Staff Reports
As the clock ticks into the new year, Portland, Oregon grapples with a myriad of issues that paint a less-than-rosy picture. The city, known for its liberal stance, finds itself entangled in a web of challenges, notably battling a concerning outbreak linked to poor sanitation practices and intimate encounters. If predicting a "feces-borne illness epidemic" was on your list of calamities for this liberal hub, well, you've scored a rare hit.
Liberal Hellhole: Portland Battles Highly-Contagious Bacteria That's Spread Via Feces, Sexual Intercourse
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The Multnomah County Health Department is on high alert following a surge in shigella cases, a bacterial infection predominantly affecting the homeless communities concentrated in Portland's Old Town area. Reports from KGW-TV revealed instances of homeless individuals exhibiting similar symptoms, with people like Ricky describing bouts of high fever, fatigue, and vomiting. Another affected person, Jade Elliot, recounted experiences of frequent vomiting and diarrhea.
Michael Lynn Moreland Jr., discovering his shigella infection during a detox program, shared his revulsion, recalling an inability to keep food down and an unfortunate incident of soiling his clothes. His blunt disgust emphasized the lack of preparedness for such situations. Moreland Jr. underscored the virus's high contagion risk, even through seemingly innocuous activities like sharing cigarettes or vaporizer pens potentially contaminated with fecal matter.
Shigella, a grave bacterial infection, manifests in symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and an urgent need to pass stool. The CDC cautions that these symptoms can persist for days to weeks and might lead to rare but severe complications. Portland reported 45 cases of shigella in December 2023 alone, tallying up to 218 cases for the year. Determining precise numbers among the homeless remains challenging due to tracking and reporting difficulties.
Highlighting the vulnerability of same-sex male partners and homeless individuals, the Multnomah County Health Department flags the heightened risk of virus transmission. Teresa Everson, the deputy health officer, underscores the increased susceptibility among the unhoused community due to inadequate access to proper sanitation facilities. Everson clarifies that while most cases are linked to sexual activity and some to travel, there's no evidence of transmission to the general public.
The shigella outbreak in Portland echoes a deeper issue plaguing the city: its progressive stance. The amalgamation of progressivism and homelessness has birthed chaos, rising crime rates, and now, a bacterial epidemic. While the city proclaims concern for the homeless crisis, its policies inadvertently foster and sustain homelessness, impeding genuine solutions.
Rather than tackling quality-of-life issues head-on by combatting crime, substance abuse, and homeless settlements while advocating for affordable housing, Portland continues down the path of progressive ideals, funneling resources into climate initiatives at the expense of its citizens' welfare. Consequently, the city grapples with a shigella outbreak, raising concerns about the potential worsening of Portland's predicament if current trends persist.
