Flint, Michigan is still in the midst of a water
crisis that started back in 2014 when Flint official sought a cheaper water
supplier. The change is water supply eventually led to a decline in water
quality and eventually it was found that lead levels were at a hazardous
amount. This crisis led to an increased lead level found amongst the Flint
children and has since caused a lot of distrust with the water of Flint, which
may have spurred this new outbreak.
This year there have been 53 cases of Shigellosis
within Flint. Considering that 53 of the 84 cases found within the entire
county were found in Flint alone leads many to turn toward the health quality
as a possible explanation. Shigellosis, according to the CDC, is an infectious
disease that causes those infected to “develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach
cramps.” The bacteria Shigella will resolve in 5-7 days and its stop can be
through frequent and careful handwashing. The problem in Flint, however, is
that the fear of using the water supply has led to a decrease hygiene measures,
such as washing hands and bathing. The county environmental health supervisor,
Jim Henry, said that the residents of Flint are more and more relying on baby
wipes as a form of cleaning their children and hand, but that method fails to
properly kill bacteria and should not be an alternative to handwashing.
While Shigella is a bacteria rather than a
virus, it is another form of an infectious disease outbreak and highlights the
importance of preventative measures, such as handwashing, to stop the spread of
the pathogen. While Shigellosis is not as death threatening as Ebola, measures
should still be quickly take to prevent further outbreaks.
Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/shigella/
--Jeanette Rios
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