Mold is a fungus that grows in the form of multicellus filaments called hyphae. These fungi can be large, produce a rotten odor, and can completely ruin a residential or commercial property if left unattended. It only takes 48 hours for mold to set in and the longer an area remains moist, the more likely permanent mold damage will occur.
Throughout 2017, total flooring sales topped out at $21.9 billion. Though the majority of flooring installation projects are for aesthetic boosts, when mold enters the equation, it’s imperative to act quickly.
Mold inside a home or office can be stressful and must be addressed as soon as possible to avoid various health concerns. Mold inside a healthcare facility, on the other hand, is a nightmare and must be addressed with even more immediacy in order to prevent potentially catastrophic health concerns.
According to NBC New York, more than 50 nurses and staffers on a New York City hospital’s maternity floor have reported getting sick from a serious odor that turned out to be related to mold.
Staten Island University Hospital reported that as soon as strange odors were noticed at the north side of the hospital, newborns were immediately relocated to a backup nursery in order to keep them safe and healthy. After all the newborns were moved out of the infected area, environmental tests were conducted, eventually finding mold at moderately elevated levels.
A total of 53 hospital employees have reported various symptoms ranging from dizziness and headaches to sore throats. No patients have reported complaints.
“Every time I go in, and I have been there six times since this started, I get sick,” said Robyn Jacobs, a 65-year-old nurse in the hospital’s maternity unit. “I get these headaches, my glands swell, sore throat, scratchy throat, and I lose my voice. And then I get a highness in my chest like an allergic reaction.”
After conducting nearly 30 tests, the hospital stated that there are no risks to the patients or staff, but some employees disagree.
“They keep telling us it’s safe, it’s safe, it’s safe,” Jacobs added. “How safe is it? Because we’re all getting sick.”
