In Harvey’s Wake, A Looming Public Health Crisis

Residents of Houston and other cities in Harvey's path will face critical public health problems that can result from dirty floodwater.

Jessica Firger, senior health writer at Newsweek (@jessfirger)

Newsweek: Infectious Diseases Could Sweep Across Texas As Harvey Floods Houston — "Up to 25 inches of rain have already accumulated in two days. Rains are expected to continue until Wednesday night, and by the end, Harvey will have dumped 40 to 50 inches on the metropolitan area. Heavy precipitation is turning entire neighborhoods into contaminated and potentially toxic rivers. For many of the city’s residents, contact with floodwater is unavoidable, putting them at risk for diarrhea-causing bacterial infections, Legionnaires’ disease and mosquito-borne viruses."

The Washington Post: The Health Dangers From Hurricane Harvey’s Floods — "Hurricane Katrina, which hit land at the same time of the year as Harvey, could offer some lessons. Health officials are urging people to get tetanus booster shots to protect themselves against the disease, which enters the body through cuts. Skin infections could be caused by exposure to MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus bacterium, as well as pathogens popularly described as “flesh-eating.”