Posted on 09/07/2016 8:11:19 AM PDT by simpson96
JURUPA VALLEY (CBSLA.com) — Parents and students in Jurupa Valley could be dealing with a rare disease from the Middle Ages.
Scared parents were demanding more information Tuesday after letters were sent went home to parents saying two students at Indian Hills Elementary in Jurupa Valley “might” be sick with leprosy. School officials say the letter was sent Friday out of what they called, an abundance of caution.
Some parents refused to send their children to school Tuesday after receiving the warning from the Jurupa Unified School District.
It was unclear whether the students are related to each other.
Barbara Cole, the director of disease control for Riverside County, said a school nurse notified the health department of the rare disease on Friday, but it could take weeks to get tests results back to confirm whether the children indeed have leprosy.
“We have not identified any risk at the school and it’s very difficult to transmit to others,” said Cole.
Leprosy is associated with disfiguring skin sores and peeling skin.
The disease is spread through mucus after having close and repeated contact with an infected person. It is easily treatable with antibiotics, even though most of the population is immune to it.
Jurupa Valley Unified Superintendent Elliott Duchon says classrooms have been decontaminated and the students in question are not in school.
“For parents, they need to make a decision for their children but we’re not recommending any precautions,” said Duchon. “There is not a risk at this time.”
Cole said officials have decontaminated the classrooms, and the students in question are not in school.
County health officials have scheduled a meeting after school Wednesday and will also be interviewing the parents to see if they have traveled to less-developed countries, where leprosy is more prevalent.
Either they ARE from a less developed country or they have a pet armadillo at home.
If they are showing symptoms, it has progressed for quite some time. Symptoms don’t just show up overnight!
And it is not easily treated with antibiotics. It is treatable, but because the bacteria grow so slowly the treatment is very long - 6 months - a year.
[letters were sent went home to parents saying two students at Indian Hills Elementary in Jurupa Valley “might” be sick with leprosy.]
I wonder, how many other deadly diseases “might” be in the public school system?
“School officials say the letter was sent Friday...”
Ah ha...the old Obama/Clinton “document dump Friday” trick.
And, it was a looong weekend.
Isn’t it wonderful that our government is so welcoming to all the diversity that walks unhindered across our borders......./s
(Leprosy is) “a contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and, in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities. Leprosy is now mainly confined to tropical Africa and Asia, (and areas where migrants from these countries are relocated)”.
I guess the journalist meant “Hansen’s Disease” which one can hardly claim was relegated to the Middle Ages. Since spread by armadillos is rather unlikely parents will just have to console themselves that treatment is readily available. Because health screenings of those students coming from countries where leprosy has not been eradicated is not going to happen. Student health verses claims of racism or xenophobia. Pick the winner.
I thought leprosy was mentioned in Old Testament, long before the Middle Ages.
They are asking questions of the wrong people.
This goes right to Washington and its lack of concern for health in it open-borders policy.
I thought leprosy was due to poor sanitation (open sewers).
SHOCK! It’s called illegal immigrants.
Leprosy is transferred through contact with an infected person’s tissues or bodily fluids such as mucus. It is also transferred from infected armadillos. They are the only other animal, besides humans, that can carry or transfer the bacteria.
I suppose it could also be transferred through sewage that contains infected bodily fluids (or armadillos!)
It takes 4-20 years, generally, to exhibit symptoms after infection/exposure.
It can be treated with long strong doses of antibiotic.
There are a number of cases reported every year in the US. Cases are mainly in the Southern States due to immigration issues and the increase in the consumption of infected armadillos.
Don’t eat the ‘dillo!
Hanson’s Disease is caused by malnutrition. The bacterium is in the soil at all times. Just keep them away from McDonald’s.
Solution to the problem:
Cause and effect: Isolate, remove, get rid of the cause and you rectify and cure the effect.
Legislators who vote for open borders and lax immigration laws should be forced to have diseased people and criminals who are here as a result move into their homes.
In other words, legislators should be forced to live with the consequences of the laws they pass. They should not be allowed to force their wishes on the rest of society which must then suffer from it.
Obama Changes Law: Allows Immigrants with Blistering STDs and Leprosy into US - http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/02/obama-changes-law-allows-immigrants-with-blistering-stds-and-leprosy-into-us/
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.