CDC Hid Tuberculosis Outbreak in FL for Months; Even Governor wasn’t Informed

The worst outbreak of tuberculosis in Florida in 20 years was kept  hidden from the public for months.

In early February, Duval County Health Department officials were so worried about the surge in the number of cases that they asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to become involved. The health officials felt that if they informed the public, the public would avoid the homeless. “What you don’t want is for anyone to have another reason why people should turn their backs on the homeless,” said Charles Griggs, the public information officer for the Duval County Health Department. The health agency recommended that the A.G. Holley State Hospital in Lantana, where tough TB cases were treated, be closed six months ahead of scheduled.

On March 27, Governor Rick Scott, unaware that there was an outbreak, but aware of the health department’s recommendation, signed a bill that shrank the Department of Health and closed A.G. Holley.

But on April 5, the CDC warned Florida health officials that the Jacksonville outbreak was rapidly gaining ground: 13 deaths and 99 illnesses, including six children, had resulted already. Three thousand people in the past two years may have come into contact with TB contagious people at Jacksonville’s homeless shelters, an outpatient mental health clinic and area jails. But only 253 people had been found and evaluated for TB.

The public did not know about the outbreak until early June. Duval County Health Director Dr. Bob Harmon said, “There have been TB outbreaks where we do alert the public, such as a school or a college.”

for article: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/07/10/CDC-Hid-FL-Tuberculosis-Outbreak

U.S. Declares Health Emergency; Swine flu from Mexico confirmed in several states.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. declared a public health emergency Sunday to deal with the emerging new swine flu, much like the government does to prepare for approaching hurricanes.

Officials reported 20 U.S. cases of swine flu in five states so far, with the latest in Ohio and New York. Unlike in Mexico where the same strain appears to be killing dozens of people, cases in the United State have been mild — and U.S. health authorities can’t yet explain why.

“As we continue to look for cases, we are going to see a broader spectrum of disease,” predicted Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We’re going to see more severe disease in this country.”

At a White House news conference, Besser and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sought to assure Americans that health officials are taking all appropriate steps to minimize the impact of the outbreak.

For full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_swine_flu_emergency

Note: If the White House wants to assure the American public that they are doing everything to control this situation, Janet Napolitano IS NOT the one to be doing the “assuring”…. I belive her like I believe Joe Biden and David Axelrod!