Health Care

https://rise.articulate.com/share/yyZ9N5aWI7sAS3OZrfqwMEmpSrjUqn0g

https://www.cnn.com/specials/us/hurricane-harvey

I have attached all the links and materials needed to answer questions on the work sheet. In my team we have Environmental Health Specialist, Field Epidemiologist, Paramedic, Public Information Officer, Public Health Nurse.

ANSWER

Harvey Mosquito Surveillance

Hurricane Harvey, in its aftermath, left 27 trillion gallons of rainwater over Texas. The resulting situation was flooding and huge swaths of dry land underwater completely uninhabitable for months. The waterlogged region stands a chance to become a serious breeding ground for mosquitos, which would mean a risk to the local population from mosquito-borne diseases such as the West Nile Virus and Zika (The Atlantic). The immediate effect of the hurricane could not propel the risk as the wind and water from the hurricane wash away all mosquito breeding grounds. However, after time, most of the water drys out and what has left pockets of water, which serve as probable breeding grounds for Culex mosquitoes and Aedes mosquitoes, which are responsible for West Nile and Zika, respectively. Zika is also responsible for dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever (The Atlantic). This paper documents an action plan by a team made up of an environmental health specialist, field epidemiologist, paramedic, public information officer, and a public health nurse tasked with the duty to deal with the mosquito outbreak after Hurricane Harvey dropped 51 inches of rain on the gulf coast of Texas.

Supplies

1. Data collection devices such as computers with data collection software.
2. Supplies for community distribution/
3. Protective gear for the team and assistants.

Schedule

Duties

1. Mosquito collection for study and investigation of potential future risks to the human population.
2. Assessment of the risk range to human health.
3. Implementation of control measure and assessment.
4. Identification of partners and their capacities to aid in:
   1. Field data collection
   2. Mosquito Identification
   3. Data management and Analysis
   4. Data mapping and dissemination
   5. Pathogen screening
5. Train or put on alert health practitioners in the area.
6. Organize the flow of information to reach stakeholders and both local and regional governments and the central authority, in this case, the CDC.
7. Define control measures.

Description of Site Visit

From prior research, the team expected to find waterlogged neighbourhoods that had become breeding grounds for mosquitos. Unaware of the dangers outside, the local communities are expected to be sleeping without mosquito nets, uninterested in draining stagnant water and without aerosol sprays to kill the disease-causing pathogens. A few cases are expected to have been reported to local health care clinics, and the numbers are expected to start growing as the mosquitos continue to breed.

Resolution

For each home in the region, mosquito nets and aerosol sprays will be distributed as well as information regarding the draining of potential mosquito breeding habitats.

References

The Atlantic. Will Flooding in Texas Lead to More Mosquito-Borne Illness. Retrieved on 17^th November from https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/08/will-flooding-in-texas-lead-to-more-mosquito-borne-illness/538242/