1 Officials: Six Dead In Gas Leak At Food Plant
At least six people are dead and 11 others have been hospitalized after a hazmat situation at a poultry plant in Gainesville, Georgia. Among those transported, four firefighters. No one’s sure exactly how it happened, but authorities say there was a leak in a liquid nitrogen line. According to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, when liquid nitrogen leaks into the air, it vaporizes into an odorless gas that’s capable of displacing oxygen. Witnesses have reported seeing a fog and say that anyone who got near it, went down. "I would definitely ask everyone to keep the families in your prayers," Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said during a press conference. "A lot of these folks that came into work today didn't have any idea of what would happen, nor did their families. They’re not in a profession that you would expect something like this to happen, but here we are."
2 Nearly A Dozen Fort Bliss Soldiers Injured After Ingesting Unknown Substance
Officials have confirmed that 11 Fort Bliss soldiers are injured – two critically – after they ingested what's only being described for now as an “unknown substance.” Officials at the Texas base said the incident happened Thursday during a field training exercise, but did not give further details. All eleven soldiers are currently under medical observation. An investigation is underway. "All members involved in the incident are under observation of medical professionals," a press release offers. "Fort Bliss officials will provide updates as more information becomes available."
3 CDC: 16 States Have Used Less Than 50% Of Vaccines
More than a dozen states are still playing catch up when it comes to coronavirus vaccines. The CDC says 16 states have yet to administer at least 50 percent of the shots they've received. Those include Arizona, California, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania. But, the health agency noted Thursday the country as a whole has administered roughly 54-percent of the more than 48-million distributed doses. About four-point-three million Americans have been given both shots. Meanwhile...CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky is painting a grim picture of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but still expressed optimism about the success of vaccinations, saying vaccines are safe and effective.