Latest news with #ChristineAlexander
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Brain-eating amoeba: How are people infected?
(WJW) — A 71-year-old woman died after developing a rare and deadly brain infection linked to using tap water from an RV's water system at a Texas campground, federal health officials confirmed. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the woman developed symptoms of primary amebic meningoencephalitis — a severe brain infection caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba — just four days after rinsing her sinuses with unboiled tap water from her recreational vehicle. Woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after using tap water to clear sinuses: CDC Testing at the CDC confirmed the presence of N. fowleri in her cerebrospinal fluid. Naegleria fowleri, commonly called 'brain-eating amoeba,' is rare. There are only about 10 cases per year, according to the CDC, but it's almost always fatal. Naegleria fowleri infects people in only one way: when water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose, according to the CDC. The amoeba then makes a bee line for the brain. Brain infections caused by Naegleria fowleri usually happen after a person goes swimming in fresh water during the summer months. The CDC said few infections have occurred when people used tap water that contained Naegleria fowleri to rinse their sinuses or clean their nasal passages. In the Texas case, health officials identified two possible sources of contamination. One was the RV's onboard water tank, which had been filled months earlier from an unknown location. The other was the municipal water supply at the campground, which was connected to the RV system via a hose and water filter. Ground beef sold nationwide possibly contaminated with E. Coli The woman rinsed her sinuses multiple times from both sources, according to the report. Early symptoms were fever, headache and a change in mental function, the CDC report showed. Despite receiving medical treatment, her condition rapidly worsened. She suffered seizures and died eight days after the onset of symptoms. The woman had no known exposure to freshwater lakes or rivers, which is the most common source of the amoeba. 'They like to grow in water,' Dr. Christine Alexander, chair of family medicine at MetroHealth Medical Center, told FOX 8 in a previous interview. 'Especially warm water.' Naegleria fowleri is naturally found in warm freshwater environments such as lakes and rivers, or hot springs, but can also be found in water discharge from industrial or power plants, geothermal well water, poorly maintained or minimally chlorinated swimming pools, water heaters and soil, according to CDC data. Father found dead, daughter missing after they went hiking on mountain in Maine People who become infected develop primary amebic meningoencephalitis. 'This is not like a bacterial infection, which we have antibiotics, or a viral infection where we have antivirals,' Alexander said. 'We don't have medicine to get rid of the amoeba.' Naegleria fowleri is typically found in warm water with temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, the CDC said. According to the Cleveland Department of Public Health, Naegleria fowleri grows best in high temperatures of up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Though Lake Erie is a freshwater environment, the lake's temperature rarely gets high enough to create a viable growth environment for the amoeba, and it's never been observed there, according to the health department. Bear spotted in Trumbull County backyard Lake Erie water temperatures have reached as high as 85 degrees. However, summertime water temperatures usually stay in the 70s and rarely get above 75 degrees, according to the health department. In hot, sunny weather, chlorine can break down and be less effective at splash pads and pools, according to the health department. Still, the CDC said infections from splash pads are extremely rare. Cases have been documented in nearly half of all U.S. states, and there were an estimated 160 deaths between 1962 and 2023, the CDC reported. To this date, no one has ever gotten infected in Ohio. See the cases here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hey Hudson Valley: Having trouble paying your electric bill? Here are ways to get help
If you are having trouble paying your winter utility bills in the Hudson Valley, there are ways to get help, and reduce costs. From budget billing plans to state energy assistance programs and tips to reduce your energy consumption, read on to learn more about what you can do to take some pressure off your wallet this winter. The New York Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), can help qualifying customers get relief on their utility bills. According to the state website, HEAP helps New Yorkers when it comes to heating and cooling their homes. Eligible residents can receive one regular HEAP benefit per year. There are also emergency HEAP benefits available if a resident is in danger of running out of fuel or having a utility service cut off. HEAP can help you if you heat your home with resources like electricity, natural gas, oil, wood and more. Residents can once again apply for regular HEAP benefits, as the program reopened Jan. 25. Eligibilty for HEAP is based on factors such as income, primary heating source, household size and whether a person under the age of 6, aged 60 or older, or permanently disabled is a member of the household. Benefits are based on actual usage, and "are paid directly to the vendor that supplies the household's primary source of heat," the HEAP webpage says. For a full list of participating vendors, go to There you can search for vendors based on county and fuel type. To learn more about the program, you can seek out your HEAP local district contact. Westchester residents can call their local Department of Social Services office to learn about HEAP. Customers in Rockland can call 845-364-3480 or 845-364-3486. In the event of an afterhours emergency, Rocklanders can call the County Sheriff's Department at 845-638-5400. In Putnam, call 845-808-1500 or the Putnam County Sheriff's Dept. afterhours at 845-225-4300. ≽ For a full list of where to find your county's contact info, . Con Edison, in a December news release, said customers who receive qualifying government assistance benefits can get a discount of up to $173 a month on energy bills through the energy affordability program. The company invested $300 million last year in energy assistance programs for low-income customers, according to a spokesperson for the utility. Learn more: Utility bills are hitting Lower Hudson Valley residents hard. Why are they so high? According to NYSEG, there are budget billing options and payment arrangements that can be made to help customers who can't afford to pay down existing bills. "Having unpaid bills is stressful, but we want to make sure that customers are aware of the true driver of these high bills while also offering financial help for qualifying individuals," said Christine Alexander, NYSEG customer service vice president, said in a release. "We urge customers to contact us about assistance programs and budget billing." For Con Edison customers, the company's assistance program can help those who qualify for a monthly discount if receiving benefits from various governmental programs. Customers who are in arrears can reach out about payment plans that spread out costs over time. According to the Orange & Rockland website, qualifying customers can spread payments out evenly across a year with it's "average-use billing plan." Customers can call 1-877-434-4100 to learn more. Other options such as bill extension or considerations for special circumstances, such as hospitalization, are also available. Check the O&R website to learn more. New York State offers rebates for energy-efficient upgrades to home heating systems and other innovations, like heat pumps. To find out what is available from the state, and from energy companies, head to Con Ed also offers tips and incentives for installing energy-efficient equipment on its website. According to Allan Drury, a Con Edison spokesperson, the best way to manage costs is to manage usage. The Department of Public Service and the utility companies provide tips for customers, among them: Install a programmable thermostat. Lower the thermostat — each degree over 68 degrees can increase a customer's energy use by 3%. Consider a cold wash: Switch the washing machine's setting to cold, which the utility said can cut energy use in half for washing one load. Keep ducts and vents clean: A heating system will run more efficiently. Make your refrigerator run more efficiently: Clean coils yearly and set a 38-degree temperature to conserve energy. Open shades on sunny days and close them at night. Insulate attics, foundations, heating ducts, and hot-water pipes. Put caulk around windows and doors. Are you receiving higher than usual electric and gas bills this winter? We want to hear from you. Learn more about how to . Contributing: Lohud's Ashley Catherine Fontones This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: How Hudson Valley residents can get help paying electric and gas bills
