I find it rather unsettling that some diseases not normally associated with this part of the world can suddenly re-emerge. Specifically I am refering to an outreak that occured over this summer at a outdoor camping park on Long Island where some members of a scouting group contracted malaria, something I would not expect most local doctors to be prepared for.
Locally, the contamination of a water supply with e. coli bacteria is interesting, in that the bacteria were vector transported, although not through a biological vector. What is perhaps most unsettling is just how the water supply is believed to have been contaminated. Manure and other pleasant waste products settled out of the air around a ground well and collected in the water, providing nutrients for the bacteria and causing a prolific blooming of them. After hearing about this outbreak on the news for a while, which is supposed to cause severe liver damage, I noticed a sign at the deli I work at on campus asking for all employee’s who attended the washington state fair, i beleive it was, to report IMMEADIATELY to their managers.