64 cases of typhoid fever were reported to the health authority of Los Angeles County so far this year. In the past year, there were a total of 67 cases. Both Figures are unusually high, twice as high as the average number of registered disease cases in the previous years, informed the authority. The majority of the Patients are homeless.
In the city of L. A. life, according to the official statistics, more than 30,000 people without a fixed residence. Many of them camping in tents under bridges or along roads and railway lines. They have little access to toilets and washing.
After the hepatitis outbreak is now followed by typhoid fever
to fight In the past year, Los Angeles already had with another wave of Illness among the homeless. At the time, Hepatitis A was spread in California, hundreds of people in the state were infected, 21 died.
In the case of the now rampant typhoid infection is fortunately a mild Form, which ends only in rare cases, fatal and not from human to human transferable. The infection via fleas, which are found for example in the fur of rats, possums and stray cats.
Of the infection until the outbreak of the disease, approximately one to two weeks. Symptoms include recurring fever, headache, chills suddenly, more rarely, vomiting, and skin rash. In severe cases, it can lead to damage to the kidney, the respiratory system, the heart or the nervous system.
Both Hepatitis A and typhoid will apply to the extinct in the Western industrial Nations, as largely. Both diseases are associated with poor Hygiene and extreme poverty, and occur mainly in developing countries.
Los Angeles against the disease
going on “When I drive through my district, I feel in some places living conditions in a third world country reminds,” laments Kathryn Barger, Director of the Los Angeles County, in a Council meeting last Tuesday.
Barger had used at the beginning of the year to improve the hygienic conditions for the homeless in Los Angeles and the surrounding area. In view of the increased rates of Infection with typhoid fever, is disillusioned. “We do not provide mobile showers available, but use it simply, but continue to live under these dirty circumstances.”
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The Situation is worrying, not only for the Homeless themselves, but also for the residents of the affected districts, the Board of Directors. In the Council meeting, therefore, an action plan against typhoid fever, it was decided: The city is insect repellent to the homeless to distribute, as well as flea collars for your Pets. In addition, 300,000 of US want to spent dollars to clean up their tent cities and the surrounding area.
The people from the street get
That so many people live in Los Angeles on the road, is mainly due to the horrendous Rent, affordable housing is becoming scarcer. The regional administration responded Recently to it and put a million-dollar funding package that, among other things, temporary accommodation for the homeless should be built. The implementation of the projects is progressing but at a slow pace, so far, only one of ten planned homes was completed.
