Hurricane effects pose 'tremendous' health hazards for Americans, doctor warns

As different hurricane threatens the U.S., the aftermath of Hurricane Helene inactive poses large threats.

Americans successful areas of the state that were devastated by the tempest whitethorn look galore wellness risks.

Fox News elder aesculapian expert Dr. Marc Siegel joined "Fox Report Weekend" to sermon the severity of the damage, including radical being injured and displaced from their homes, arsenic good arsenic 350,000 residents successful North Carolina and Georgia who are inactive without power.

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"People are displaced, radical are successful shelters, pets are successful shelters, roads are damaged, the infrastructure’s going to instrumentality months oregon years to fix," helium said. 

"And that means post-traumatic accent disorder for people. That means anxiety."

Workers, assemblage members and concern owners cleanable up debris successful the aftermath of Hurricane Helene successful Marshall, North Carolina, connected Sept. 30, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

In summation to mental health concerns, Siegel emphasized that nationalist wellness has go an contented pursuing the storm, noting the shortage of cleanable water.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has brought 7.5 cardinal liters of h2o to affected areas, but it’s "not astir enough," according to the doctor.

"We don’t person capable wellness attraction workers successful this state for emergencies similar this."

"Many radical are without water," Siegel said. "Many radical person h2o that they’re disquieted could beryllium contaminated."

While dehydration is simply a threat, Siegel cautioned that drinking contaminated h2o tin pb to dysentery and diarrheal diseases.

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"People [ingest] bacteria, they get sick, past they get dehydrated, past they don’t person water," helium said.

According to Aquasana, a shaper of h2o filtration systems, boiling contaminated water tin assistance termination disconnected harmful bacteria and solids, but won’t region different substances similar chlorine oregon lead.

Even so, Siegel mentioned that immoderate Americans mightiness not person the quality to boil their water.

A antheral crosses a tempest surge-flooded country connected the seashore of Gulfport, Florida, arsenic Hurricane Helene passed done the Gulf of Mexico to the West connected Sept. 26, 2024. (Thomas Simonetti for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

"There’s a tremendous magnitude of health risks going connected close now," helium said.

"The hospitals are overwhelmed successful these areas, and we’re talking successful Appalachia, precise agrarian areas, wherever determination isn’t a batch of aesculapian attraction to statesman with."

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Lack of medication and due aesculapian attraction is different risk, arsenic good arsenic radical being displaced from their homes, Siegel added.

"That causes a batch of trauma and accent psychologically," helium said. 

Swannanoa residents locomotion done devastating flood harm from the Swannanoa River successful occidental North Carolina connected Sept. 29, 2024.  (Travis Long/The News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

"People who are roaming astir that are fearful, that are anxious, get hurt. We’ve seen a batch of injuries and determination are much to come."

"Community tone and assemblage engagement and helping your neighbour is truly the mode to go," helium went on. "But not if you’re afloat isolated."

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For families oregon loved ones looking to assistance those who person been affected by the hurricane, Siegel encouraged them to nonstop cleanable water, medications, antibiotics and archetypal aid.

"Don’t task retired into areas that are unsafe," helium advised. "If you person a cell telephone working, you surely privation to beryllium successful interaction with your neighbors, with your loved ones, arsenic overmuch arsenic possible."

Hurricane Helene caused powerfulness outages, schoolhouse closings and downed trees successful Charlotte, North Carolina, connected Sept. 27. (Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Siegel emphasized the value of having capable aesculapian providers disposable crossed the state to handle emergencies arsenic Hurricane Milton intensifies.

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"We person to instrumentality attraction of our health care workers due to the fact that we’re getting a ton of burnout," helium said. 

"We don’t person capable wellness attraction workers successful this state for emergencies similar this."