Outbreak of highly contagious bug devastates homeless encampments as it spreads to third state

People living in encampments in San Jose, California are the latest group affected by a highly contagious bug called shigella. 

The bacteria, which is transmitted when someone comes in contact with fecal matter through sex, diapers, food or water, causes bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain that can last for weeks. 

Santa Clara County health officials have confirmed three cases and said another 19 were suspected during a two week period beginning June 3, including two people who have been hospitalized. 

‘We’re really pursuing this situation aggressively because of the number of cases as well as the setting and making sure that this doesn’t spread further’ Monika Roy, Assistant Health Officer at Santa Clara County Health department, told ABC 7. 

The breakouts are centered around homeless encampments in Columbus and Roosevelt parks in San Jose, but officials said the risk of the bacteria spreading from these areas to other people is low. 

One survey found there are approximately 6,340 homeless people living in San Jose. Though actual counts are likely much higher, the San Jose Spotlight reported.

But the problem has been plaguing similar areas in both Oregon and Pennsylvania, making California the third state to suffer an outbreak in the past year. 

Shigella outbreaks usually only occur in areas with little access to sinks, toilets and other hygiene stations, but if you’re regularly washing your hands and bathing, you’re much less likely to get infected. 

These encampments, however, don’t usually have places for people to wash their hands, bathe or cook. Oftentimes, they don’t even have clean water to drink. 

In December 2023, 45 cases of the bacteria were confirmed in Portland, Oregon. Bobby Artale, a homeless man who caught the bug, said, ‘it lasted two weeks. It was uncontrollable diarrhea. Oh, it was horrible.’

Prior to that, there were 68 confirmed cases between October and November 2023 in Philadelphia, which was more than double the historical rate for the city, Axios reported. 

If a person contracts shigella, they usually get better on their own, though sometimes antibiotics are prescribed in severe cases.

While the California county records some shigella cases each year, Dr Roy said the spread is typically contained when an effected individual is quarantined from others.

But it seems this most recent outbreak is affecting people who can’t afford the privacy that quarantining requires, causing the disease to spread more easily. 

‘What’s concerning about this outbreak isn’t the absolute number. We do regularly see Shigella cases,’ Dr Roy said. ‘What’s concerning more is the number that are related to each other.’

Because of this uptick, Dr Roy and other officials have announced their strategy is to first figure out how many people have caught the bacteria, so that they can contain it.

In addition, since the parks where both encampments are based are near bodies of water – Coyote Creek and the Guadalupe River – there is some concern about the bacteria getting into the water supply. 

The threat of this is low, and Dr Roy said public health officials’ efforts to provide clean drinking water and sanitation options should eliminate the likelihood that infected individuals would choose to defecate into the water supply.

The breakouts in both Pennsylvania and Oregon were eventually contained.