October 11, 2024- The long term health impact of Hurricane Milton on Florida, and the lingering effects of Hurricane Helene two weeks ago, will likely be devastating to national health and the healthcare industry overall, according to ABC News. A recent study published in Nature, in 2024, titled “Mortality caused by tropical cyclones in the United States,” suggests that catastrophic storms lead to thousands of extra deaths after the storm has passed, resulting in widespread and long-lasting public health impacts. The reason for these extra deaths may include infectious disease from contamination and also exacerbated effects on individual’s chronic health due to the traumatic experiences of a tropical storm– including heart disease and mental stress. Elevated rates of mortality are reported to extend far beyond the immediate impact of storms, persisting for up to 15 years, according to the study and ABC News.
After Hurricane Milton, the water surged as high six feet in some areas of Florida. The risk of waterborne diseases can increase as much as 50% after such surges, which in turn can trigger respiratory illnesses due to mold, allergens and contaminated water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other studies have shown that tropical cyclones can increase hospitalizations by up to 10% for older adults, primarily for respiratory and infectious diseases, according to ABC News.