According to a CBS2 exclusive report, there is a Shigella outbreak spreading in Boro Park and Williamsburg.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene sent an alert to people in the community warning them about the outbreak a few weeks ago. Since then, the number of cases has doubled.
On Wednesday, members of the department met with administrators of yeshiva schools to teach them about prevention.
The following is from a previous alert by the NYC Health Dept:
Shigella is a bacterial infection which is spread when food or water become contaminated with microscopic amounts of fecal matter from an infected person. It spreads when people do not wash hands well enough and have a tiny amount of infected stool on their hands, after using the bathroom or changing a diaper. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, nausea and cramps. Shigella infections can last several weeks, and people typically recover without treatment. Antibiotics should only be given for severe cases as the shigella bacteria causing the outbreak in Brooklyn are already resistant to many common antibiotics. To avoid spreading the infection, people who are sick should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and should stay home from work or school until they are better. If you think you may be infected, call your doctor.
Preventing Shigella
Because shigella spreads through fecal matter, prevention requires washing hands frequently and carefully with soap and warm, running water. Everyone should wash their hands for 20 seconds after using the toilet or changing diapers, and before eating or preparing food. If residents perform ritual hand washing (Asher Yatsar) after using the bathroom, they should also wash their hands with soap and warm water.
Shigella spreads easily among young children in daycare and preschool environments. Parents, teachers and caregivers should help young children wash their hands thoroughly and should make sure it is done properly. It takes very few shigella bacteria to cause illness.
“We encourage residents to be vigilant about hand-washing,” said Dr.Sharon Balter, Medical Epidemiologist in the Health Department’s Bureau of Communicable Disease. “Visit your doctor if you are sick, and stay home until you are well. It is especially important for children to stay home from school or day care when sick so that they don’t spread the disease to other kids.”
Large outbreaks of shigella have occurred in recent decades in traditionally observant Jewish communities in Borough Park, Williamsburg and other parts of New York State, New Jersey, Illinois, Maryland and Canada. Some 274 cases of shigella were reported in New York City in 2006, a rate of 3.4 cases per 100,000 people.
(Chaim Shapiro – YWN)
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6 Responses
Jews are the most obsessive hand washers, so I don’t understand why this would affect the Jewish community more than anyone else.
Gawd! Those mikvas! Bring your own towels…
You need to wash with soap…
NOT PLAIN WATER
to poster#1, most yidden just use a wash cup over their hands 6-8 times, no soap or friction cleaning. Then they’re go and dry their hands on the same towel outside the bathroom that the last 20 people have used!
suggestion: maybe all those shteibels that have one rotating hand towel for everyone, including those who wash their hands upon leaving the bathroom like theyre doing mayim achronim, can start providing paper towels instead.
suggestion #2: put up instructions in yiddish for how to properly wash your hands for the massive ESL crowds in WillyB and BP that dont read/write/speak english.
Take one look at the filth and garbage all over the place on 13th Avenue courtesy of bacteria laden grocery stores and you will see why this outbreak is no mystery.