Monsey, NY – Rockland health officials are continuing to track an outbreak of a highly contagious bacterial illness among young children.
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A total of 130 cases of shigellosis had been reported to Rockland health officials as of today, said Rockland Health Commissioner Dr. Joan Facelle.
Only one case of the infectious disease was reported during the first six months of last year, according to records.
All the current cases occurred in youngsters who attend private Jewish schools in Monsey and New Square. No cases have been reported outside of those communities.
The bacteria that cause the disease are present in the diarrheal stools of people who are infected while they are sick and for up to a week or two afterward. Most shigella infections are the result of the bacterium passing from stools or soiled fingers of one person to the mouth of another person.
Lack of hand washing and a failure of basic hygiene particularly among toddlers who are not fully toilet-trained cause the disease to spread from person to person
Lack of hand washing and a failure of basic hygiene particularly among toddlers who are not fully toilet-trained cause the disease to spread from person to person.
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It also comes from dirty mikvaos, primarily mens.
Most mikvaos are not well taken care of and cleaned properly. The health dept should be called in to check them and let them determine the status.
i agree with you about the mikvaos but it said “yong children” i dont think a mikva has anything to do with this.
G-D forbid, I am not questioning Halacha but there should be a way to wash hands with soap, dry them with not reused towels and then deal with Netilas yadayim.
anonymous Says:
i agree with you about the mikvaos but it said “yong children” i dont think a mikva has anything to do with this.
06-23-2008 – 9:10 PM
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Firstly in the chassidishe and very litvish world little kids do yes go to the mikva. Secondly if an adult get shigelah from the mikva , they can then transmit it to thier little children at home etc., and before you know it the whole school has it. Its as contagious as lice .
The reason why it is common among young children , particularly in yeshivoa, is that the washrooms tend to be located near both bathrooms and lunchrooms. The same child who uses a washing cup to make hamotzei has no way of knowing that it was just used by an infected child who used it after leaving the bathroom but did not wash their hands.
there are several NON-ALCOHOL rinse free hand sanitizing products that are appropriate when washing with soap and water is not readily convenient. One product is called Soapopular–and efficacy tested for a variety of pathogens, including Shigella sonnei (as well as MRSA, Staph, Salmonella etc). In addition to being alcohol free and rinse free, its also fragrance free and dye free…a number of supermarkets within the Monsey area carry this (A&P, Grand Union, Pathmark)–also available online at http://www.SoapyUSA.com …the company provides 20% discounts to schools and religious organizations…when purchasing online, simply enter Schools20off in the very last step of the shopping cart process
Any institution with a large trunover using bathrooms need constant bathroom cleaning. As an educator who frequents many schools, the best i have seen is in one of the Syrian schools where there is a person whose job is cleaning bathrooms. She starts in the basement and works her way up and then down again. This is done minimally 3-4 daily. In preschools especially supervision is a must. Teacher should not be shmoozing near the bathrooms, they must look to see and help children wash hands properly.
Soap should be readily available.
The same should be with the caterers hiring a lot of street help. At a recent simcha which was held in our shul, the help was seen coming in off the street, not putting on gloves and his hands went straight to making egg and liver balls to look like a duck. It looked nice but i was disgusted. Hence we try not to eat out of house.
Dear Dr. Stu,
Thanks for the info regarding non-alcohol cleasners, but quite frankly I don’t see the problem with using alcohol based unless they are infants. Everyone I know in the medical field uses it including myself. I feel it way more important to use something like alcohol based (Purell) which is much more readily available than to wait to get a hold of the non-alcohol products.
anon 8:14pm
Regarding the Mikvahs in the community-
“the health department should be called in to check them and let them determine”
Please,
One has no right to call the health department to check.
You have the right and freedom not to use a mikvah you do not approve of, but to call the health department to check on another persons property is definitly Assur.