EH : Unidentified Illness / North-America / USA [0:22]
Posted: 05 Nov 2011 04:37 AM PDT
GLIDE Number: EH-20111105-32949-USA
Date / time: 05/11/2011 11:36:07 [UTC]
Event: Epidemic Hazard
Name of Hazard: Unidentified Illness
Area: North-America
Country: USA
State/County: State of Texas
City: Houston
Description:More than 20 people, mostly band members, were hospitalized Friday night after suddenly falling ill during a high school football game in southwest Houston on Friday night. It was first believed they had been exposed to an unknown chemical, but fire officials said later they had found no trace of gases or chemical agents at the scene. Austin and Yates high schools were playing at Barnett Stadium when, sometime around 9:00pm local time, students suddenly fell ill and hazmat teams and emergency crews were dispatched to the stadium. The victims, mainly band members and dancers from Austin High, were reportedly suffering from nausea, vomiting and heart palpitations. David Almaguer, Houston Fire Department assistant chief, told KTRK-TV that the victims had been taken to several local hospitals. "A number of the students were complaining of nausea," he said. "We ended up with 22 students being transported to five different hospitals" A hazmat team was set up a decontamination unit in the vicinity of the stadium, which was evacuated following the incident. A student said he began to smell something odd when he saw his sister lose consciousness. Another witness said, "Three dancers moved to the side and started throwing up, then as we got to the stands, more started falling." A doctor who interviewed patients at the scene said investigators were still trying to work out what caused the students to suddenly become ill, after fire officials said their detection equipment had found no sign of gases or chemical agents in the area. "The kids all ate at different places, some of them ate at different times ... but they did have something in their stomachs. At this point, it remains a little unclear what set it off," Emergency Medical Services doctor David Purse said.
Not confirmed information!
BH : Red Tide / North-America / Canada [0:0]
Posted: 04 Nov 2011 10:47 PM PDT
GLIDE Number: BH-20111105-32946-CAN
Date / time: 05/11/2011 05:46:29 [UTC]
Event: Biological Hazard
Name of Hazard: Red Tide
Area: North-America
Country: Canada
State/County: Province of British Columbia
Description:Paralytic shellfish poisoning, or Red Tide, has hit the waters around Comox. Effective immediately, bivalve harvesting (oysters, clams, scallops) is banned in Canadian Fishery Waters Subarea 14-13, which constitutes the coastline from Cape Lazo to Shelter Point, north of Oyster Bay. "Harvesting is closed to all recreational, commercial and aquaculture harvest in that area. The toxin itself can be very harmful. It's a neurotoxin that attacks the organs as well," says Bryce Gillard from the Department of Fisheries in Comox. "It poses a significant health risk and you can't get rid of it by cooking your clams or oysters. It has to be naturally flushed through the animals." The DFO website describes the symptoms of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning as, "Tingling of lips and tongue which may spread to fingers and toes, headache, or dizziness. As the effect of the toxin progresses, there could be a loss of muscular co-ordination, paralysis, and inability to breathe." Red Tide is caused a naturally occurring algae in our waters. The beaches are closed to harvest of bivalves when the toxin levels exceed safe limits. "This is a very common event that happens several times a year," Gillard explains. "We currently are seeing elevated toxin levels at other points along the coast and it just happens to have come to this area now." Weekly tests will reveal when the toxin levels have fallen back within safety standards, at which point the harvesting ban will be lifted. "I would expect this won't be open for a few weeks," says Gillard. "They look for several weeks of clear results from their mussel testing before they reopen the beach."
Not confirmed information!
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