Tracking Deaths Related to Hurricane Ike, Texas, 2008

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
David F. Zane ◽  
Tesfaye M. Bayleyegn ◽  
John Hellsten ◽  
Ryan Beal ◽  
Crystal Beasley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ◽  
The State ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Hurricane Ike ◽  
Medical Examiners ◽  
Operation Center ◽  
Mortality Surveillance

ABSTRACTBackground: On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike, a category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, made landfall near Galveston, Texas. Ike produced a damaging, destructive, and deadly storm surge across the upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts. Thirty-four Texas counties were declared disaster areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; 15 counties were under mandatory evacuation orders. To describe causes of death associated with this hurricane and identify prevention strategies during the response and recovery phases, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) monitored mortality data in 44 counties throughout the state. This report summarizes Ike-related deaths reported by Texas medical examiners, justices of the peace (coroners), forensic centers, public health officials, and hospitals.Methods: Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disaster-related mortality surveillance form, DSHS developed a state-specific 1-page form and collected (optimally daily) data on demographic, date and place of death, and cause and circumstance of deaths. A case was defined as any death that was directly or indirectly related to Ike among evacuees, residents, nonresidents, or rescue personnel in the declared disaster counties, counties along the Texas Gulf coast or counties known to have evacuation shelters occurring September 8, 2008, through October 13, 2008. Analyzed data were shared with the state emergency operation center and the CDC on a daily basis.Results: The surveillance identified 74 deaths in Texas as directly (10 [14%]), indirectly (49 [66%]), or possibly (15 [20%]) related to Ike. The majority of deaths (n = 57) were reported by medical examiners. Deaths occurred in 16 counties of the 44 counties covered by the surveillance. The majority of deaths occurred in Harris and Galveston (28 [38%] and 17 [23%]), respectively. The deceased ranged in age from younger than 1 year to 85 years, with an average age of 46 years (median 50 years); 70% were male. Of the 74 deaths, 47 (64%) resulted from injuries, 23 (31%) from illnesses, and 4 (5%) were undetermined. Among the injuries, carbon monoxide poisoning (13 [18%]) and drowning (8 [11%]) were the leading causes of injury-related deaths. Cardiovascular failure (12 [16%]) was the leading cause of illness-related deaths.Conclusions: Defining the relation of death to hurricane using an active mortality surveillance system is possible. The active mortality surveillance form used in Ike provided valuable daily information to DSHS, state emergency management officials, and the CDC regarding the characteristics of deaths in the state. Most of the Ike-related deaths were caused by injury (direct and indirectly related) such as carbon monoxide poisonings and drowning and may have been preventable by educating the public.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2011;5:23-28)

scholarly journals Evaluation of Active Mortality Surveillance System Data for Monitoring Hurricane-Related Deaths—Texas, 2008

2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 392-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekta Choudhary ◽  
David F. Zane ◽  
Crystal Beasley ◽  
Russell Jones ◽  
Araceli Rey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surveillance System ◽  
Vital Statistics ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
System Evaluation ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Hurricane Ike ◽  
Case Definitions ◽  
System Data ◽  
Mortality Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance System Evaluation

AbstractIntroductionThe Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) implemented an active mortality surveillance system to enumerate and characterize hurricane-related deaths during Hurricane Ike in 2008. This surveillance system used established guidelines and case definitions to categorize deaths as directly, indirectly, and possibly related to Hurricane Ike.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate Texas DSHS' active mortality surveillance system using US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) surveillance system evaluation guidelines.MethodsUsing CDC's Updated Guidelines for Surveillance System Evaluation, the active mortality surveillance system of the Texas DSHS was evaluated. Data from the active mortality surveillance system were compared with Texas vital statistics data for the same time period to estimate the completeness of reported disaster-related deaths.ResultsFrom September 8 through October 13, 2008, medical examiners (MEs) and Justices of the Peace (JPs) in 44 affected counties reported deaths daily by using a one-page, standardized mortality form. The active mortality surveillance system identified 74 hurricane-related deaths, whereas a review of vital statistics data revealed only four deaths that were hurricane-related. The average time of reporting a death by active mortality surveillance and vital statistics was 14 days and 16 days, respectively.ConclusionsTexas's active mortality surveillance system successfully identified hurricane-related deaths. Evaluation of the active mortality surveillance system suggested that it is necessary to collect detailed and representative mortality data during a hurricane because vital statistics do not capture sufficient information to identify whether deaths are hurricane-related. The results from this evaluation will help improve active mortality surveillance during hurricanes which, in turn, will enhance preparedness and response plans and identify public health interventions to reduce future hurricane-related mortality rates.Choudhary E, Zane DF, Beasley C, Jones R, Rey A, Noe RS, Martin C, Wolkin AF, Bayleyegn TM. Evaluation of active mortality surveillance system data for monitoring hurricane-related deaths, Texas, 2008. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(4):1-6.

Impact of Hurricane Ike on Texas Poison Center Calls

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 151-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias B. Forrester
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
September 11 ◽  
Poison Center ◽  
Hurricane Ike ◽  
Disaster Area ◽  
Time Period ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Time Periods ◽  
Call Volume

ABSTRACTOn September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall in Texas, resulting in the mandatory evacuation of 8 counties before landfall and the declaration of disaster areas in 29 counties afterward. This study evaluated whether Hurricane Ike affected the pattern of Texas poison center calls. Texas poison center calls received from the disaster area counties were identified for 3 time periods: August 12 to September 10, 2008 (preevacuation), September 11 to 13, 2008 (evacuation and hurricane landfall), and September 14 to 30, 2008 (postevacuation). For selected types of calls, the mean daily call volume during time periods 2 and 3 was compared with a baseline range (BR) derived from the mean daily call volume during time period 1. During the evacuation and landfall period, gasoline exposure calls were higher than expected (mean 3, BR −1 to 2). During the postevacuation period, higher than expected numbers of calls were observed for gasoline exposures (mean 5, BR −1 to 2) and carbon monoxide exposures (mean 3, BR –1–1). During an evacuation, certain calls such as those involving gasoline exposures may increase. After a hurricane, calls such as those involving carbon monoxide and gasoline exposures may increase. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2009;3:151–157)

scholarly journals Severe carbon monoxide poisoning from waterpipe smoking: a public health concern

2015 ◽  
Vol 202 (8) ◽  
pp. 446-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis W Wang ◽  
Emily YJ He ◽  
Debasish Ghosh ◽  
Richard O Day ◽  
Graham RD Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Waterpipe Smoking ◽  
Public Health Concern

Dying to Play Video Games: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning From Electrical Generators Used After Hurricane Ike

PEDIATRICS ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 123 (6) ◽  
pp. e1035-e1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. Fife ◽  
L. A. Smith ◽  
E. A. Maus ◽  
J. J. McCarthy ◽  
M. Z. Koehler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ◽  
Hurricane Ike

Carbon monoxide poisoning — a public health perspective

Toxicology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 145 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
James A. Raub ◽  
Monique Mathieu-Nolf ◽  
Neil B. Hampson ◽  
Stephen R. Thom
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ◽  
Public Health Perspective

scholarly journals Evaluation of County-Level Heterogeneity in Excess Mortality in Colorado from March to September 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay Chandra ◽  
Marie Charpignon ◽  
Mathew C Samuel ◽  
Anushka Bhaskar ◽  
Saketh Sundar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Ethnic Disparities ◽  
The United States ◽  
The State ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
County Level ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Excess Deaths

Importance: Tracking the direct and indirect impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on all-cause mortality in the United States has been hindered by the lack of testing and by reporting delays. Evaluating excess mortality, or the number of deaths above what is expected in a given time period, provides critical insights into the true burden of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Stratifying mortality data by demographics such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, and geography helps quantify how subgroups of the population have been differentially affected. Similarly, stratifying mortality data by cause of death reveals the public health effects of the pandemic in terms of other acute and chronic diseases. Objective: To provide stratified estimates of excess mortality in Colorado from March to September 2020. Design, Setting, and Population: This study evaluated the number of excess deaths both directly due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and from all other causes between March and September 2020 at the county level in Colorado. Data were obtained from the Vital Statistics Program at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. These estimates of excess mortality were derived by comparing population- adjusted mortality rates in 2020 with rates in the same months from 2015 to 2019. Results: We found evidence of excess mortality in Colorado between March and September 2020. Two peaks in excess deaths from all causes were recorded in the state, one mid-April and the other at the end of June. Since the first documented SARS-CoV-2 infection on March 5th, we estimated that the excess mortality rate in Colorado was two times higher than the officially reported COVID-19 mortality rate. State-level cumulative excess mortality from all causes reached 71 excess deaths per 100k residents (~4000 excess deaths in the state); in contrast, 35 deaths per 100k directly due to SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the same period (~1980 deaths. Excess mortality occurred in 52 of 64 counties, accounting for 99% of the state's population. Most excess deaths recorded from March to September 2020 were associated with acute events (estimated at 44 excess deaths per 100k residents and at 9 after excluding deaths directly due to SARS-CoV-2) rather than with chronic conditions (~21 excess deaths per 100k). Among Coloradans aged 14-44, 1.4 times more deaths occurred in those months than during the same period in the five previous years. Hispanic White males died of COVID-19 at the highest rate during this time (~90 deaths from COVID-19 per 100k residents); however, Non-Hispanic Black/African American males were the most affected in terms of overall excess mortality (~204 excess deaths per 100k). Beyond inequalities in COVID-19 mortality per se, these findings signal considerable regional and racial-ethnic disparities in excess all-cause mortality that need to be addressed for a just recovery and in future public health crises.

Mass Casualty Triage in the Case of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Lessons Learned

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-378
Author(s):  
Mathieu Pasquier ◽  
Fabrice Dami ◽  
Pierre-Nicolas Carron ◽  
Bertrand Yersin ◽  
Rodrigue Pignel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Major Incident ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Co Poisoning ◽  
Triage Algorithm

ABSTRACTCarbon monoxide (CO) can cause mass intoxication, but no standard triage algorithm specifically addresses CO poisoning. The roles of some recent diagnostic tools in triage as well as treatment with hyperbaric oxygen are controversial. We describe a mass casualty case of CO poisoning involving 77 patients, with a focus on the triage and treatment options decided on-site. The reasons for choosing these options are reviewed, and the pitfalls that occurred and the lessons learned from this major incident are described. We discuss the potential to improve the management of such an event and strategies to accomplish this, including simplifying triage and administering oxygen to all exposed persons for 6 h. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018; 12: 373–378)

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