Protesters Coming Down With the "Zuccotti Lung"

NBC NY ^ | 11/11/11 | Staff

[Impala64ssa]

With wintry weather poised to swoop into the cramped outdoor quarters of Occupy Wall Street protesters, it may not be long before more campers catch what's being called "Zuccotti lung."

That's what demonstrators have dubbed the sickness that seems to be spreading among them at an unpleasantly high rate these days: "It's a real thing," Willie Carey, 28, told the New York Times.

With little sleep in cold conditions, cigarettes and drinks being passed from mouth to mouth, and few opportunities to wash hands, Zuccotti Park may now just be the best place to catch respiratory viruses, norovirus (also known as the winter vomiting virus) and tuberculosis, according to one doctor.

The damp clothing and cardboard signs wet with rain are also breeding grounds for mold. Some protesters are urinating in bottles and leaving food trash discarded throughout the campground, providing further opportunities for nastiness.

[YHAOS]

Life is that stinky and disease ridden when you have your head stuck that far into a dark place.

[concerned about politics]

How much do you want to bet their next protest demand will be free CAPITALIST provided medicine.

(Only if the lick my shoes and say they're sorry first.)

[IrishPennant]

This will be Occupy Ward II shortly.

And damned happy to read the comments at the link. Folks is getting annoyed.

[artichokegrower]

So we have gone from the Tea Party to the TB Party?

[Mygirlsmom]

Think of it as evolution in action...

Pity the process is so slow....

[posterchild]

As long as there is no excess salt intake this really isn’t a public health problem.

[Noumenon]

Pity the process is so slow....

No worries. We'll be called upon to act as its agents soon enough.

[Signalman]

OWS is turning into a cesspool, both figuratively and literally.

[ßuddaßudd]

They should be getting some ‘wood on the head’ treatment if I were in charge. Lucky them huh?

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Parasites attract parasites.

[Mr. K]

WOW~!!!

They are into the ‘disease and pestilence” phase already???

We are seeing all the failures of socialism in rapid speed- like time lapse video squeezing 40 years of socialism into 2 months time! swoon the food workers will stop and the protesters will be conscripted into working to feed the others then they will start hanging each other for stealing food....

it's almost fun to watch!

[concerned about politics]

Slacker media. They forgot to include the bed bug problem.
It's hard to get good help these days.

[youngidiot]

These people are heroes. Dying for their country.

[XenaLee]

Right. And as long as they are safe from trans fats, everything is just peachy.

[concerned about politics]

They are into the ‘disease and pestilence” phase already???
We are seeing all the failures of socialism in rapid speed- like time lapse video squeezing 40 years of socialism into 2 months time! soon the food workers will stop and the protesters will be conscripted into working to feed the others then they will start hanging each other for stealing food....

It's the best reality show ever!

[concerned about politics]

These people are heroes. Dying for their country.

LOL!!!!

[contrarian]

This is preposterous !! They should go to the nearest abortion clinic to take care of their medical problem . Wouldn’t want them to be burdened with an illness, can we ?

[NautiNurse]

Uselessaires Disease

[bert]

NBC is raising the rug to sweep the detritus out of sight and out of mind. NBC has spoken the word. It’s ok to leave before you die of plague.

[B.O. Plenty]

Hah, I knew it, and have said so many times..."Zuccotti Lung" is only the tip of the iceberg...

..it will be an epidemic which will kill a bunch of these people...could be something like a bubonic plague....a horrible super contagious disease.

..people can't live in squalor without baths and some level of hygene without serious consequences.

...the "epidemic" will be so fast that hundreds will die before the hospitals can react.