Plan for Hazards - Diseases & Biological Events - NYCEM

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Hazard Mitigation

Building Collapses & Explosions

Carbon Monoxide

Coastal Storms & Hurricanes

Cybersecurity

Disease Outbreaks & Biological Emergencies

Earthquakes

Extreme Heat

Fire

Flooding

HazMats, Chemical Spills & Radiation

High Winds

Terrorism

Thunderstorms & Lightning

Tornadoes

Utility Disruptions

Winter Weather

Hazard Mitigation


Disease Outbreaks & Biological Emergencies

New York City may be affected by naturally occurring disease outbreaks. Additionally, biological agents, such as bacteria or viruses, or toxins derived from plants or animals, can cause injury or death.

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Know the Terms

A pandemic occurs over a wide geographic area and affects a large segment of the population. An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak that results from the emergence of a new influenza virus that can cause serious illness in humans and spreads easily from person to person.

A biological emergency involves the exposure to bacteria and viruses that can cause a serious illness. Usually, these biological agents must be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or eaten to make you sick.

Types of public health emergencies:

COVID-19, a strain of coronavirus, is a severe respiratory syndrome and infectious disease. Its symptoms include but are not limited to fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell. However, not all people have symptoms when they have COVID-19. Learn more about COVID-19.

Pandemic flu is caused by a virus that is "novel" (new) or different from flu viruses that circulated previously. Pandemics can cause serious illness in humans and spreads easily from person to person. Learn more about pandemics

Anthrax is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It is an infectious disease that most commonly occurs in wild and domestic livestock (such as cattle, sheep and goats), but infections can occur in humans as well. Learn more about anthrax

Smallpox is a virus that used to cause one of the most feared illnesses in history. Because the United States stopped widespread smallpox vaccinations in the 1970s, most people no longer carry immunity against the disease; any re-introduction of smallpox could result in a global pandemic. Learn more about smallpox

Burkholderia: Melioidosis and Glanders are infectious diseases caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei or Pseudomonas pseudomallei. These harmful bacteria are found in unsanitary water or moist soil. They are transmitted to animals and humans by ingestion or inhalation. Learn more about burkholderia

Plague is a potentially severe disease caused by a bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Learn more about plague

Botulism is a serious illness caused by an extremely powerful poison called botulinum toxin that paralyzes the muscles. The toxin is produced by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. Botulism develops if a person ingests the toxin or if the bacteria grow and release a toxin in a wound or in the intestines. Botulism cannot be spread from person to person. Learn more about botulism

Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (Ebola virus disease) is a severe, often fatal disease that affects humans and some animals (monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees). It is caused by the Ebola virus. Ebola spreads by direct contact through broken skin or mouth, eyes or nose. It does not spread through the air. The chances of the average New Yorker getting Ebola are extremely low; however, an Ebola outbreak in another part of the world could potentially affect New York City, given its international connectivity. Learn more about Ebola

What to Do Before a Public Health Emergency

Make an emergency plan.

Gather emergency supplies.

Make sure your immunizations and medical records are up to date.

Avoid contact with those who are sick.

Frequently wash hands with soap or an alcohol-based cleaner.

What to Do During a Public Health Emergency

Cover coughs and sneezes.

Stay home if experiencing cough or fever.

Avoid contact with those who are sick.

Frequently wash hands with soap or an alcohol-based cleaner.

Sign up for Notify NYC, the City of New York's official, free emergency communications program. Register for emergency notifications by getting the free Notify NYC mobile application, visiting NYC.gov/notifynyc, contacting 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115) or following @NotifyNYC on Twitter. (Notify NYC messages are available through many formats, including email, text messages, telephone, the Notify NYC website, RSS, Twitter, and American Sign Language videos.)

Tune in to local TV and radio for health officials' announcements.

What the City Does

New York City monitors and responds to disease outbreaks and biological events. The City's Department of Health & Mental Hygiene has a state-of-the-art, 24/7 system for monitoring disease patterns. The system involves routinely tracking emergency room visits, ambulance runs and pharmacy sales to provide an early warning signal of a possible outbreak. It is one of the first in the nation and is a model for the rest of the country.

In the event of a disease outbreak or biological event, the City responds to both contain and limit transmission as much as possible. Additionally, the City implements public health and safety strategies to protect New Yorkers. The City may decide to open Points of Dispensing sites (PODs) to quickly distribute medication and supplies to a large number of people in a short period of time in order to prevent illness.

The City uses several forms of outreach to alert the public in an emergency, including Notify NYC, the City of New York's official emergency communications program.

COVID-19 in New York City

You can find daily updates of information about people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in NYC and key public health milestones. To learn more, please visit the COVID-19: Data and the COVID-19: Public Health Milestones webpages.

All New Yorkers should get a COVID-19 diagnostic test, whether or not they have symptoms or have been tested before. There are many healthcare providers, pharmacies and government facilities, including mobile and pop-up testing sites, offering testing — often free — throughout the city. To find a testing site near you, please visit the COVID-19 Testing Locations webpage.

Vaccines are an important tool in preventing COVID-19. If you are eligible to receive the vaccine, use the NYC Vaccine Finder to search for a location near you.

More Resources

Information and FAQs on Various Biological Threats (NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene)

Information and FAQs on Pandemic Influenza (NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene)

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a complete list of potential agents/diseases and appropriate treatments.