Officials in New Orleans released new information on the latest testing results from tne New Orleans floodwaters on Wednesday, and there were few surprises.
According to Mike McDaniel of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, what they're seeing is what they expected. "We see elevated levels of bacterial contaminants, some hydrocarbon, and most everything else we're seeing - whether it's pesticide or metals - aren't giving us chief concern," he said.
Still, according to Dr. Sue Bailey, former assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, there are still many hazards present for those who remain in and around those waters.
Bailey, joined MSNBC's Monica Crowley on 'Connected Coast-to-Coast' on Wednesday to discuss what is most concerning health officials in New Orleans at this point.
"The bacteria levels - which is not a surprise -- are very high, and the bacteria - the shigella, the e-coli, cause dysentery, which is such a problem for people who are forced to be in this water or near this water and can't really engage in proper sanitation," she said.
While bacteria will likely continue to be problematic, Bailey said the number of dead bodies in the area is actually not as big of a concern.
"I know the public is very aware of those bodies and very concerned about it, but generally speaking, those bodies themselves are not an inherent risk to the general public," she said. "You would think they would be, but in fact, that is not the case, unless the body is already infected with something like HIV or Hepatitis, and that would only be a risk for people who are working with the body. ... For the general public, it's not as big of a concern as one would think."
Bailey added that mold, which will continue to spread in the hot, humid climate as the water is pumped out, will likely also become a big issue.
"Molds can be a real problem. They're not as high a concern as some of these other things we've discussed like dysentery and eventually other things that may be mosquito-borne," she said. "But we are concerned about the mold, and in fact, you can have rashes from the mold, you can develop asthmatic-type conditions, you can in fact, develop allergies. Most people are not aware that if they are exposed to mold, that they could in fact, develop an allergy to the mold."
To watch the entire interview between Connected host Monica Crowley and Dr. Sue Bailey, click on the "Launch" button above and to the right.
