Recent Outbreaks and Incidents - 2012

Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting (December 2012)
On December 14, 2012, a gunman fatally shot twenty children and six adult staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Learn more on tips for dealing with stress during traumatic events.

Hurricane Sandy (October 2012)
Hurricane Sandy was the 18th named storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. It was also referred to as Superstorm Sandy. Its track left a path of damage from the Caribbean to the Bahamas, Florida, North Carolina, the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. It then merged with the polar jet stream and an arriving cold front, slamming into southern New Jersey.

Multistate Meningitis Outbreak Investigation (October 2012)
CDC is coordinating a multistate investigation of meningitis among patients who received epidural steroid injections (medication injected into the spine). Several of these patients have had strokes related to the meningitis.

Hurricane Isaac (August 2012)
Hurricane Isaac, the ninth named storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. Isaac made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in Louisiana seven years after Hurricane Katrina. Learn how to stay safe during and after a storm.

Tropical Storm Isaac (August 2012)
Tropical Storm Isaac, the ninth named storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, threatens the Florida and the entire Gulf coast. Learn how to be prepared and make a plan.

West Nile Virus (August 2012)
43 states have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. A total of 693 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 26 deaths, have been reported to CDC.

Late June Heat Wave (June 2012)
Excessive heat wave impacting the U.S. from the Rockies to the East Coast. Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable yet annually many people succumb to extreme heat. Learn how to stay safe.

Colorado Wildfires (June 2012)
Wildfires spread across Colorado, mainly affecting the city of Colorado Springs. Critical fire danger stays in place and winds worsen over the region. Learn how to protect yourself and others.

Tropical Storm Debby & Floods (June 2012)
Tropical Storm Debby, the fourth named storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, threatens the coast of Florida coast. Learn how to be prepared and make a plan.

Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O145 Infections (June 2012)
CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serogroup O145 (STEC O145) infections. A total of 14 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O145 infection have been identified in 6 states.

Tropical Storm Alberto (May 2012)
Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, forms off the coast of South Carolina. Learn how to be prepared and make a plan.

Arizona Wildfires (May 2012)
Wildfires spread across Arizona. Critical fire danger stays in place and winds worsen over the region. Learn how to protect yourself and others.

Central U.S. Tornadoes (February 2012)
A storm system that produced a number of tornadoes in the Midwest was blamed for at least seven deaths in two states. Learn how to be prepared.

CDC Ramps up Support for Global Polio Eradication Effort (January 2012)
On Wednesday, December 14, CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., charged the entire CDC community to become active participants in an intensified strategy to eradicate polio, worldwide. CDC’s Emergency Operations Center has been activated for the agency’s partnership engagement through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). GPEI is committed to eradicating polio by the end of 2012.