美国新冠疫情日记09/28

Brain-Eating Amoeba Found In Water

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a water advisory to residents of Lake Jackson, Freeport, Angleton, Richmond and Oyster Creek to not to use any public water until further notice due to the presence of Naegleria fowleri, a Brain-eating amoeba, that was found in the area’s water supply last Friday evening.

The incident started on September 8th, when the city was made aware of a six-year old boy who was hospitalized with the amoeba infection. The boy’s illness was traced back to a civic center water fountain or the hose at the boy’s home.

Texas Department of State Health Services tested the local water on September 25^th and  three of the 11 water samples tested positive for Naegleria fowleri.

The CDC says this type of infection is rare, yet most cases are fatal. From 2009 to 2018 only 34 cases of Naegleria fowleri were reported in the United States. Of those reported cases, 30 people were infected by recreational water. From 1962 to 2018, 145 people were infected and only four survived.

This is a very difficult time for the people in Texas with the coronavirus still attacking our community. It will possibly take at least three days to clear the amoeba from the water system.

We urge all residents in the area to please pay attention to all the latest announcements and developments on this situation from city health authorities.

  德州小镇发现食脑菌

德州环境保护局週末发佈紧急通告，凡是居住在休斯敦南边积克逊湖市等八个小城不要使用自来水，因為在该地区的水源系统中发现了可怕的食脑菌。

在今年的九月八日，一名六岁孩童可能是在饮自来水或是在他家中的水龙头中感染到食脑菌，不幸丧生。

根据德州卫生局之检验报告， 十一个水源中有三个测试出有阿米巴原虫， 这种食脑菌从1962 到2018 年全美共有一百四十五个病例，只有四人生还。

正值新冠疫情在德州未见控制之时，又加添这个可怕的病菌，真是雪上加霜， 我们呼吁大家要加紧防范，暂时不使用自来水, 等待市府及卫生单位之通知。

世界气候变迁不断恶化， 做為石化重工业之地区， 正遭受前所未有之挑战 ，联邦政府对环保要求似乎有鬆绑情况， 希望这些变化不会為此地区带来怪病和灾难。