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A minimum of six individuals have died in Florida because the state battles “one of many worst outbreaks of meningococcal illness amongst homosexual and bisexual males in U.S. historical past,” the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention stated Wednesday.
The outbreak is each sudden and lethal, with the six deaths coming from a complete of simply 24 circumstances amongst homosexual and bisexual males in Florida this yr, the CDC stated.
The outbreak has left well being officers and Florida LGBTQ+ teams scrambling to alert the general public concerning the lethal illness, which the CDC says is often deadly in about each tenth case and might trigger mind harm or limb loss in each fifth.
Half of the circumstances in Florida not too long ago have come from the Orlando metropolitan space, based on the Florida Division of Well being. The others have been unfold all through the state.
Whereas the illness doesn’t unfold as simply because the frequent chilly or flu, contaminated individuals can go it by “sharing respiratory and throat secretions,” like saliva or spit, the CDC says. This implies it's generally unfold by way of kissing or being close to somebody coughing.
The primary signs of the illness embrace excessive fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea or vomiting, or a darkish purple rash. Whereas initially resembling the flu, these signs are identified to shortly worsen, the CDC says.
Well being officers are pushing for all homosexual and bisexual males to right away get the meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) vaccine. Dr. José R. Romero, director of the Nationwide Middle for Immunization and Respiratory Illnesses, stated in an announcement the illness is extremely preventable with vaccination.
“Getting vaccinated in opposition to meningococcal illness is one of the best ways to stop this severe sickness, which may shortly turn into lethal,” Romero stated. “Due to the outbreak in Florida, and the variety of Pleasure occasions being held throughout the state in coming weeks, it’s vital that homosexual and bisexual males who reside in Florida get vaccinated, and people touring to Florida speak to their healthcare supplier about getting a MenACWY vaccine.”