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American Morning
Infection Death of 18-Year-Old Marine Could be Tip of Iceberg
Aired December 17, 2002 - 08:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The infection death of an 18-year-old Marine recruited in San Diego perhaps could be just the tip of the iceberg. The marines right now are investigating that. They've already said they have found a higher than normal incidence of Strep A. All recruits have been given antibiotics. All physical training now suspended.
Barbara Starr at the Pentagon watching tracking this for us -- Barbara, what more are they learning?
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Well, yes, the marines announced yesterday that for the next three days, all 4,600 marine recruits in San Diego will stop all strenuous physical training activity while the marines try and get a handle on this outbreak of the Group A streptococcal pneumonia bacteria that is sweeping through the recruiting base.
In recent days, more than 300 marines have been taken ill. One hundred have been hospitalized, as you said. All marines at the base, all 5,000 are having throat swabs taken. Many of them are being administrated medication.
Now, they have had these types of outbreaks before because, of course, at recruiting bases marines live in very close quarters, very difficult to get a handle on. But now it has possibly all taken a very tragic turn.
On Sunday, 18-year-old private Miguel Zavalla died at the naval hospital in San Diego within hours of noticing a rash on his ankle. He was admitted to the acute care section of the hospital and he died within hours.
Yesterday, late yesterday the marines in San Diego held a press conference to discuss what had happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. GEN. JAN HULY, U.S. MARINES: Yesterday's sudden death was most certainly a bacterial infection. And the Streptococcal bacteria that we are aggressively pursuing is a possible cause of this unusual presentation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: And so the marines clearly believe that it is possible now this young man died of this bacteria that is sweeping through the base. We should tell you that Private Zavalla, 18 years old, had only been a U.S. Marine for 23 days when he passed away. Several marines remain hospitalized. We are told one in critical condition. The marines are certainly hoping they can get a handle on this medical problem -- Bill.
HEMMER: Indeed, they are.
Barbara, thanks.
Barbara Starr at the Pentagon this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Iceberg>
Aired December 17, 2002 - 08:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The infection death of an 18-year-old Marine recruited in San Diego perhaps could be just the tip of the iceberg. The marines right now are investigating that. They've already said they have found a higher than normal incidence of Strep A. All recruits have been given antibiotics. All physical training now suspended.
Barbara Starr at the Pentagon watching tracking this for us -- Barbara, what more are they learning?
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Well, yes, the marines announced yesterday that for the next three days, all 4,600 marine recruits in San Diego will stop all strenuous physical training activity while the marines try and get a handle on this outbreak of the Group A streptococcal pneumonia bacteria that is sweeping through the recruiting base.
In recent days, more than 300 marines have been taken ill. One hundred have been hospitalized, as you said. All marines at the base, all 5,000 are having throat swabs taken. Many of them are being administrated medication.
Now, they have had these types of outbreaks before because, of course, at recruiting bases marines live in very close quarters, very difficult to get a handle on. But now it has possibly all taken a very tragic turn.
On Sunday, 18-year-old private Miguel Zavalla died at the naval hospital in San Diego within hours of noticing a rash on his ankle. He was admitted to the acute care section of the hospital and he died within hours.
Yesterday, late yesterday the marines in San Diego held a press conference to discuss what had happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. GEN. JAN HULY, U.S. MARINES: Yesterday's sudden death was most certainly a bacterial infection. And the Streptococcal bacteria that we are aggressively pursuing is a possible cause of this unusual presentation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: And so the marines clearly believe that it is possible now this young man died of this bacteria that is sweeping through the base. We should tell you that Private Zavalla, 18 years old, had only been a U.S. Marine for 23 days when he passed away. Several marines remain hospitalized. We are told one in critical condition. The marines are certainly hoping they can get a handle on this medical problem -- Bill.
HEMMER: Indeed, they are.
Barbara, thanks.
Barbara Starr at the Pentagon this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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