Multiple officers at the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) may have contracted MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria that can cause a highly contagious infection.
“The health, safety, and well-being of our Los Angeles Police Department officers is critical and we are ensuring the officers exposed to this disease are cared for,” LAPD said in a statement.
“First responders throughout the region and especially here in Los Angeles are constantly responding to incidents that put them at risk of potential exposure to various diseases, and that’s why the Department takes this incident very seriously,” they added.
Symptoms of an MSRA infection depend on the part of the body. Those who contracted an MRSA skin infection could see swelling, warmth, redness, and pain in infected skin. The infection could become severe and cause sepsis—a potentially life-threatening body response to an infection.
The CDC has offered a number of tips to prevent contract an MRSA infection as well as the spread of the disease.
- Maintain good hand and body hygiene. Clean hands often, and clean your body regularly, especially after exercise.
- Keep cuts, scrapes, and wounds clean and covered until healed.
- Avoid sharing personal items such as towels and razors.
- Get care early if you think you might have an infection.
- Cover your wounds with clean, dry bandages until healed.
Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions about proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain MRSA.
- Do not pick at or pop the sore.
- Throw away bandages and tape with the regular trash.
- Clean your hands often.
- after changing a bandage
- after touching an infected wound
- after touching dirty clothes
- Do not share personal items such as towels, washcloths, razors, and clothing, including uniforms.
- Wash laundry before use by others and clean your hands after touching dirty clothes.