Leprosy outbreak causes concerns in Northwest Arkansas

kfsm.com ^ | Feb 7, 2008 | Mary Marsh

[Originalist]

SPRINGDALE - The medical community is warning the public: a leprosy outbreak in Springdale could blossom into an epidemic, if something isn't done soon.

Doctors say at least nine cases of leprosy have been confirmed in Springdale. Local doctors say they would be shocked by even one case of leprosy in their entire career...

[null and void]

Sooooooooo, do these lepers work in the meat packing industry? Or is that strictly an illegal alien province in Arkansas?

[Abigail Adams]

This is “breaking news,” but the sugar plant explosion, and the tornado outbreak, aren’t???

[green iguana]

And how is John McCain responsible for legal immigration from the Marshall Islands?

[Sax]

Q: What did the leper say to the hooker?

A: Keep the tip.

[null and void]

Neither was an earthquake that I reported while the ground was still shaking.

Haven’t a clue what algorithm the Mod Squad uses to determine what is “breaking”.

Explosions, earthquakes and tornadoes all break things, after all...

[onja]

Just in time for the man from Hope to show us all that he is the Savior and one true heir to the great one, Ronald Reagen. </s>

Anyways, best of luck to the victims, really freaky to have that stuff still here in the US.

[Dumpster Baby]

It's the long predicted Zombie Uprising!

[null and void]

Anyways, best of luck to the victims, really freaky to have that stuff still here in the US.

It's endemic to the armadillos. No shortage of native armadillos in AR...

[bmwcyle]

Huck might want to give the illegals bringing in this outbreak better rates in college. All you good bible belt area Huck voters might ask Huck to got lay his hands on the stricken.

[najida]

Thanks for bringing that up....
Our ‘little’ event is dominating the news, radio, emails, all the hospitals and will effect our economy here.

Hrmpt.

[Mogger]

I would prefer the immigration to be conducted as it was 100 years ago. All immigrants are checked out by a doctor at the border or dock and the doctor decides if they go further or go into quarantine.

I still have the medical exam card for my grandmother who came to the USA from England around 1900 at age one.

It was around a 12 day trip on a steamship.

Her card had to be signed off by the ships' doctor EVERY day saying she showed no sign of any illness.

Should she have shown signs of illness, it would have been back to England.

[Originalist]

Sorry, but it’s legal immigration:

That's even worse. That shows we are doing a really poor job of screening immigrants who use the system legally...

[Abigail Adams]

I didn’t mean to downplay this news. I just meant that the other news items should also be in breaking news, and it mystifies me as to why they aren’t.

[najida]

I agree, this is news too...
but when you have an industrial accident what basically destroys a 90 year old business, kills and injures as many as this did, plus will effect a city’s economy for years....

Geez, what is important?

[Abigail Adams]

Oh, you know I thought you were referring to the leprosy news. ;-) Yes, the sugar plant news, and the tornado news, are huge events that are affecting many!

[fella]

There has been a fair sized community of Marshall Islanders in Springdale for a long time. They have been a health problem all this time. When they are diagnosed with something like this or even worse they usually refuse to take any medication unless paid for each dose and the health department has to watch them take the dose or they otherwise won’t do it. Very few of them will work as they have learned the welfare game very well. They are citizens because the Marshall Islands are under a U.S. mandate.

[AuntB]

“Sorry, but it’s legal immigration:”

That system is as corrupt and unworkable as illegal immigration. USCIS allowed hundreds of thousands of visa applicants to be approved with no vetting. And it just gets worse. Over 4 million ‘temp workers’ have overstayed their visas and wandering around ‘somewhere’. Some were found with current green cards growing dope in our national forests who belonged to well known Mexican crime families.

There is no vetting going on.

[E. Cartman]

Don’t forget to add in increases in polio, TB, and whooping cough too.

And don't forget cysticercosis, infection with pork tapeworm larvae. Call me paranoid, but I really don't want some illegal alien who saw toilet paper for the first time last week and still hasn't quite mastered its use making my salad or hamburger.

[Originalist]

I’ve worked in NWRegional SICU in Springdale, so I am very familiar with the Marshallese in the area. I had forgotten that they were legal immigrants. But you are dead on.

[snoringbear]

“That system is as corrupt and unworkable as illegal immigration.”

Yep, for sure. Hopefully, McCain has by now become a believer in building a fence and shutting down illegal immigration should he become POTUS. Anyway, she can hope. Btw and just fyi, there has been leprosy in Louisiana since the slave days and although the numbers of infected are now small, it has never been completely stamped out. Also, a little known factoid; armadillos have been known to be carriers of leprosy. So, if you ever happen to be in Louisiana or Arkansas and spot an armadillo crossing your path, suggest you not pick up and snuggle with one of these critters.