MONDAY: DHH joins Federal Officials to Answer Questions about Naegleria Fowleri Ameba

Public can submit questions for the Department online at dhh.louisiana.gov/WaterFacts

BATON ROUGE, La. - Officials from the Department of Health and Hospitals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency will offer updates and answer questions at a town hall meeting about the discovery of the Naegleria fowleri ameba in the St. Bernard parish water system hosted by State Senator JP Morrell Monday evening.

State Senator JP Morrell invited the Department to participate in a Town Hall meeting on Monday evening. DHH worked to get federal officials to participate in the meeting to provide expert analysis to the public about the situation.

Assistant Secretary for Public Health JT Lane said, "Access to reliable data and information is critical for families to make decisions about how best to protect themselves. We have been engaged with and relied on our federal partners to assist with testing and guidance as we work together to keep people safe and healthy. Monday's meeting will be an opportunity to continue to educate the public and answer any detailed questions St. Bernard residents may have."

Senator Morrell said, "This is a great opportunity for residents to hear directly from state and federal officials the facts about the situation in St. Bernard Parish and what precautions they can take to keep their family safe. It's also the time to ask questions and learn what steps are being taken to remove the threat of the Naegleria Fowleri amoeba from the water system."

DHH is also accepting questions from the public for Monday night's meeting online at dhh.louisiana.gov/WaterFacts or via e-mail to DHHInfo@la.gov. While it is possible not every question will be addressed at the meeting because of time constraints, DHH will be compiling answers to common questions and posting them online.

DHH reminds the public that the water in St. Bernard parish, and across the state, continues to be safe to drink. The Naegleria fowleri ameba does not cause an infection if it is in water that a person drinks because the ameba is killed by normal levels of stomach acid. However, the ameba can cause an infection if it goes into a person's nose. Residents who live in St. Bernard Parish should take precautions to avoid getting water in their noses.

MEETING DETAILS:

WHAT: Town Hall Meeting about Naegleria fowleri in St. Bernard parish
WHEN: 6 p.m., Monday, September 23, 2013
WHERE:  St. Bernard Parish Council Chambers, 8201 W. Judge Perez Dr., Chalmette, La.

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