Florida has seen an increase in cases of flesh-eating bacteria this year driven largely by a surge in the county hit hardest by Hurricane Ian.
The state Department of Health reports that as of Friday there have been 65 cases of vibrio vulnificus infections and 11 deaths in Florida this year. That compares with 34 cases and 10 deaths reported during all of 2021.
In Lee County, where Ian stormed ashore last month, the health department reports 29 cases this year and four deaths. Health officials didn’t give a breakdown of how many of the cases were before or after Ian struck.
President Joe Biden will announce the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve Wednesday as part of a response to recent production cuts announced by OPEC+ nations, and he will say more drawdowns are possible this winter, as his administration rushes to be seen as pulling out all the stops ahead of next month’s midterm elections.
Biden will deliver remarks Wednesday to announce the drawdown from the strategic reserve, senior administration officials said Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to outline Biden’s plans. It completes the release of 180 million barrels authorized by Biden in March that was initially supposed to occur over six months. That has sent the strategic reserve to its lowest level since 1984 in what the administration called a “bridge” until domestic production could be increased. The reserve now contains roughly 400 million barrels of oil.
Republican challenger Scott Jensen launched sharp attacks against Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday night over his handling of the violent unrest that followed the police killing of George Floyd, expressing incredulity when the Democratic incumbent said he was proud of how his administration responded.
The two gubernatorial candidates also clashed over abortion, violent crime and a scandal involving $250 million stolen from a pandemic food-aid program. It was their only televised debate of the campaign. It was held at KTTC-TV in Rochester and also carried live by stations in Duluth, Fargo-Moorhead and Mankato, but it was available only by livestream in the Twin Cities. It was their first debate since FarmFest in southwestern Minnesota on Aug. 3. They’ll meet for their final scheduled debate Oct. 28 on Minnesota Public Radio.
Aviana Kasal can be reached kasa1341@stthomas.edu