# How likely is a cholera outbreak in New Orleans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2005, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400 "2005-08-31T07:56:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/1 "2005-08-31T07:56:43Z")
I’ m not trying to be alarmist, but the more I watch about the events in New Orleans the more I am concerned we are about to see the worst outbreak of cholera in the U.S. since 1911. I read [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera) and it seems most of the conditions are being met for something very unpleasent. Please tell me I am overreacting. ---
**Author:** ![seaworthy82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@seaworthy82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seaworthy82)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/2 "2005-08-31T13:38:04Z")
You’re overreacting. Having lived through hurricanes myself I can tell you, everyone is advised to boil their drinking water for at least 3 minutes, or you can kill any germs or bacteria by using (I think) a tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water. So you won’t have people drinking contaminated water and getting cholera. Although I guess it could be a problem if they start eating raw crawfish. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/3 "2005-08-31T13:45:54Z")
Curiously enough, right after reading this thread I found this: [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9137355/](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9137355/) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/4 "2005-08-31T15:01:24Z")
> [@seaworthy82](#): > > … you can kill any germs or bacteria by using (I think) a tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water That’s way too much, enough to clean a kitchen sink! See [here](http://www.extension.umn.edu/info-u/nutrition/BJ646.html) for the proper amount. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/5 "2005-08-31T15:11:53Z")
Why take chances? Always use _ **FULL STRENGTH BLEACH!!!** _ [l](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=5194812) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/6 "2005-08-31T15:36:49Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Why take chances? Always use > > _ **FULL STRENGTH BLEACH!!!** _ > > [l](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=5194812) You first. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/7 "2005-08-31T18:37:13Z")
According to todays Washington Post, such an outbreak is unlikely. The cholera microbe isn’t found much outside of Third World countries, and similar experiences with other hurricanes have shown that an epidemic isn’t likely to happen. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/8 "2005-08-31T18:38:44Z")
**plnnr** , that’s the link I posted in #3 above. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/9 "2005-08-31T18:57:17Z")
I would be more worried about [dysentery](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysentery). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/10 "2005-08-31T19:13:55Z")
I believe cholera also requires a fairly concentrated high population to spread rapidly. Right now, I don’t think New Orleans would be described as a “concentrated high population” area. And probably not for a while to come. ---
**Author:** ![Umphreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/2bfe46/32.png) [@Umphreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umphreak)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/11 "2005-08-31T19:14:00Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > According to todays Washington Post, such an outbreak is unlikely. The cholera microbe isn’t found much outside of Third World countries, and similar experiences with other hurricanes have shown that an epidemic isn’t likely to happen. Interesting. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt seems to be concerned: > [@](#): > > The Bush administration declared a public health emergency for the entire Gulf Coast on Wednesday in an effort to stop the spread of disease in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. > > “We are _gravely concerned_ about the potential for cholera, typhoid and dehydrating diseases that could come as a result of the stagnant water and the conditions,” Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said Wednesday after announcing the emergency. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/12 "2005-08-31T19:19:43Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > I believe cholera also requires a fairly concentrated high population to spread rapidly. > > Right now, I don’t think New Orleans would be described as a “concentrated high population” area. And probably not for a while to come. Well, when you’ve got 10,000 people concentrated into the area of the Superdome, that’s fairly concentrated. Also the evacuee/refugee camps are going to be pretty concentrated centers of population (although not permanent, like a city would be). There’s probably not too much to worry about if the public health services do their job and the populace follows their advice. It wise to keep in mind that something might go wrong; although goodness knows enough has already gone wrong for that city. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/13 "2005-08-31T20:06:47Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > Well, when you’ve got 10,000 people concentrated into the area of the Superdome, that’s fairly concentrated. Also the evacuee/refugee camps are going to be pretty concentrated centers of population (although not permanent, like a city would be). Hardly – the Superdome is designed with a normal capacity of 72,000 (not even counting the field area). So it’s really only at one-seventh of it’s normal population. And it has sanitary washrooms and kitchens designed to handle that capacity. Plus a small amount of built in locker rooms with shower facilities & first-aid stations. (Though the failure of utilities, water systems, etc. might make these non-functional before too long.) But I agree with you that there probably isn’t too much to worry about here. The public health authorities are already working at this, and issuing warnings & instructions to people. And people seem to be mostly sensible, and following these guidelines. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/14 "2005-08-31T20:51:26Z")
The CNN lead story is now about the fear of cholera, typhoid, and other dehydrating diseases brought on by all those bodies in the water: [http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/31/katrina.impact/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/31/katrina.impact/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/15 "2005-08-31T21:05:55Z")
> [@seaworthy82](#): > > You’re overreacting. Having lived through hurricanes myself I can tell you, everyone is advised to boil their drinking water for at least 3 minutes, or you can kill any germs or bacteria by using (I think) a tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water. Right. I’ll just put my pan of water on the stove and wait **6 weeks** for the utilities to come back up so the stuff will heat up. :smack: No, folks’ll be getting sick from the water. Maybe not cholera per se, but some kind of nasty swamp illness. Or they’ll just get sick from dehydration & exposure. I don’t see a lot of elderly folks getting through this if they didn’t leave town. Y’know, if they don’t drain that town soon there’s gonna be some mosquitos flying about. Is malaria a concern? I think in the Americas it’s mostly restricted to Brazil, but could the storm have picked up some hot mosquitoes and spread them around a little? And I bet the gators are going to be feeding like it’s Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/16 "2005-08-31T21:35:16Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Hardly – the Superdome is designed with a normal capacity of 72,000 (not even counting the field area). So it’s really only at one-seventh of it’s normal population. > > And it has sanitary washrooms and kitchens designed to handle that capacity. Plus a small amount of built in locker rooms with shower facilities & first-aid stations. (Though the failure of utilities, water systems, etc. might make these non-functional before too long.) They’re already non-functional… > [@](#): > > Gov. Kathleen Blanco has said that she wants the Superdome evacuated within two days because the situation has been worsening there. The water has been rising, the air conditioning was out and toilets were broken. > [@](#): > > WWL-TV’s Josh McElveen describes the stench coming from the bathrooms in the Superdome as horrific. [From here](http://www.wwltv.com/sharedcontent/nationworld/katrina/stories/083105ccwcKatrinaAstrodomerefuge.101134c3.html) ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/17 "2005-08-31T23:31:47Z")
Not to mention that it’s meant to hold that capacity for hours at a time, not days. I strongly suspect the people there would consider it close quarters. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/18 "2005-08-31T23:35:02Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Hardly – the Superdome is designed with a normal capacity of 72,000 (not even counting the field area). So it’s really only at one-seventh of it’s normal population. > > And it has sanitary washrooms and kitchens designed to handle that capacity. Plus a small amount of built in locker rooms with shower facilities & first-aid stations. It’s designed for 72K to see a game for a few hours, not for 72K to LIVE THERE, fer chrissakes. “Normal population”!? ---
**Author:** ![seaworthy82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@seaworthy82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seaworthy82)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/19 "2005-09-01T01:07:32Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Right. I’ll just put my pan of water on the stove and wait **6 weeks** for the utilities to come back up so the stuff will heat up. :smack: You know, some people do have generators, not to mention grills to use for cooking. I can’t imagine that putting a pot of water on a grill would be the most efficient way to boil water, but it works. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400/20 "2005-09-01T01:11:37Z")
Not when everythings soppin’ wet from rain & humidity! And where’s the diesel, Ace? And most of the generators? MMMmmmmmmmaybe under 20 feet of nasty water? Even the hospitals are having to send out scrounges for generator fuel to keep the life support gear going. No, I’m thinking the locals are pretty well screwed barring a massive invas…I mean, evacuation. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-likely-is-a-cholera-outbreak-in-new-orleans/319400.md?page=2)