa and should probably not swim in smaller bayous like Bayou Castine and Bayou Lacombe.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

That is one of the things many people are upset about from what I have heard. While still not perfect the Lake had greatly improved, fish and manatee were returning and everyone was optimistic about it's future. This will be a huge setback

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Here is a link on that particular illness:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/vibriovulnificus_g.htm

I just heard some areas are experiencing outbreaks of a stomach virus. I hope they can tell the difference in the illnesses so those with vibrio vulnificus get on antibiotics soon enough.

 

[peachgirl]

That's why I asked if there's any plan to immunise them.

I saw a news report on this late last night. They were talking about the CDC issuing recommendations to vaccinate against any number of diseases, but when they talked to one of the medical personnel working in the Astrodome, they weren't even aware of the order nor did they have any vaccinations on hand.

They really need to get this done asap. With that many people in such a tight space, they could have real problems.

 

[robsmom]

Reading the data on swimming, I was wondering are their alligators and/or snakes in Lake Pontchatrain?

 

[totalia]

There are alligators and snakes everywhere. If you can find one walking down a street (which my fiance says he has seen) you will probably find one in the very large lake. There are also nutria (a huge rodent something like a giant rat). Though, if people are swimming in the lake, they probably make an effort to keep the alligators away.

 

[totalia]

Thanks southern4sure. That just might be why. I was going through a museum in New Orleans when one of the workers heard me asking my fiance about the Lake. Thats what I was told. I feel embarassed now. It makes me wonder how much of what I was told is truth, how much is misinformation and how much is a lie.

 

[Galahad]

Reading the data on swimming, I was wondering are their alligators and/or snakes in Lake Pontchatrain?

When we lived in Florida I remember being repeatedly admonished to assume that any body of fresh water, no matter how small, had alligators in it. Certainly the storm has made it much worse, but wouldn't they always need to be on the look out for alligators and snakes in the lakes in that part of the world?