Fourth Person Dies of A/H1N1 in Polk

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.theledger.com/article/200...ne-Flu-in-Polk

Fourth Person Dies of Swine Flu in Polk

THE LEDGER

Published: Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 3:12 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 3:12 p.m.

BARTOW | A fourth person has died in Polk County from the HIN1 swine flu, the Polk County Health Department has announced.

The victim is described only has a 56-year-old woman who had underlying medical conditions. The Health Department said in a press release confirmation of swine flu was received today. Health Department policy is not to identify a swine flu victim by name, hometown, what day the death occurred or give the nature of the underlying health condition.

However, the Health Department said in a press release that the woman had no direct connections to previous deaths, and that she did not live in the same area of the county as previously reported cases.

In September, a 46-year-old woman died from the flu in September. The first Polk victim was identified as 31-year-old Michael Lester, who had worked at McLaughlin Middle School in Lake Wales. His death was reported July 16. A second man, a 34-year-old with an underlying medical condition, died Aug. 26.

[kiwibird]

Re: Fourth Person Dies of A/H1N1 in Polk

Violations

Date Violation Contaminant
2003-12-01 Failure to monitor, Routine Major (Coliform bacteria)

Lake Wales Water supplier

In the Matter of: DOCKET NO. 080121-WS
APPLICATION FOR INCREASE FILED: July 25, 2008
IN WATER AND WASTEWATER
RATES IN ALACHUA, BREVARD,
DESOTO, HIGHLANDS, LAKE, LEE,
MARION, ORANGE, PALM BEACH,
PASCO, POLK, PUTNAM, SEMINOLE,
SUMTER, VOLUSIA AND
WASHINGTON COUNTIES BY
AQUA UTILITIES FLORIDA, INC.
_______________________________/
BILL McCOLLUM, Attorney General, State of Florida, pursuant to Rule 25-22.039,
Florida Administrative Code, petitions the Florida Public Service Commission to enter an order
granting leave to the Attorney General to intervene in this Docket and states:
1. Article IV, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution provides that the Attorney General is
the chief state legal officer. The courts have long recognized that the Attorney General, as chief
state legal officer, is authorized to intervene in all actions affecting the citizens of Florida....[snip]


3. This language recognizes the authority of the Attorney General to intervene in actions such as the instant one. Testimony at several recent public hearings revealed that Aqua requested a revenue increase of 92%, with specific rate increases varying system by system, Depending on the system, the rate increase could be as high as 355% for water and 320% for wastewater service with bills which would exceed $1000 per month for some customers.
However, the testimony which was most concerning involved health issues. The health concerns ranged from a number of miscarriages to birth defects to several incidents of renal failure to thyroid problems to skin diseases to gastrointestinal ailments. Some of these medical conditions seemed to improve when the individuals quit drinking tap water and started using bottled water.
Several parents testified that their children=s pediatricians had warned them not to let their children drink or even bathe in the water. Many customers testified that they cannot afford to buy bottled water to use for drinking, cooking and bathing and that they live in fear that they are poisoning their families by letting them bathe in or drink the water. There also was testimony that these health concerns have been so severe for some families that they have abandoned their homes with little hope of ever selling them or being able to return. Numerous persons also testified about losing family pets which died of excessive liver toxins and cancer. The health ofmany animals improved, however, when the owner started giving them bottled water to drink.
Several owners testified that their pets refused to drink the tap water and they would only let them drink bottled water. Other customers testified that their veterinarian had warned them not to give the tap water to their animals.
4. Such severe safety and excessive cost issues are of interest to the public and require intervention by the Attorney General.

http://www.psc.state.fl.us/library/filings/08/06487-08/aqua%202%20intervention.pdf