FOX: Is Iodine-131 Killing Babies In Philly?

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A researcher says the death rate among babies is up 48 percent since Iodine-131 was found in Philadelphia's drinking water.

Joseph Mangano is is the executive director of the Radiation And Public Health Project in New York, which is made of up scientists and health professionals.

there has been a recent spike, in infant deaths in Philadelphia, and Mangano says radioactive levels, in our water could be to blame.

After the explosion at the Fukushima power plant in Japan, radiation circled the globe, all the way to Pennsylvania.

About a month, after the disaster, radiation levels spiked, in our water, at three Philadelphia facilities.

Mangano said radiation combined with higher levels of iodine the EPAQ found in Philadelphia's water two months ago may be killing young babies here.

We're reporting his research not to alarm or cause panic, but to inform. It's enough time to suggest, not conclude yet. The real benefit is it is a red flag for more studies to be done.
Mangano says we've gone from an average of 5 deaths per week to 7and a half deaths per week.
And what's even more thought provoking is Mangano believes radiation traveling from Japan is particularly pregnant women without them knowing it.

Mangano looked at infant death data from the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention.
It shows an average of five infant deaths a week in the five weeks leading up to the fallout in Japan.

Then, for the 10 weeks after Japan, there was an average of 7. 5.

During the same time period, the rate of infant deaths for the whole country jumped just 2.3 percent.

So why the huge disparity?

Mangano points to significant rainfall and iodine.

The EPA data showed the levels in drinking water in Philadelphia were the highest in the country and out of the seven highest readings, five were in Philadelphia.

Mangano also looked at numbers for the same time period dating back six years. They showed a decline in infant deaths until this year.

Also we should point out no autopsy information regarding these infant deaths and radiation was available.