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Einstein's theory for happiness sold at an auction for $1.3 million

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Albert Einstein's note on the theory of happiness sold on Tuesday for $1.3 million at a Jerusalem auction, handing over the scientist's 1922 musings to unknown buyers.

Gal Wiener, CEO of the auction house, said the auction for the note began at $2,000 and bids quickly flooded in for about 25 minutes. Wiener would not reveal the names of the seller or buyer of the note.

The Nobel-winning scientist wrote the note while he was in Tokyo during his trip in Japan, just after he was told he would be awarded a Nobel Prize in physics, Winner's Auctions and Exhibitions said. A bellboy arrived at his room to deliver an item and Einstein didn't have cash to tip him. Instead, the scientist handed him a piece of paper with a message.

"A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness," the note says in German.

A second note was also handed to the bellboy that reads, "Where there's a will there's a way." That notes also sold in the auction for $240,000, Wiener said. He also did not disclose who was the buyer and seller.

The seller was reportedly the bellboy's nephew, the BBC reported.

Einstein was a founder of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and left it his literary estate and personal papers. He declined an invitation to serve as Israel's first president. Though not his most famous work, the scientist's musings shed light on one of the great modern minds.

Einstein died in 1955.

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Einstein's theory of happiness sells for $1.3M at auction

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Albert Einstein's note on the theory of happiness sold on Tuesday for $1.3 million at a Jerusalem auction, handing over the scientist's 1922 musings to unknown buyers. Gal Wiener, CEO of the auction house, said the auction for the note began at $2,000 and bids quickly flooded in for about 25 minutes.

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Phony Shrek startles officer; he writes ticket anyway

An 18 year old girl was pulled over by a police officer wearing Shrek makeup, after coming home from a makeup class in Corona California.

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Did the police officer 'Shrek' when he saw it?

An 18-year-old woman was pulled over by authorities when she had Shrek makeup on, the Shropshire Star reports.

Haylee Mazmanian had earlier been at a Corona, Calif., makeup class, the site said.

"The cop got startled and asked if I was under the influence and I said no," Mazmanian told the outlet. "Then he was talking with his partner for about 20 minutes -- then gave me a ticket."

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office in Florida also chimed in, UPI noted.

"Can confirm it was not us (but we sort of wish it had been)," the sheriff's office tweeted.

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Phony Shrek startles officer; he writes ticket anyway

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Did the police officer 'Shrek' when he saw it? An 18-year-old woman was pulled over by authorities when she had Shrek makeup on, the Shropshire Star reports. Haylee Mazmanian had earlier been at a Corona, Calif., makeup class, the site said.

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The construction industry is struggling due to a lack of workers and natural disasters.

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Before the devastation of California's fires and Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, a key segment of the economy, the construction industry, was struggling with a worker shortage.

Now the 1-2-3 punch of natural disasters near major metropolitan areas is expected to make building projects even more time consuming and expensive.

"We've already got a very volatile, super pressurized, super stretched industry, and just having natural disasters just adds to the pressure," said Eric Holt, assistant professor at University of Denver's Franklin L. Burns School of Real Estate & Construction Management.

Labor is most pressing. It is projected that for every five retiring skilled tradespeople, only one is entering the industry, according to an Economic Impact Report commissioned by the Association of General Contractors.
THE LATEST: OFFICIAL: CALIFORNIA FIRE LOSSES TOP $1 BILLION
The industry lost hundreds of thousands of workers in the recession.

"They moved into different industries, they wanted something more stable and so now that the housing is coming back, and we need all those people back, they're not here," Holt said.

He said employers are trying to make up for it by offering training, better pay and benefits. For example, the Colorado Homebuilding Academy is a nonprofit operating in industry-donated space. Builders and grants foot the $1,400 cost of Construction Skills Boot Camp for each student who pledges to go into construction.

Hairstylist Angie McKevitt is one student hoping to turn the experience into a new career.

"(I) always wanted to learn more about construction, and this is time for a job change in my life," she said.

McKevitt meets one of several targets the industry is after -- administrators are hoping to get more women in the program. They are seeking high school graduates not bound for college, military veterans returning to civilian life and previous criminal offenders. The latter, because a steady, good-paying job has been shown to reduce recidivism.

The school expects to triple its number of graduates this year. Companies benefit with stream of workers, graduates who already have basic skills.
HURRICANE HARVEY CAUSED HOUSTON TO SINK
When it comes to supply, Holt says there will be "opportunistic entrepreneurs." People in one region may see an opportunity to buy plywood at $30 a sheet, throw it in a U-Haul to drive it to a hard hit area and sell it for $90. They may also move to a natural disaster areas to seek out work.

Oakwood Homes, which builds communities in Colorado and Utah, has its own manufacturing facility to try to keep costs down. The company, which expects to bring in close to a half a billion dollars in revenue this year, also keeps supplies stockpiled near sites.

Chairman and CEO Patrick Hamill says, "With the two hurricanes that we just experienced, as well as even the fires in California, (we're) really worried about some availability. So, we've increased the supply at our facilities from 35 days to approximately 100 and 125 days, just so that we make sure we have the materials."

Alicia Acuna joined Fox News Channel (FNC) in 1997 and currently serves as a general assignment reporter based in the network's Denver bureau.

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Hurricanes, wildfires hit construction industry hard

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Before the devastation of California's fires and Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, a key segment of the economy, the construction industry, was struggling with a worker shortage. Now the 1-2-3 punch of natural disasters near major metropolitan areas is expected to make building projects even more time consuming and expensive.

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5 teens denied bond in deadly highway rock-throwing case.

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Unsealed FBI docs paint disturbing portrait of Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza

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Unsealed FBI docs paint disturbing portrait of Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza | CNN

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A woman who befriended Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza online said he was “singularly focused and obsessed with mass murders and spree killings” and looked upon school shooters “with respect and understanding,” according to heavily redacted FBI documents released Tuesday.

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Denise Robinson’s daughter Tru lives at Little Heroes Home in Dracut. The biracial girl used to have long locks, but Robinson said the haircut was made without permission and now her is dealing with trauma from the ordeal in addition to a hairless head.“I feel like my daughter was assaulted and violated,” Robinson said. “They made a game out of it while they were cutting her hair, and after they cut her hair, then they told her oh, it will grow back straight don’t worry.

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Updated:

DRACUT, Mass. -- A local mom is furious after she found out her 7-year-old daughter's head was shaved clean at a state-run program for kids with behavioral needs.

Denise Robinson's daughter Tru lives at Little Heroes Home in Dracut. The biracial girl used to have long locks, but Robinson said the haircut was made without permission and now her is dealing with trauma from the ordeal in addition to a hairless head.

"I feel like my daughter was assaulted and violated," Robinson said. "They made a game out of it while they were cutting her hair, and after they cut her hair, then they told her oh, it will grow back straight don't worry."

Before and after: this Mom says program SHAVED HER DAUGHTER'S HEAD without permission, told her it would grow back straight @boston25 pic.twitter.com/VniNk4yLw0
- Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) October 20, 2017

That is troubling to Robinson who says aside from her daughter not wanting the haircut, the message is out of line.

"I'm not afraid to say it and talk about the elephant in the room, I believe it's a biracial matter and by shaving her head close they were somehow implying that straighter hair is better than dread, curly hair," attorney Richard Kendall said.

Since it happened early this week, Robinson says nobody at Little Heroes Home answered her questions about why it happened, except to say they have authority to cut hair without permission for hygiene purposes.

"There was no head lice, there was no bed bugs, there was no Rasta locks was going on. Her hair was two pony tails on the side on Saturday, it was braided in the pony tails, there was nothing wrong with her hair," she said.

Robinson told Boston 25 News she had to keep a straight face through her anger so as not to upset Tru, or make her feel ugly or at fault.

It's left Robinson not just upset, but wondering what else is going on at this state-run program that parents don't know about.

"What else are they doing that the state doesn't know? What are they doing to these kids?" she said.

Boston 25 News reporter Jacqui Heinrich reached out to the Department of Children and Families to ask if it was investigating the issue, officials wouldn't comment due to privacy issues.

Little heroes group home did send a statement regarding what happened, saying in part: "We cannot provide any information about any individual served by the program under federal and state law. A review of the circumstances is underway to determine what occurred and, if necessary, appropriate action will be taken."
TOP STORIES: Man wanted by police after search that started in Beverly arrested School apologizes for image of black girl in 17th century toddler leash Traffic could cost Boston billions in tourism, report says

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7-year-old girl 'traumatized' after having head shaved at state-run program

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Updated: DRACUT, Mass. -- A local mom is furious after she found out her 7-year-old daughter's head was shaved clean at a state-run program for kids with behavioral needs. Denise Robinson's daughter Tru lives at Little Heroes Home in Dracut.

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Einstein's handwritten notes sell for $1.8M

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einstein's handwritten notes sell for $1.8m - cnn

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Einstein's handwritten notes sell for $1.8M

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Two handwritten notes penned by Albert Einstein have been sold at auction for a combined $1.8 million -- hundreds of times their estimated sale value.

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2 people shot dead at Louisiana's Grambling State University, suspect sought

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The world’s largest restaurant chain, facing heavy competition in the U.S., will launch a new value-priced menu nationally next year. The lineup will offer items for $1, $2 and $3, the company said on Tuesday.

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A man named Tom Morgan flew for more than 15 miles and 8,000 feet up on a lawn chair while strapped to 100 giant helium balloons. He flew this far over South Africa.

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teenagers throw rocks over an overpass killing 32 year old father

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Five teenagers from Michigan who tossed rocks from a highway overpass killing a father of four on his way home from work have been charged with murder.

The teen boys range in age from 15 to 17, but will be charged as adults with second degree murder, malicious destruction of property and conspiracy.

They have been identified as Alexander Miller, Mikadyn Payne, Trevor Gray, Mark Sekelsky and Kyle Anger.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton told WXYZ that Anger is the one who tossed the six pound rock that crashed through the windshield of the van Kenneth White was in.

One of four who injured woman by throwing rock is granted parole

The 32-year-old father of four was traveling from Au Gres where he worked to his home in Mount Morris when the rock struck the vehicle as it approached the Dodge Road overpass. White's coworker was the one driving.

(Genesee County Sheriff's Office)

The rock hit White in the face and chest. A medical examiner determined that he died from blunt force trauma, WXYZ reports.

His injuries included a broken skull, brain damage and a cut on his chest.

According to the outlet, the teens told investigators they were playing a prank called "dinging," where they toss rocks to hear them ding the cars traveling below.

Teens who threw boulder should be tried as adults: victim

Leyton said 20 rocks were thrown with the largest weighing 20 pounds.

(Kenneth White/Facebook)

"It's not a prank," Sheriff Robert Pickell said. "It is second degree murder."

Authorities said the teens discussed the prank before throwing the rocks, and then went to McDonald's afterwards.

The boys remain in custody and face life in prison if convicted.
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Teens who threw rocks from highway overpass charged with murder

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Five teenagers from Michigan who tossed rocks from a highway overpass killing a father of four on his way home from work have been charged with murder. The teen boys range in age from 15 to 17, but will be charged as adults with second degree murder, malicious destruction of property and conspiracy.

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Grambling State University: 2 shot dead on campus

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grambling state: 2 young men shot dead on campus  - cnn

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2 young men shot dead on Grambling State University campus

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Authorities are trying to find the person who fatally shot two young men at Grambling State University in northern Louisiana early Wednesday.

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The bears tongue weighed as much as a human baby.

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Cat got your tongue-or maybe a bear? No one would have pointed the finger at one particular Asiatic black bear (also known as a moon bear) holed up in a Myanmar monastery: He had too much of his own tongue to handle, let alone anyone else's.

The Guardian reports on the plight of Nyan htoo, who recently underwent emergency surgery to remove 7 pounds of tissue from a tongue so large he couldn't keep it in his mouth.

Instead, Nyan htoo dragged it on the floor, and the BBC reports the weight of the tongue fatigued him so much that he often had to rest his head against the side of his cage.

"I've worked with bears for over 10 years and I've never seen anything like it," says Heather Bacon, a University of Edinburgh veterinarian who was part of the team that operated on Nyan htoo, whose name means "bright." She adds his malady was "pretty astonishing." Nyan htoo-who'd ended up at the monastery with his brother after they were abducted by Burmese traffickers, then rescued by monks-also couldn't close his mouth.

Bacon and others heard about his condition, which they speculate was either a genetic issue or a form of elephantiasis, swelling brought about by a mosquito-carried parasite that causes infection.

The Telegraph notes that vets had taken excess tissue from Nyan htoo's tongue last year, but before long the swelling came back in full force.

The surgery this time around took about four hours. Per Stuff.co.nz, Nyan htoo is now playing with his brother again, though he'll have a learning curve in adapting to day-to-day tasks without his giant tongue.

"We have been able to make a tangible improvement in the quality of Nyan htoo's life," Bacon says. ( This bear made 200 sheep leap to their deaths.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: This Bear's Tongue Weighed as Much as a Newborn Human

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This bear's tongue weighed as much as a newborn human

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Cat got your tongue-or maybe a bear? No one would have pointed the finger at one particular Asiatic black bear (also known as a moon bear) holed up in a Myanmar monastery: He had too much of his own tongue to handle, let alone anyone else's.

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11 year old girl went missing in a swamp infested with alligators. She was found.

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NAACP warns african americans about flying on American airlines

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The NAACP has warned African-American travelers to be careful when flying with American Airlines.

The group issued an advisory late Tuesday, saying it has noticed "a pattern of disturbing incidents reported by African-American passengers, specific to American Airlines."

It said the incidents "suggest a corporate culture of racial insensitivity and possible racial bias" and advised travelers to exercise caution. "Booking and boarding flights on American Airlines could subject them [to] disrespectful, discriminatory or unsafe conditions," the advisory said.

American Airlines spokeswoman Shannon Gilson said the company was "disappointed" to hear about the advisory and is "committed to providing a positive, safe travel experience for everyone."

"Our team members -- a diverse community of gate agents, pilots, and flight attendants -- are proud to serve customers of all backgrounds," she said.

In response to NAACP President Derrick Johnson's call for an audience with the airline's leadership, Gilson said representatives from the organization would be invited to the company's headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas.

"We are committed to having a meaningful dialogue about our airline and are ready to both listen and engage," she said.

Related: NAACP issues its first statewide travel advisory, for Missouri

The organization described four examples in particular -- including one in which it said an African-American woman and her infant child were removed from a flight from Atlanta to New York after she asked if their stroller could be retrieved from checked baggage before she left the plane.

The NAACP didn't provide the name of the woman or say when the events it described are alleged to have taken place. American Airlines didn't comment on the specific allegations.

Johnson said the NAACP's "growing list of incidents ... involves behavior that cannot be dismissed as normal or random."

In August, the organization issued a travel advisory for Missouri, citing several discriminatory incidents in the state as reasons for individual visitors to travel with "extreme caution."

It said at the time that the Missouri advisory was the first ever issued by the organization, at the state or national level.

CNNMoney (New York) First published October 25, 2017: 3:00 AM ET

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NAACP warns black passengers about traveling with American Airlines

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The group issued an advisory late Tuesday, saying it has noticed "a pattern of disturbing incidents reported by African-American passengers, specific to American Airlines." It said the incidents "suggest a corporate culture of racial insensitivity and possible racial bias" and advised travelers to exercise caution.

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Confident Xi begins second term with ambitious promises for "new era"

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China Focus: Confident Xi begins second term with ambitious promises for "new era" - Xinhua | English.news.cn

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BEIJING, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- A dark suit, red tie and familiar air of confidence. Xi Jinping's first public appearance in his second term as helmsman of the world's largest political party brought back memories from five years ago when he first took over the leadership of the Party.

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Man sentenced for killing bald eagle

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A Virginia man who admitted he shot a bald eagle and then ran it over several times with an all-terrain vehicle has been sentenced to a month of house arrest.

The Virginian-Pilot reports 62-year-old Allen H. Thacker also was ordered Monday to complete 100 hours of community service at an area wildlife refuge and pay $500 in fines along with $1,500 in restitution.

Thacker pleaded guilty to violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act in July. He told officers he killed the eagle in March because he'd seen the bird killing small game and eating fish on his property. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Kosky declined to comment on the plea agreement, as did Thacker and his attorney.

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Man sentenced for killing bald eagle in Virginia

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A Virginia man who admitted he shot a bald eagle and then ran it over several times with an all-terrain vehicle has been sentenced to a month of house arrest. The Virginian-Pilot reports 62-year-old Allen H. Thacker also was ordered Monday to complete 100 hours of community service...

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Passengers being warned about riding on American Airlines.

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Citing several recent incidents, the NAACP on Tuesday issued an advisory warning African-Americans about traveling via American Airlines.

"The NAACP for several months now has been monitoring a pattern of disturbing incidents reported by African-American passengers, specific to American Airlines," the civil rights organization said in a statement. "In light of these confrontations, we have today taken the action of issuing national advisory alerting travelers - especially African-Americans - to exercise caution, in that booking and boarding flights on American Airlines could subject them disrespectful, discriminatory or unsafe conditions."

Among the alleged incidents cited by the NAACP:

-- An African-American man was forced off a flight because he responded to disrespectful and discriminatory comments from two unruly white passengers.

-- An African-American woman was switched from first class to coach, while her white companion remained assigned to a first-class seat.

-- A pilot directed that an African-American woman be removed from a flight for complaining about having her seat changed without her consent.

-- An African-American woman and her infant were removed from a flight when the woman asked that her stroller be retrieved from checked baggage.

"We are aware of these incidents only because the passengers involved knew their rights, knew to speak up and exercised the courage to do so promptly," the NAACP statement said.

In response, American Airlines issued a statement of its own.

"We are disappointed to hear about this travel advisory as our team members - a diverse community of gate agents, pilots, and flight attendants - are proud to serve customers of all backgrounds," American Airlines spokeswoman Shannon Gilson said. "Every day American is committed to providing a positive, safe travel experience for everyone who flies with us."

The spokeswoman said the company plans to meet with NAACP officials about the incidents that prompted the advisory.

"All travelers must be guaranteed the right to travel without fear of threat, violence or harm," said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP. "The growing list of incidents suggesting racial bias reflects an unacceptable corporate culture and involves behavior that cannot be dismissed as normal or random.

"We expect an audience with the leadership of American Airlines to air these grievances and to spur corrective action," he added. "Until these and other concerns are addressed, this national travel advisory will stand."

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NAACP warns African-Americans about flying on American Airlines

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Citing several recent incidents, the NAACP on Tuesday issued an advisory warning African-Americans about traveling via American Airlines. "The NAACP for several months now has been monitoring a pattern of disturbing incidents reported by African-American passengers, specific to American Airlines," the civil rights organization said in a statement.

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A man named Tom Morgan decided to take events that happened in the Disney-Pixar movie UP, and recreate it in real life. He strapped 100+ balloons to his lawn chair and flew for more than 15 miles at 800 feet in the air. He journeyed over South Africa. He hopes to have a three day race with balloons in the sky.

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An English man inspired by the movie "Up" strapped himself to a lawn chair with balloons and took flight over South Africa this week.

Tom Morgan, 38, flew for more than 15 miles at 8,000 feet in the air while strapped to just a lawn chair and 100 giant helium balloons. The video of his flight was posted by the Adventurists, a group that says its mission is "fighting to make the world less boring."

ABCNews.com

In "Up," the 2009 animated film from Disney-Pixar, a man straps balloons to his house to travel to South America.

IMDB

IMDB

Morgan, of Bristol, England, stayed over one country, but the feat had its share of danger. Morgan said he planned the stunt for months and overcame odds that included the possibilities of dangerous winds and exploding balloons.

Morgan next plans to launch a three-day, long distance race flying with the balloons. The Adventurists' website does warn people that "these are genuinely dangerous things to do" and that people cannot "overestimate the risks involved in taking part in these adventures."

ABC News is part of parent company Disney.

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Man flies over South Africa strapped to lawn chair with 100 balloons

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An English man inspired by the movie "Up" strapped himself to a lawn chair with balloons and took flight over South Africa this week. Tom Morgan, 38, flew for more than 15 miles at 8,000 feet in the air while strapped to just a lawn chair and 100 giant helium balloons.

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2 dead in shooting at Louisiana's Grambling Sate University.

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Police are hunting for a gunman who shot and killed a student and his friend after an altercation early Wednesday morning at Louisiana's Grambling State University, officials said.

Lincoln Parish police received 911 calls just after midnight about the shooting, which occurred nearly 37 miles west of Monroe, sheriff's spokesman Stephen Williams said. The suspect fled the scene, spurring a manhunt that prompted a call for students to stay indoors. Lincoln Parish Sheriff Mike Stone said later the shooter and the two victims knew each other "to some extent" and the incident wasn't random or an act of terrorism.

"It was an altercation that started inside one of the dorm rooms and spilled out into the courtyard," Williams said. "We're interviewing witnesses."

Stone said in another statement: "There are no indicators that this incident bears any resemblance to any of the random acts of violence or domestic terrorism that have been experienced around our country in recent weeks."

Police said they have a description of the suspect, but did not release his name.

Earl Andrews, 23, a student at the university, and Monquiarius Caldwell, 23, both of Farmerville, were identified by University spokeswoman Kathy Spurlock as the victims in the shooting. Andrews and Caldwell were friends from college and cousins by marriage, Andrews' brother, Ledarius Heard, told The Associated Press.

"Earl didn't bother nobody," Heard said about his brother, adding that they lived off campus in Ruston. Andrews was studying criminal justice and hoped to move to Texas after graduation to be closer to his 1-year-old son.

The shooting occurred as students celebrated the university's Homecoming, the Monroe News Star reported. Heard said his brother typically came home immediately after classes ended but had been on campus Tuesday night to hang out with friends during homecoming week. Heard said he didn't know of any conflicts between his brother and anyone else.

"If he ever had any problems, he would let me know," he added.

Despite the search for the unidentified gunman, Grambling State University said Wednesday morning that offices and buildings will be open.

"Grambling State University offices are open with normal business hours and students are expected to attend classes as scheduled," the university said in a tweet.

Grambling State University Media Relations Director Will Sutton called the deadly shooting a "horrible tragedy" and "nothing that anybody would've ever wanted to have happened."

"Our prayers are with the victims and their families," Sutton said. "There's no place for violence on Grambling State University campus. We always encourage our students to be safe, to be aware, watch who they hang out with, and watch who's around at all times. This is a most unfortunate situation."
The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Shooting at Louisiana's Grambling State University that killed 2 people not random, police say

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Police are hunting for a gunman who shot and killed a student and his friend after an altercation early Wednesday morning at Louisiana's Grambling State University, officials said. Lincoln Parish police received 911 calls just after midnight about the shooting, which occurred nearly 37 miles west of Monroe, sheriff's spokesman Stephen Williams said.

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Suspected leptospirosis cases increasing in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria

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Two deaths involved leptospirosis confirmed through laboratory testing, and "several other" deaths are pending test results, Deseda said. The 76 cases, up from 74 last week, also include one patient with confirmed leptospirosis who is currently hospitalized.

Spiral-shaped Leptospira bacteria, which are found in the urine of rodents and other animals, tend to spread after floods through drinking water or infection of open wounds, according to the World Health Organization. In serious cases, infection causes organ failure and can be fatal.

"This bacteria, like any other bacteria, can kill you," Deseda said.

The island typically sees between 63 and 95 cases per year, she said. Health officials had expected that there would be a jump after the hurricane.

"It's neither an epidemic nor a confirmed outbreak," Public Affairs Secretary Ramon Rosario Cortes said at a news conference Sunday. "But obviously, we are making all the announcements as though it were a health emergency."

Leptospirosis may be treated with antibiotics, but many people recover on their own.

"The majority of the lepto cases is a mild, subclinical disease with no complications," Deseda said. "But one out of 10 people who have leptospirosis develop severe illness."

In the first stage of leptospirosis, symptoms vary widely from fever and headache to red eyes and rashes. Some people may have no symptoms at all. But a small number will develop dire complications: meningitis, kidney and liver damage, bleeding in the lungs and even death.

Doctors are required to report any potential leptospirosis cases to health authorities, Deseda said. Those cases must then be tested to confirm the bacteria, since the symptoms can be difficult to tell apart from other illnesses. After that, health officials may look for patterns or clusters and determine whether there is an outbreak.

The lab tests on the suspected cases have been sent to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Deseda said. The turnaround time is about five or six days.

Doctors on the island have expressed concerns about burgeoning health crises amid hospitals that are overwhelmed, undersupplied and sometimes burning hot. Influenza is another concern on the horizon, Deseda said. Drinking water is also hard to come by on many parts of the island.

Dr. Raul Hernandez, an internist in San Juan, told CNN that people were drinking water from whatever sources they could find, such as rivers and creeks. If that water contains urine from an infected rat, those people will be at risk, he said.

Deseda said people should be discouraged from walking barefoot, drinking or swimming in potentially contaminated waters.

"These diseases are everywhere, and there's a way to prevent them," she said.

CNN's Catherine Shoichet and Parija Kavilanz contributed to this report.

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leptospirosis: suspected cases on rise in puerto rico - cnn

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Suspected leptospirosis cases on rise in Puerto Rico

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Two deaths involved leptospirosis confirmed through laboratory testing, and "several other" deaths are pending test results, Deseda said. The 76 cases, up from 74 last week, also include one patient with confirmed leptospirosis who is currently hospitalized.