Cleaning after Hurricane Harvey may pose health hazards, City of Houston says

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Gideon Kim, 2, plus with a toy train while his father, Nathan, is sorting donated shoes as they volunteer at The Forge for Families, a Christian community organization that has been transformed into an Red Cross shelter, on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. The Kim family, including Gideon’s mother, Dr. Judy Kim, had been volunteer at The Forge since Tuesday. less

Photo: Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle

Jackson Phillips, 16, left, and Philip Matulia, 17, both varsity football players with St. Thomas High School, walk through water to work to clean up Wayne Marek’s home in the Forest Mills Estates subdivision, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Kingwood. Marek, 73, had put out a call for help via social media, and they arrived to help. less

Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle

Terri Lilley and Kim Red stacks up clothing in front of The Blue Monkey, 206 E Edgewood Dr, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Friendswood. The Blue Monkey is a non-profit organization resale gift shop. The store sells furniture, gifts, household items, appliances, $1 clothes, and the money raised goes to Builders without Borders of Texas. Everything in the store has to be thrown out and they will have find a way to restock. less

Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle

Karasaan Sedeta,6, plays basketball in his front yard as his brother, Robey and dad, Cheru Tucho remove soaked carpeting from their home on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Katy. “He’s a child, he’s doing what he’s suppose to do,” said his dad, Cheru Tucho. The family stayed in their home throughout Tropical Storm Harvey. less

Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle

Mike Thompson (center) removes items from The Blue Monkey, 206 E Edgewood Dr, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Friendswood. The Blue Monkey is a non-profit organization resale gift shop. The store sells furniture, gifts, household items, appliances, $1 clothes, and the money raised goes to Builders without Borders of Texas. Everything in the store has to be thrown out and they will have find a way to restock. less

Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle

Mike Thompson removes items from The Blue Monkey, 206 E Edgewood Dr, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Friendswood. The Blue Monkey is a non-profit organization resale gift shop. The store sells furniture, gifts, household items, appliances, $1 clothes, and the money raised goes to Builders without Borders of Texas. Everything in the store has to be thrown out and they will have find a way to restock. less

Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle

Susan Henney tosses wet carpet as she helps her neighbors clean up from flooding in the Lakewood Forest subdivision Wednesday, August 30, 2017 in Houston. Much of the Houston area was flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

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Susan Henney tosses wet carpet as she helps her neighbors clean up from flooding in the Lakewood Forest subdivision Wednesday, August 30, 2017 in Houston. Much of the Houston area was flooded in the aftermath

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Photo: Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle

JosŽ Alarco packs up his prescriptions while standing in a foot of water in his bedroom. Alarco’s family was going to pick him up, but couldn’t get down the streets on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. ( Elizabeth Conley / Houston Chronicle )

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JosŽ Alarco packs up his prescriptions while standing in a foot of water in his bedroom. Alarco’s family was going to pick him up, but couldn’t get down the streets on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. ( Elizabeth

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Photo: Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle

People 7-years-of-age and older with cuts or other wounds should get a tetanus shot and see a doctor if they were exposed to Hurricane Harvey’s floodwaters, city officials warned.

The officials said: residents should use special, N-95 rated dust masks when cleaning moldy homes that took on floodwaters.

Surfaces should be washed with soap and clean, warm water and sanitized with bleach.

Any standing water should be drained so disease-carrying mosquitoes cannot breed, the officials warned.

Article source: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Cleaning-after-Hurricane-Harvey-may-pose-health-12172349.php