Local
Minnesota-Based Hormel Issues Spam Recall
Hormel Food Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is recalling approximately 228,614 pounds of Spam as canned pork and chicken because of possible contamination with pieces of metal.
The recalled Spam products were produced between February 8-10 and have establishment number “EST. 199N” on the bottom of the can. The specific Spam items involved in the recall include:
- 12-oz. metal cans containing “SPAM Classic” with a “Best By” February 2021 date and production codes: F020881, F020882, F020883, F020884, F020885, F020886, F020887, F020888 and F020889
- 12-oz. metal cans containing “Hormel Foods Black-Label Luncheon Loaf” with a “Best By” February 2021 date and production codes F02098 and F02108.
There have been reports of minor oral injuries associated with the consumption of the recalled products. Anyone with an injury is advised to contact a healthcare provide and seek medical attention. Consumers with questions about the recall are advised to contact Consumer Response at Hormel Foods at 800-523-4635.
United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service
National
Death Toll in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria 73x Higher than Official Tally
According to a survey conducted by Harvard University, the death toll in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria due to direct or indirect causes between September 20 and December 31, 2017 is estimated to be 4,645, which is 73x higher than the official tally. These calculations carry a 95% margin of error and the actual death toll could range between 793 and 8,498 as a result.
The survey also found that, on average, residents of Puerto Rico went 68 days without water, 84 days without electricity, and 41 days without cell phone service, and 14% of respondents could not receive medications at some point during recovery.
The researchers from Harvard say that their estimate may even be too low and the estimated numbers “underscore the inattention of the U.S. government to the frail infrastructure of Puerto Rico.”
Unfortunately, Puerto Rico has yet to fully recover from Hurricane Maria even as the start of the 2018 hurricane season begins as of June 1st.
International
Communities Resist Ebola Response in Congo
As Ebola continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 12 people have been reported dead and 52 more people have been reported ill from Ebola.
Mistrust from local communities is beginning to hamper Ebola control efforts. Some local residents are accusing healthcare staff of bringing the disease into the area while other communities have blocked Ebola testing efforts. There is also a report of two patients leaving an Ebola isolation unit in the densely-populated area of Mbandaka. One of the two patients left the unit to pray with 19 other people in a church a day prior to her death.
An information campaign is under way, but it may be insufficient as religious and traditional leaders still need to be more involved with the campaign’s messaging efforts.
Questions, comments, feedback about today's Weekly Update? Please email Dr. Jonathan Chapman.
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Jonathan Chapman
Jonathan was a VPHPM resident from 2016-2018. He is a licensed veterinarian with a career focus on veterinary public health, epidemiology, zoonotic disease, and One Health. He has been involved in a broad range of activities ranging from small animal general practice and emergency medicine to disease surveillance and outbreak investigation. Jonathan hopes to continue to promote medicine, public health, education, and local and international community collaboration around the world. Jonathan is originally from Chicago, Illinois and he has spent time living in St. Kitts, West Indies and San Juan, Puerto Rico. He has 2 Golden Retrievers named Bauer and Nikki and 3 cats named Sienna, Simon, and Conchita.