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FNC Senior Medical Contributor Dr. Marc Siegel on the potential health risks from the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.
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Hurricane -- left a trail of destruction in its -- But the damage is far from be done my next guest says the health risks.
From hurricane -- are just beginning joining me -- now is doctor mark -- Fox News.
Medical contributor and author of the -- -- unlocking the secret code of sickness and health all right -- What are we we saw from Jeff Flock -- -- -- him earlier in the day a refrigerator.
Went down those falls in down those rapids so we know that there's.
Things you can see in this water what about the things He can see.
Chris that's actually the point and to set the scene here I think what we spent so much time.
Doomsday this and worst case and there are going -- in a way there's a certain amount of fatigue but from my point of view.
It then hit what you expected going in but now is when you really start to see the health risks you have unprecedented flooding.
Things are hidden below the water people are getting injured people are getting cut EMS can't get to them.
Getting to the hospitals a lot more difficult.
In those floodwaters we see pictures of people swimming there and cavorting in let me tell you -- There's a lot of sewage raw sewage in those waters there's.
Animals that have died in these quarters there's a lot of bacteria in these -- there's toxins from houses -- same as what we saw with Katrina.
Very unhealthy if we start seeing dysentery which we could see.
Lot of diarrhea in in people that don't have power that don't have clean drinking -- that don't know that they have to boil their water if it's not.
Clean night and and food that has to be thrown out according to the Centers for Disease Control if it's over forty degrees the other perfect storm here in the sense.
How long would it take the LA we we know that we can be thought the -- for all these floodwaters.
That the work their way through these communities before we know about the clean up -- how long would it take.
For.
You they get a massive amount of -- for the the bacteria that toxins really for the work the way through these people's bodies and for us to get a situation where.
I mean I have an epidemic but we have.
But a crisis of a lot of people being sick on -- It's Chris I think were already there in the sense that I think the water authority -- a lot of the -- wars are unsafe and inland floodwaters are traditionally on sick from my point would be.
That that's starts to get more and more concentrated the more the water stays around and it doesn't get taken away so in a sense you're left with more bacteria -- water and you're gonna start to see more and more -- I expect that over the next week or so.
What about what the power outages at menial people in the refrigerator it's been out for a few hours the open it up thinks he'll -- us it's cool to lukewarm I think it's a locating.
Mean would you suggest that you -- how are out.
Outages for a number of hours in terms of eating that food consuming that food and.
Refrigerate well again the official recommendation is forty degrees Fahrenheit but I have to tell you who has a thermometer and that's nobody that is right so I would say that's been sitting around you don't need it if you have any question.
You throw it out and this is a great time for but being up.
Because your neighbor or somewhere else now who would you what you've been reporting here about.
Whole communities that are sucked in and have to get airlifted food yeah I know there's also.
Among the five -- more million in the United States without power on the eastern seaboard is also planning.
That know someone that does have power and this is it time to reach out your brother this is it time to invite people into your homes is it time to share showers in the most of Long Island.
Here in New York is without power people in coming into my house since the beginning of the week.
Also they I think He was He called 911 what about the response times right now allies silly because you have -- either ambulance crews say yeah that's -- -- get through some of the floodwater.
Or the fact that they may have power down as well but it's in the options fuel alternatives a few might go the use other than calling 911 -- an ambulance shows.
-- great point -- report number one make sure that you have your pharmacy.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Do it.
An hour and advance when you're not feeling well as when you should start thinking about that rather than waiting until the last minute which is what I traditionally tell.
I don't make sure I have -- home phone number every one of your home phone numbers cell -- everything on files led to make sure I'm in touch with you.
Within minutes of any particular I would always call you back.
That the toxic Hugo thank you sir good to see it would be careful out there and listen to the dot.
