Leslie! We need you!
The highly contagious bacteria Shigella has broken out in homeless encampments in San Jose, CA.
It’s so contagious that communities have a hard time containing it.
The bug infects people when they “come in contact with and swallow small amounts of bacteria from the stool of a person who is infected with shigella.”
People with shigella suffer from “bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain that can last for weeks.”
“The health people came out, and they said people had diarrhea or stomachaches,” said Cindy Locs, who is homeless.Diarrhea and stomachaches are just some of the symptoms of shigella.The highly contagious bacterial infection is spread through feces and poor hygiene and Santa Clara County is seeing an outbreak among the homeless.They have three confirmed cases and another 23 likely.”Really we’re working aggressively to make sure that it doesn’t spread further beyond the population or encampments that we have been seeing reported illness in. I think that’s our main goal right now,” says Monika Roy, assistant health officer with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.
The infection caused two hospitalizations so far.
The health department added more portable toilets with handwashing stations and fresh water.
One homeless woman said city officials have only given them Lysol wipes.
Most people recover on their own, but it’s not rare for people in vulnerable communities to need antibiotics.
“They already have preexisting health conditions, so this puts them over the edge,” Pastor Scott Wagers of Cham Ministry, a homeless advocate, told KTVU. “Diarrhea can do that. Dehydration can do that.”
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