A NEW antibiotic-resistant superbug has emerged in Australia causing the death of one man and the infection of 50 others.
The deadly new disease has alarmed infectious diseases experts because it is acquired in the community rather than in hospital.
The man was admitted suffering from septicemia but failed to respond to flucloxicillin, a penicillin-type antibiotic.
These community-acquired resistant strains are big-time scary. I don't think it is hyperbole to say so.
I have been meaning to post this, but I am far behind in this and other threads. For whatever it is worth:
Officials seek participation in emergency drill
June 4, 2004
Residents and businesses on Long Island are being asked to turn off their lights - or at least their air conditioners - from noon to 3 p.m. next Thursday as part of a regionwide drill to test public response to another blackout or terrorist attack.
"If we do have an incident where we're denied power ... then we want people to be comfortable knowing that they have the ability to shed load and reduce their demand and turn off their air conditioners and allow Long Island to come back as quickly as possible," Gov. George Pataki said yesterday.
He addressed about 300 emergency response personnel and others from New York City and Long Island as part of a two-day conference at the Hilton Long Island in Melville.
Led by the Long Island Power Authority and the state Emergency Management Office, the drill comes at the start of the hurricane season.
Avoiding doing laundry, turning off the air conditioner, shutting off unused computers and dimming desk lamps are all ways to save energy, said LIPA chairman Richard Kessel, who suggested he would be happy if Long Islanders can collectively reduce energy consumption by about 100 megawatts though the effort.
One megawatt satisfies the average electrical demands of 1,000 homes.
"Basically, we're asking everyone on Long Island to voluntarily participate to the greatest extent that you can to try to help us out," Kessel said. "Because one day, we're going to have to do that for real."