DISEASE OUTBREAK MAY BE NEAR
AUTHOR: JULIA FERRON
Time to Take Precautions
Malaria (Plasmodium parasite)
If you began to experience pain in your abdomen or muscles, chills, dizziness, fatigue, fever, night sweats, diarrhea , mental confusion, or yellow skin or eyes please seek medical attention immediately. Protective drugs can be taken to prevent malaria and antimalarial drugs can treat the disease if an individual becomes infected. The given prevention and treatment will be provided in bulk to the hospital, emergency centers, and private health practices.
The infected Allen high school student has began treatment and is instructed to get a lot of bed rest for the next couple of weeks. Everyone within Allen city limits needs too consider a malaria prevention drug or if experiencing the listed symptoms seek out a physician for testing. After further investigation of the students whereabouts doctors concluded that the student caught malaria on a family vacation taken 2-3 weeks ago. The student family has been tested and the lab results should be released to the public within the next 24 hours. It is unknown at this time how far the disease has spread since the families return but commercial airlines have been warned about the case and are also taking precautions. Malaria should be the least of everyone's worries at this moment due to the other two conformed diseases also found in two other Allen high school students.
Additional Information:
Malaria is mostly found in children in African regions and most cases in the U.S. last year were linked to visitors and immigrants that have been in heavily diseased areas. Although malaria can be deadly if untreated, it is very curable. No other cases have show up since the students diagnoses but testing will continue. Please take extreme precautions to protect children and and yourself. Although it seems that disease has only affected one person there will always be a chance the disease has brain to spread.
Symptoms:
-dizziness
-fatigue
-Abdomenal pain
-muscle pain
- flu-like symptoms such as: chills, shivering, sweating, fever, and night sweats
-fast heart rate
-diarrhea
-lack of mental awareness and comprehension
-shortness of breath
- yellow skin and/or eyes
POLIO (Poliomyelitis)
If anyone starts to experience fatigue, feeling faint, fever, headache or nausea please see your regular doctor immediately. These listed symptoms are the most common signs of polio. Athough a vaccine is available for prevention, There is no known cure for this disease. Treatment for polio includes bed rest and pain killers, but it is ultimately fatal.
The infected Allen high school student has been hospitalized due to the rareness and severity of the disease. Zero cases of polio were recorded in 2014 and the origin of where the student caught the virus is being investigated. The students siblings, close friends and class mates will be the main priority for vaccinations. Until the origin of the disease is identified please avoid an untested water source including bottled water. Over the next couple of weeks the CDC and the WHO will be conducting tests to rule out all suspected water sources or food that might contain the disease.
Additional information:
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease, that mostly affects young children. The virus can be transmitted by human to human contact or by contaminated food or water. If a person becomes infected the viruses will multiply in the digestive tract and invade the nervous systems, eventually causing paralysis.
SYMPTOMS:
-fatigue
-feeling faint
-fever
-muscle weakness
-headache
-nausea
Tuberculosis
The Allen high school student that has been diagnosed with this rare disease has been quarantined and anyone with close contact has also been given a private secured room in the hospital. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of this student in the past 2-3 months please contact the police department or hospital immediate. The whereabouts of the known infected individual are being backtracked to insure the safety of all Allen residents and our neighbor cities.
This infectious disease can be partially prevented with a vaccine but this prevention should not be 100% relied on due to the fact that it will not be completely effective.
The treatment for TB is not always required for patients who are not showing symptoms but those who are effected by this disease will undergo a lang series of multiple strong antibiotics.
Everyone under the age of 18 will be first priority for vaccinations because supplies are limited and will soon run out. More vaccinations have been ordered in bulk but it could be a couple of weeks or even months before the entire city of Allen population can be vaccinated. Although vaccinations are the best way of preventing the disease, other precautions need to be taken to avoid infection. These precautions include avoiding human contact, this even means being in the same general vicinity with a infected individual. Because of the rapid and easy route of the disease to spread, all public areas will be closed. This includes parks, restaurants, some grocery stores and eventually all, gas stations, schools, work areas, and all shopping centers( The Village, Outlets, and Waters Creek)
Additional information:
TB is caused by the spreading of bacteria from person to person and usually affects lungs but can also affect the brain, kidneys ,and spine. If a person tests positive for TB it only means that there body has come in contact with the disease but does not mean that the individual is contagious or will ever show any symptoms. the treatment for tuberculosis can take up to a year and can involve many different strong antibiotics.
Symptoms:
-pain inn chest
-chronic cough with blood or phylum
-chills
-fatigue
-loss of appetite
-severe weight loss
-swollen lymph nodes
Hope for the best; Prepare for the worst
IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS
-Bug repellent
-keep doors leading to outside shut at all times
-Stay inside unless otherwise instructed
POLIO:
- Avoid tap water or any other source of water that has not yet been tested
- avoid uncleaned food including anything raw or not personally bought
- become vacinated as soon as possible
Tuberculosis:
- Wear protective face mask
- Disinfect all clothing and personal items
- seek prevention drugs, especially if prone to sickness
VACCINATIONS AND PREVENTION DRUGS
Polio vaccine:
-Born after 1997
-Full time student
-Immediate family of a child under eighteen years of age
-healthcare provider of any kind
Malaria prevention drug
-City of Allen employee
- Children born after 1997
-healthcare provider of any kind
Tuberculosis vaccine:
-student/facility at any Allenisd school
-immediate family of an Allenisd student
- healthcare provider of any kind
Considered Precautions:
-Closing all schools, including Allen, Plano, Frisco, and McKinney
- All public areas (stores, parks, and places of work) will be closed
TOTAL NUMBER OF INFECTED
POLIO: 2
TUBERCULOSIS: 10
Expected mortality rate:
Malaria: 1 out of 5
Tuberculosis:1 out 9
QUICK LINKS
CONTACTS:
Email: julia.ferron@student.allenisd.org
Website: http://www.allenisd.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1
Location: 1105 Central Expy, Allen, TX 75013
Phone: (972) 747-1000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CDC
Twitter: @eagleoutbreak