Quick Take
County Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez said that there are “definitely” more than four shigellosis cases at this time, but that the risk to the public remains fairly low. Santa Cruz Cookout organizers are working on a new venue and date for the event, and they expect to have more information this week.
Santa Cruz public health officials say the county is experiencing an outbreak of shigellosis, a highly contagious bacterial infection, among its unhoused population.
Between late January and Feb. 8, Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency identified four cases in unhoused individuals, but County Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez expects that there are “definitely more than four” cases at this time.
The outbreak is believed to have originated from the Friendship Garden encampment in the Harvey West Park area, which expanded in late 2020.
Shigellosis is a diarrheal illness caused by the Shigella bacteria. The strain causing the current outbreak, Shigella sonnei, is easily transmissible and infected people can shed the bacteria for up to four weeks after the illness. The usual symptoms last five to seven days, and include watery or bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and general malaise. While the majority of cases are not deadly, some infections can be severe enough to require hospitalization, especially in young children, the elderly and the immunocompromised.
Most infections are transmitted person to person via a fecal-oral route — typically due to poor handwashing, food preparation or contaminated water — but sexual transmission is also possible.
The outbreak at Harvey West Park caused Santa Cruz Cookout organizers to postpone the event, which was supposed to be held on Saturday.
Cookout head organizer Ayo Banjo said in a news release that the event will likely be pushed to the end of March and could be held at San Lorenzo Park, and that the organizers will have more information later this week.
“Our goal is to ensure everyone is equipped with the knowledge to protect themselves and others, particularly aiming to support our houseless neighbors who are disproportionately affected,” wrote Banjo.
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Hernandez said that, despite the infectious nature of the illness, the risk to the public remains low. Public health officials have been working to bring awareness to local health care providers so they can recognize the outbreak and diagnose potential cases faster. Hernandez said that the City of Santa Cruz has added extra portapotties and hand-washing stations at Harvey West Park to slow the spread.
Santa Cruz County records shigellosis cases every so often. According to public health records, there were at least four cases across January and February 2022, 21 cases in the first eight months of 2019, and 10 cases between 2016 and 2018.
Hernandez said the general public should continue practicing good hand-washing hygiene, not handle food when sick and seek treatment if shigellosis symptoms arise, as antibiotics are required for treatment.
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