The Problem:On October 29, Hurricane Sandy made landfall along the mid-Atlantic Eastern seaboard. Although wind damage was extensive, storm surge and associated flooding created hundreds of thousands of water-damaged structures from Delaware to Connecticut, with severe impact in New York and New Jersey.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health care associated infections (HCAI) are currently the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, with an estimated death toll of nearly 100,000 per year.