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Sandy victims plagued by health problems

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    Mold, raw sewage left behind by storm

  • Duration 3:26
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Even as the cleanup continues after the storm the victims now facing a whole new threat health officials.

-- eight people had been pouring into emergency rooms and release senators in the northeast to get treated for things like.

Rashes and asthma even lung infections and doctors think.

Maybe it's the mold it could be the raw sewage left behind after the storm as some of the hardest hit areas folks are.

Dealing with the storms invisible effects lead paint fragments.

Gasoline soaking into the streets and the sidewalks it -- gotten so bad.

That folks in New York city's hard hit rockaway section and even coined the term.

-- cough now health officials are saying that rebuilding efforts are kicking up even more dangerous dust.

-- of the year.

Joining me now is doctor Michael Anderson he is the chief medical officer for the university.

Hospitals of Cleveland.

Case medical series also a member of the national disaster.

Medical system.

Doctor Anderson thanks for being with us talk to us about these various toxins.

And how potent and dangerous they can be.

You know -- it's a very important question I think in health care we're so focused sometimes on preparedness.

Are -- ready for disaster response can we save lives we evacuate people.

If we need to this recovery phase is really very important because of what you point out there probably a lot toxins being kicked up.

Either from the flooding -- now from the recovery work that could be very very dangerous for patients so.

This recovery phase is equally important for public health officials to take very seriously.

-- near the as you point out can cause -- not too much to worry about.

But serious lung infections are serious long symptoms of something that public health officials and doctors are taking very seriously.

What about the mold I mean some of the stuff can be lethal.

Yet we in pediatrics have been taken now mold exposure seriously for a very long time.

The good news is and the thing I think people should find some comfort in.

It takes a very long exposure to mold to have any serious serious consequences so.

I think it's common sense advice Wear a mask while you're working around -- home that could potentially have mold.

Wear gloves if you're gonna handle things -- not really sure what they've been exposed to.

It I'm assuming to reach out to the positions of both from the disaster centers as well as good old family in medicine and internal medicine docs and -- to -- Take these respiratory symptoms seriously.

And tell -- -- if you're having symptoms to seek medical tent.

-- and you gotta check behind walls after a flood because seeking -- -- and you don't even see it.

Talk -- it's about folks with preexisting.

Conditions.

In pre existing diseases.

That may make him even more vulnerable.

-- -- some patients were very worried about this recovery phase patients -- underlying lung disease serious asthma something called CO PD or emphysema.

For those patients whose immune systems aren't under and on normal -- under are a lot of distress such as patients with cancer.

Or other immune deficiency so those patients.

-- set up to get very very sick evil with very small amounts of exposure so those families or those those patients should really seek medical attention.

If there having any sort of symptoms yet that's the bottom line go to your doctor immediately.

The first sign of any symptoms doctor Michael Anderson.

Chief medical officer university hospitals case medical center thanks so much for your advice.

My pleasure.

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