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.
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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
Related:
- Bernie Sanders Medicare for All Act of 2017: Some thoughts on the legislation
- Houston floods: What are the infectious disease risks?
- Chutzpah Economics, more on government spending from Paul Krugman
- Krugman is a Keynesian ‘crank’ wanting to empower the inflation fairy
- Paul Krugman’s lust for lying, the desire to buy gold must be racism driven
- Borrowing and Spending, the Paul Krugman ‘Way to Wealth’
Read more about infectious diseases and outbreaks at Outbreak News Today
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