(Photo: Reuters / Sarah Conard)Hugh Hills salvages items from the upper level of his house which was destroyed in the May 22 tornado in Joplin May 31, 2011. The tornado that hit May 22 was rated an EF-5, or the strongest possible, and was rated the deadliest single twister in the United States since 1947.
(Photo: Reuters / Eric Thayer)People attend a ceremony marking a week since a tornado hit Joplin, Missouri May 29, 2011. A moment of silence was held at 5:41 pm local time, precisely one week since the deadly twister struck, killing at least 139 people and destroying parts of the town.
Opinions
Veteran: You Fought for Your Country, Now Set Yourself Free
Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have fallen in the service of ...
War
Christian War Veteran Talks NATO Protest, War, Faith and Peace
Jacob George, a Christian war veteran who served three tours of duty in ...
Column
Hypnosis and Yoga Open Hidden Spiritual Doors
Hypnosis and yoga are a couple of mystical practices which have basically gone ...
Pastors
Seven Keys to Preventing Pastoral Burnout
I have the incredible opportunity to interact with pastors regularly. In recent ...
A number of victims injured in the devastating Joplin tornado that hit Missouri in May have died after contracting a rare fungal infection, officials reported Friday.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at least eight are known to have been infected by the rare fungal infection, with at least three dying.
Jasper County Coroner Rob Chappel reported that one of the deaths was definitely caused by the fungal infection “mucormycosis.” However, the cause of the other two deaths has not yet been determined.
Chappel did explain that all three of those that have died so far also carried serious injuries from the tornado.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services told media that all eight patients had multiple injuries as well as secondary wound infections.
It is believed that the fungal infection is likely to have come about from dirt and vegetation becoming wedged in the victims’ wounds.
Like us on Facebook
The type of infection affecting the Joplin victims is a particularly severe form of the fungal infection, and has been known to affect those carrying soft-tissue injuries.
The dirt or vegetation would infect the open wound and then progressively spread causing damage to flesh and tissue. Often the condition would require hospitalization, and treatment with antibiotics, and can even lead to the tissue having to be removed in a surgical procedure.
According to CNN, CDC researcher Dr. Benjamin Park urged all those in the tornado area who are suffering wounds that are not healing to seek immediate medical attention.
People have also been told not to worry about the infection being contagious as deep fungal infections such as this do not spread from human to human.
The death toll from the Joplin tornado now stands at 151.
248
