Protestors march along Saginaw Street demanding clean water outside of Flint City Hall in Flint, Mich. on Wednesday Oct. 7, 2015. Christian Randolph | MLive.com Summer is approaching quickly, and with it, warmer weather. Generally this is a pleasant transition from a cold winter, but the residents of Flint, Michigan may have a reason to dread the upcoming season. The transition to Spring may see an uptick in the number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease. Bacteria thrive in warmer water, and Flint has had a terrible problem with bacteria in the past year. Second to lead exposure, Legionella bacteria has been…
Before understanding the steps being taken to amend the crisis, one must first understand the causes and circumstances. The water supply for the city of Flint was switch from the Detroit city water inlet to the Flint River from April 25th, 2014 until October 16th, 2015. This switch was an effort to reduce costs for the municipal system while maintaining a constant water supply. However, during that period many levels of the Flint government either did not see, or intentionally disregarded clear evidence that the water from the Flint river was damaging to the city. This negligence has resulted in numerous…
88 people contracted Legionnaires’ disease from June 2014 to November 2015. Until recently, nine of those 88 had died due to the illness, but health officials have added another individual to the list of those who succumbed to Legionnaires’ disease bringing the total to 10. The outbreak in Flint, MI has been one of the worst outbreaks in history, breaking the top ten in number of deaths recorded. While a conclusive link between the Flint River and the water crisis in Flint has not been fully established, the circumstances strongly suggest that oversights by both the Flint government and the…
The water crisis in Flint, Michigan has been the subject of media attention and national outrage during the past many months, and the people of Flint are in the early stages of seeking justice for the negligent actions of their government. Lead poisoning was seen as the largest concern initially because it effects young children in drastic ways that can permanently alter cognitive and physical development. However, other ailments, such as Legionnaires’ disease, were not focused on quite as much. In fact, some victims and families of victims believe that the government intentionally kept quiet about…
Since beginning the investigation into the Flint Water Crisis, Governor Snyder has assembled a Flint Water Advisory Task Force which has advised and implemented strategies to combat the outbreak and administer aid where needed. This has been very important to the recovery of the city, but the task force has also issued warnings about the future. Last Friday, Gov. Snyder’s task force predicted a rise in the number of Legionnaires’ disease cases in the Spring. Legionella bacteria thrive in warmer temperatures, and the transition from Winter to Spring could be a catalyst for Legionella proliferation Mark Bashore did…
(Photo: Martha Thierry Detroit Free Press, Tribune News Service) The Michigan Department of Health has made a recommendation to any media outlets reporting on the Flint water crisis to report that 9 people, not 10, died due to symptoms resulting from Legionnaires’ disease. This distinction is important because it helps to keep reporting factual, and reduces the ambiguity when determining the cause of death of the victims with comorbid health issues. For example, an elderly gentleman with multiple health issues may contract Legionnaires’ disease and later pass away, but his passing may not have been specifically…
The health crisis that developed over the past year in Flint, Michigan has been widely publicized due to it’s devastating impact on the population of the city, and the clear missteps taken by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) when implementing the switch from Lake Huron to the Flint River as a source of water. The corrosive water of the Flint River deteriorated old lead water systems resulting in a rush of contaminated water to the Flint population. Since then, a spike in Legionnaires’ disease cases, lead poisoning, and numerous other health issues have been major concerns prompting…