LISTEN: Standing water should be avoided if at all possible, owing to the risk of viral and bacterial infections. GPB's Benjamin Payne reports.
Well after Tropical Storm Debby drenched Coastal Georgia and overwhelmed rivers and stormwater drainage systems, public health officials are warning of an increased threat of waterborne and mosquito-borne illnesses as flooding lingers in some parts of Savannah and surrounding areas.
Chatham County's mosquito control department has increased deployments of its helicopters and trucks, which spray insecticides mostly at dawn and dusk, when mosquitos are most active.
No human infections of West Nile virus have been reported by the Coastal Health District — which serves Chatham, Bryan, Effingham, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn, Camden and Long Counties — but in June a mosquito sample collected on Savannah's south side tested positive for the virus.
Standing water serves as a breeding ground not only for mosquitos — which can also transmit the viruses which cause encephalitis and meningitis — but also harmful bacteria including including E. coli and staph.
“The problem with floodwater is that it contains a lot of animal and human waste,” Coastal Health District director Dr. Bonzo Reddick said at a Friday news conference. “There's a big risk for infection if you wade into it, and also there may be sharp objects that you can't see in the water that can poke you, that can injure you that way. So, we strongly recommend that no one goes into the floodwaters unless they have no other option.”
Children should be monitored especially closely, Reddick said, as kids may be tempted to play in standing water.
The Chatham County Health Department will offer free tetanus vaccines and boosters at a pop-up clinic at the Compassion Christian Church Adult Ministry Center at 55 Al Henderson Blvd. in Savannah on Tuesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m.
Tetanus vaccines and boosters are also available for free at the health department's two clinics in Savannah at 1395 Eisenhower Dr. and 1602 Drayton St.
The CDC advises that all adults receive a tetanus booster every 10 years. For people whose immunization is out of date, a vaccine can still be effective if given within 48 hours of an injury, according to the Coastal Health District.
Chatham Emergency Management Agency director Dennis Jones said Friday that he expects to learn by the middle of this week whether FEMA will authorize financial assistance for Georgians impacted by Debby. The federal agency began damage assessments in Chatham County on Thursday.
Twenty-eight manholes in Savannah discharged a mixture of stormwater and wastewater between Aug. 5 and Aug. 13, according to the city. Three of the overflows were designated as “major” by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, meaning 10,000 gallons or more of discharge.
