is actually fast tracking companies that are looking to produce i.v. fluids fast tracking your applications trying to get them into the market as quickly as possible they've also been looking at getting companies overseas to allow them to provide i.v. fluids to the to the u.s. market so you know it difficult for a company to start from scratch build a facility and produce the food it takes approximately thirty steps in the production process and. up to a month to actually get the production up and running so it's better for them to focus on getting supplies elsewhere rather be overseas or fast tracking applications from smaller companies. one of two questions one i guess out of that is is this something that we have a problem producing here in the united states or is it simply down there for. for cost like most things yeah it's mainly done there for cost but again as i stress it's it's very labor intensive to produce a sterile bag of sailin you know there's multiple steps they have to go through to ensure quality make sure there's no bacteria or other infecti

due to that hospitals across the country are facing a shortage of i.v. fluids and being forced to use other methods of providing fluids to patients whether being smaller bags of fluids or perhaps even other types of fluids other than normal sailing which would typically not be used. on the highway the headlines on this are focusing mostly on the flu obviously we have a really bad flu season this year but how is this affected patients with long term illnesses you know there's people you know who are going through cancer treatment or going through other treatment where they have immune system problems and need those i.v. fluids on a regular basis they may not only need i.v. is that they need certain types of infusions and because of the f.x. that have been recognized as a problem haven't i guess the question is what did we recognize this is a problem for months did we see it coming and how do we. thanks that. is really the class and i got to share so to just your first part of the question unfortunately hostiles where you been seeing is you know nurses being forc

and with the i.v. fluid shortage, it's especially important that everyone do everything they can to stay healthy. lester? >> dr. john torres in boston tonight, thank you. >>> tonight, there's a new push to solve one of the world's most baffling mysteries. where is malaysia flight 370? it's been nearly four years since that plane vanished with few traces found even after a massive search that lasted three years and a price tag of $160 million. now the malaysian government has agreed to pay an eye-popping reward if it's found. nbc's tom costello has been covering this story from the beginning. >> reporter: in the vastness of a southern indian ocean, a new strategy to find mh-370. texas-based ocean infinity will send eight underwater drones to search 9,000 square miles, roughly the size of vermont. but unlike the previous searches, these drones would not be tethered to the surface. >> without the cable, you get less noise, so the quality of the data is better. >> reporter: today the malaysian government agreed

i.v. bags making it more difficult to get crucial fluids in dehydrated patients. we send nbc news medical correspondent dr. john torres, an e.r. doc himself, to the front lines at mass general in boston. >> reporter: kyler backman, once a pennsylvania, now dead at 21. his mother in shock. >> i just think he ignored it and thought it would go away like most people. >> reporter: in new york a surge of patients hospitalized. >> you are coughing as well? >> reporter: across the country, a dire situation as flu tightens its grip in almost every state stretching resources thin. >> i need you to bring some gatorade. >> reporter: at boston's mass general today many patients who need critical fluids are getting gatorade instead of an i.v. >> we're at all-time low. >> reporter: the bags are in short supply after hurricane maria slammed major manufacturing plants in puerto rico. are you getting new supplies at all? >> right now in the small bag products, we're not getting any new supplies. >> reporter: none. so that the flu impact will make it even worse. >> could make it wo

climbing alone and there's no organized lessen the burden of ended the darkness is alison horgan i.v. fluid on his office a commitment from. video that if you can act it was like so what it was just man made a complete invent in these moment do you songs cause your life on track often but when it's hard to talk i feel so that my what with. this is undiminished and i do mind i'm going to. india even the youngest person goes out exactly as in a musical. event i got there passion of the to i'll fall in the good problem it gets examined the truth is needed that's ok i know you're up you know that's not at your computer i was that's not a surprise as i know i know i just got got about yeah. the patea want to get on this way to me. so pleased with the book. we. just go. stick. is good let's look a little. bit about the bowl. below the surface of the book. sold a little more with the truth good. stuff . the. small stuff looks pretty. good. cause. the be. the best. place to be the most closely. followed by a. very low but it was home of. some of. the bulk. my. my my. god. was. thanks consulate's wa

. >> when you see patients where they could be dehydrated, you need i.v. fluids. they're not able to give out as many as they would like. >> reporter: in brooklyn, they're failing the strain but managing so far. >> there has been a shortage of these medications, of i.v. fluid bags. this has not adversely affected patient care. >> reporter: doctors say the best preventative medicine is getting the flu shot. >> did you get the flu shot? >> reporter: initial reports citing data from australia, was saying that the f but doctors in the u.s. think it is higher, about 30%. they say you should get the flu shot. even if you do get the vaccine and get the flu afterwards, they say the symptoms at least could be less severe. back to you. >> gabe, thank you. >>> now, to the disturbing incident caught on camera. we showed you at the top of the show, a louisiana teacher was removed from a school board meeting and forcibly handcuffed. willie, what happened here? >> reporter: the video has sparked national outrage, as the teacher arrested for, what seems, speaking out it was a hea

facing a nationwide shortage of i.v. fluidfrom the hurricane damage to medical product manufacturing in facilities like the ones in puerto rico. healthcare advocates pleading with the fda to find a solution as hospital workers battle a nasty flu season. we're live in chicago. a saline shortage is critical to doctors and patients. what is being done, matt? >> well, sandra, medical professionals and doctors sayfullo saipov -- say saline is one of the first things they reach for to keep people alive. >> it's the first thing we give to patients when they come in from a gunshot or motor vehicle accidents. >> the bag manufacturers happen to be in puerto rico. there is a shortage. one of america's largest manufacturers baxter reports its three plants are now back online in puerto rico but it could be some time before production is fully restored. until then hospitals and clinics are struggling with the saline shortage. we spoke to one clinic in california that says they have enough saline to get through february and then it's unknown

. >> reporter: another problem, hospitals need bags of i.v. fluid to treat the flu and there's a shortage after hurricane maria shut down a factory in puerto rico. at mass general in boston, they're having to give some stomach tube instead. they say it's still not too late to get a flu shot. and if you do get one they tell us your illness won't be as rough. about that father who is hospitalized in a medically induced coma we're learning, michael, his family doesn't have health insurance and they're raising money for his medical expenses. michael. >> all right, thank you so much, steve. it doesn't seem to be letting up. >> no, not at all. >>> switch gears an something happier. real "anchorman" down in the australian open. look who walked out to interview roger federer with john mcenroe. >> now, there is a rumor in the men's locker room that you love coming to play down here in melbourne and your secret to fitness is you only eat wombat meat, is that true? urue. >> have you ever tasted wombat meat? >> i have not. should i? >> it is delicio.us the nati

2,000 to 3,000 every day so the shortage meant conserving bag, directly injecting the fluid with the sir ri the i.v. push. >> how are we going to take care of the patients? >> they hope to be back to the manufacturerring speed in february. in fairfax, richard reeve, abc7 news. alison: thank you for joining us today at 5:00. larry: "abc7 news at 6:00" starts now. nancy: at 6:00, a plan to fix one of the worst bottlenecks in the country. michelle: it won't cost taxpayers a single cent. >> i killed her. >> how did you kill her? >> with a knife. nancy: a chilling confession in the brutal ms-13 killing of a 15-year-old girl. >> what are you doing? what are you doing? michelle: a set-up. the odd defense of the decision to arrest a school teacher after she asked her school board a question. 6:00". on your side. nancy: first tonight a quarter billion upgrade on the way for one of the most congested highways in the nation. michelle: it includes a new bridge for i-95. first comes a ten-mile extension to the i-95 express lane from the current end in stafford all the way to lout 17 in fredericksburg. >> then n

i.v. hydration, even admission to the hospital. >> if you feel especially bad or have any questions, by all means, go to the e.r. for most people, rest, fluids and, oh flu medicine will help. staying home from work and frequent hand washing will help prevent its spread. abc7 news. >>> acting mayor london breed has made it official, she is entering the mayor's race. she made the announcement today at a play ground. she took over as mayor last month after ed lee's sudden passing. she is serving as president of the board of assume advisers and they could have an interim mayor. that brings the number of people who have filed to five. the election is set for the first week of june. >>> well, the oakland raiders and jon gruden have agreed to a record ten-year, $100 million deal. they'll introduce their coach at a news conference on tuesday. the raiders have had nine new coaches since trading away gruden who then beat the raiders with the buccaneers. in addition to becoming the highest paid coach in nfl history, the raiders back loaded his contract to correspond to the move to las vegas where he won't have to pay state taxes. by the way, he is call