By NewsDesk @bactiman63
San Diego County health officials reported three new shigella cases associated with an ongoing outbreak, bringing the total to 38 confirmed and three probable cases among people experiencing homelessness.
The 41 cases in this outbreak represent 11% of the 349 total cases reported to date in San Diego County.
In an effort to get the outbreak under control, the City of San Diego launched a new “sidewalk reset” pilot program. This will allow for a deeper cleaning of sidewalks to remove build up and make regular sanitization efforts more effective.
Regular sidewalk sanitization efforts consist of a quick spray application of a mist containing a mixture of water and bleach to kill bacteria. The Sidewalk Reset involves a deep power washing of the sidewalk and gutter, street sweeping and removal of the water — a process that can take up to two hours per block.
“Through evaluating the effectiveness of current efforts and creative thinking by our city and Clean Harbor crews, we’re taking cleanliness to the next level,” Mayor Todd Gloria said. “These sidewalk resets will prevent the spread of bacteria, beautify our neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for our residents and visitors.”
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The process is being implemented in several areas including Downtown, Beach Areas and South Bay.
Other steps the city/county are taking include: Promoting good hygienic precautions among homeless service providers and food providers, more handwashing stations and Homeless Outreach Teams offering shelter resources and distributing weekly 1,000 hygiene kits with shigella information to persons experiencing homelessness.
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