US - South

DSHS Announces First Texas-Acquired Chikungunya Case

Thu, 2016-06-02 10:48 — Kathy Gilbeaux

dshs.state.tx.us - May 31, 2016

Recently reported case contracted in 2015

The Texas Department of State Health Services has confirmed the first locally acquired case of chikungunya, a mosquito borne illness. A Cameron County resident got sick with the illness in November 2015 and was diagnosed with a lab test in January 2016. The case, however, was not reported to the local health department until last month. The investigation performed by the Cameron County Department of Health and Human Services determined the patient had not traveled, and the case was confirmed last week by testing at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Chikungunya disease is a viral illness spread by mosquitoes and was first detected in travelers returning to Texas from areas with local transmission in 2014. All previous Texas residents who contracted the illness were infected while traveling abroad. Because this case was contracted more than six months ago and mosquito surveillance has not found chikungunya in local mosquitoes, the primary risk of infection remains related to travel. DSHS encourages people to protect themselves from mosquito bites at home and while traveling to stop the spread of chikungunya, Zika and West Nile virus.

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A Chemical Reaction Revolutionized Farming 100 Years Ago. Now It Needs to Go

Wed, 2016-05-18 13:10 — Maeryn Obley

Anhydrous ammonia plant, ca. 1954. ROBERT W. KELLEY/TIME & LIFE PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES

Image: Anhydrous ammonia plant, ca. 1954. ROBERT W. KELLEY/TIME & LIFE PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES

wired.com - Sarah Zhang - May 16th 2016

Of all the elements that make up Earth’s atmosphere, nitrogen is by far the most abundant. It is also one of the most inert. Nothing happens when you breathe it in, swallow it, or let it suffuse your skin.

(VIEW COMPLETE ARTICLE)

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Petrochemical Industry Announcements

Wed, 2015-07-29 10:03 — mdmcdonald

USRS

4

Petrochemical political economy. Employment

TXRS

4 cover

Petrochemical political economy
Employment

Dr. Michael D. McDonald

Coordinator
Global Health Response and Resilience Alliance

Chairman
Global Resilience Systems, Inc.

President
Health Initiatives Foundation, Inc.

Michael.D.McDonald@mac.com
202-468-7899

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Kathy Gilbeaux <gilbojer@aol.com>
> Date: July 28, 2015 at 11:54:34 PM EDT
> To: michael.d.mcdonald@mac.com
>
>
> Chevron to cut 950 jobs in Houston
> http://www.12newsnow.com/story/29654834/chevron-to-cut-950-jobs-in-houston
>
> Total seeks buyer for half of Texas refinery
> http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/24/us-refinery-sale-total-idUSKCN0PY22T20150724
>
> Kathy

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HHS selects nine regional Ebola and other special pathogen treatment centers

Mon, 2015-06-15 17:07 — mike kraft

New network expands US ability to respond to outbreaks of severe, highly infectious diseases

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES June 12, 2015

WASHINGTON -- To further strengthen the nation’s infectious disease response capability, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has selected nine health departments and associated partner hospitals to become special regional treatment centers for patients with Ebola or other severe, highly infectious diseases.

HHS’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has awarded approximately $20 million through its Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) to enhance the regional treatment centers’ capabilities to care for patients with Ebola or other highly infectious diseases. ASPR will provide an additional $9 million to these recipients in the subsequent four years to sustain their readiness...

The nine awardees and their partner hospitals are:

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Monkeys at risk for bioterror bacteria put outdoors

Fri, 2015-03-06 10:13 — mike kraft

USA TODAY by Alison Young March 6, 2015

More than 175 monkeys that were potentially exposed to a bioterror bacteria inside a major Louisiana research complex were returned to their outdoor cages before officials knew the deadly pathogen was on the loose from a lab accident.

The new admission by the Tulane National Primate Research Center, in response to repeated questions from USA TODAY, raises further questions about contamination of the environment outside of the massive research campus north of New Orleans. The bacteria, which is not found in the United States and can cause severe disease in people and animals, can live and grow in soil and water.

"Some animals were released from the vet clinic early on, but the key thing is that all the animals have been traced," said Tulane spokesman Michael Strecker. Testing of the animals is ongoing to determine if they have been exposed to the bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei.

Read complete story.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/03/05/at-risk-monkeys-released-from-tulane-hospital/24471615/

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E-mail to Michael Berkowitz re: Regional Consideration

Fri, 2013-10-11 15:12 — admin

Sent to Michael Berkowitz, Managing Director, 100 Resilient Cities, Rockefeller Foundation on October 9, 2013

Hello Michael and the 100 Resilient Cities ChallengeTeam,

Kudos and thank you for all you are doing! I have a quick question/proposal and if you have a moment to reply, I'd like to know your thoughts:

The Q&A sessions led me to believe that the intention is for cities to apply, rather than regions. I would agree that the CRO's position might appear more manageable if it were based in one municipality. My only concern is that if we want to maximize the benefit of the 100 Resilient Cities Network, to increase resilience in as many cities as possible that are facing similar challenges, that perhaps a regional approach would be worthwhile, at least in South Florida.

Once you review the applications from South Florida cities such as Pompano Beach and Miami, please consider the possibility of designating these cities as joint winners on a regional front where the cities, and their respective counties, would be able to work together with the guidance of a strong CRO to make this entire region more resilient.

Thank you for your consideration.

- Susan Steinhauser, a concerned citizen living in Coconut Creek, Florida

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