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Published On: Sun, Oct 1st, 2017

Krugman calls out Trump for cholera in Puerto Rico, CDC does not anticipate

It’s so unfortunate that politics trumps everything in 2017 (no pun intended), so much to the point that it is nauseating to continue to read and hear about. Whether it be the NFL or Dr. Seuss books, it is just so out of control.

Paul Krugman caricature cartoon

Photo/donkeyhotey.wordpress.com

The latest installment to this grotesque saga involves Keynesian economist, Paul Krugman.

While the United States government takes on the herculean task of trying to restore Puerto Rico and the immense devastation left behind by Hurricane Maria, the first direct hit in some eight decades, politics again turns out to be the name of the game.

Krugman, in his infinite wisdom, decided to tweet a rumor concerning cholera on the island–Cholera. In a US territory. Among US citizens. In the 21st century. Heckuva job, Trumpie.

It sure was a popular tweet, 12,000 retweets and 27,000 likes; however, it was lacking in any form of accuracy.

Cholera has not been confirmed on Puerto Rico, as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes in a series of tweets: There was no evidence of cholera in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands before Hurricane #Maria made landfall.

CDC does not anticipate cholera cases in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands b/c of #Maria.

Several hour later, Krugman sent out a “corrected” tweet, which garnered much less attention.

Clearly, there will be infectious disease risks that go along with a disaster of this magnitude, we see it all the time–waterborne diseases, foodborne diseases, skin and respiratory infections. This list goes on and on in a crisis like this where there is a lack of clean and potable water.

Some news sources are starting to report increases in pink eye, or conjunctivitis on the island.

LISTEN: Cholera: The disease, the Yemen crisis and the vaccine

Is there a risk of the emergence of cholera and other enteric diseases like typhoid appearing in Puerto Rico post-Maria?

Sure.

As dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Peter Hotez, MD, PhD writes in a recent post–“The emergence of cholera in Haiti in 2010 is a poignant reminder that the Caribbean remains susceptible to outbreaks.”

LISTEN: Yale researcher discusses Haiti cholera outbreak and link to UN peacekeepers

My question is: What is the point of putting out this unfactual tweet other than for purely political purposes? How does it help?

There is none, and

It doesn’t.

LISTEN: Contra Krugman weekly podcast

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Read more about infectious diseases and outbreaks at Outbreak News Today

 

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About the Author

- Writer, Co-Founder and Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch. Robert has been covering news in the areas of health, world news and politics for a variety of online news sources. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the website, Outbreak News Today and hosts the podcast, Outbreak News Interviews on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify Robert is politically Independent and a born again Christian Follow @bactiman63

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  1. Las Vegas carnage: At least 20 dead at country music festival | The Global Dispatch says:

    […] Krugman calls out Trump for cholera in Puerto Rico, CDC does not anticipate […]

  2. Maryland researchers identify protein that could improve the symptoms and deaths associated with the flu - Outbreak News Today says:

    […] Krugman calls out Trump for cholera in Puerto Rico, CDC does not anticipate […]

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