Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungal pathogen first reported in the United States in 2016, resulted in over 33,000 confirmed cases over an eight-year period and a reported mortality rate of 30 to 50%, thus presenting the horrors of drug-resistant bacteria and inevitably facilitating major changes within the standard of hospital care and infection control across major U.S. cities.
Continue reading “Natali Petrosyan’s Case Study on C. auris Outbreak in the United States”Lawrence Mfutso’s Case Study on Cyclone Freddy
In March 2023, Tropical Cyclone Freddy struck Malawi and areas across the South Indian Ocean. Over 676 people died and over 659,000 people were displaced, ultimately worsening an ongoing cholera outbreak in the area.
Mfutso establishes the epidemiological context in Malawi leading up to Cyclone Freddy, emphasizing how the lack of early warning systems and lackluster data collection resulted in increased mortality rates across the area.
Lori Preldakaj’s Case Study on the Itaewon Halloween Crowd Crush
On October 29, 2022, during Halloween festivities, a deadly crowd crush
occurred in the Itaewon district of Seoul, South Korea. The incident resulted in 159
deaths and nearly 200 injuries, making it one of the deadliest peacetime disasters in
South Korea’s history.
Emma Zeiger’s Case Study on the Ukraine Conflict
In September 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to utilize nuclear weapons during the ongoing war against Ukraine. NATO, the United Nations, and the United States immediately condemned the threats from the Russian government, with tensions still high as the conflict continues.
Zeiger emphasizes the need to immediately create strategies that maximize a public health response in the event of a nuclear disaster. While no military action was taken as a result of the nuclear weapon-based threats, the author notes the communication efforts taken by several media outlets and government organizations to reduce public anxiety.
Karen Martirosyan’s Case Study on the Spitak Earthquake
In December 1988, the city of Spitak in Northern Armenia was hit by a powerful earthquake, killing 25,000 people and injuring over 140,000. The tremor, registered as a 9.0 on the Richter scale, lasted for about 20 to 30 seconds with damage costing up to $43 billion in today’s valuation.
Martirosyan reports on the long-term psychological impact of the earthquake, predominantly presenting as depressive symptoms and trauma. The author comments on global efforts for recovery, amounting up to $5 million in aid, as well as improvements made to previously weak infrastructure across the city.
Benjamin Tamarin’s Case Study on the Brooklyn Subway Shooting
In April 2022, Frank James set off two smoke grenades and fired 33 shots at bystanders on an N Train subway car. The attack resulted in over 20 injuries as a result of smoke inhalation, falls, and gunshot wounds.
Continue reading “Benjamin Tamarin’s Case Study on the Brooklyn Subway Shooting”Jisbelle Liberato’s Case Study on the Oklahoma City Bombing
On April 19, 1995, former Army soldier Timothy McVeigh and his accomplice Terry Nichols bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people and injuring 684. The bombing is considered one of the deadliest in American history.
Continue reading “Jisbelle Liberato’s Case Study on the Oklahoma City Bombing”