Wednesday, January 30, 2013
As flu season wanes a new Super Bug from Australia is taking its place in the spotlight.
- AWARENESS
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Wednesday, January 30
A new strain of the highly contagious norovirus has reached the U.S. from Australia. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the new norovirus, named GII.4 Sydney because it's believed to have started in Sydney, Australia, is currently the leading cause of norovirus outbreaks in the U.S. In the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released Jan. 25, the norovirus is described as: the leading cause of epidemic gastroenteritis, including foodborne outbreaks, in the U.S. hospitalization and mortality associated with norovirus infection occur most frequently among elderly persons, young children, and immunocompromised patients. An article in Time, Health and Family reported that the norovirus is: often confused …
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Pennsylvania is reporting high influenza activity, according to the state health department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Allegheny County certainly isn't immune from the widespead outbreak of influenza reported by the Pennsylvania Health Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Allegheny County Health Department reports four local deaths in the last few weeks have been attributed to the influenza Type A virus. All four deaths have been patients 65 years or older, with the oldest victim 98 years old, according to Dr. Jim Lando, acting director of the department's Office of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. "Influenza does take people each year," he said. "That's why we do recommend that people get vaccinated." Lando said that between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2012—the most up-to-date reporting period this flu season—there had been 215 confirmed …
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Allegheny County Health Department and local pharmacies in Forest Hills-Regent Square area offer immunization clinics.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Zandy Dudiak
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Wednesday, December 5, 2012
The Centers for Disease Control reports that significant increases in flu activity in the U.S. in the last two weeks indicate that an early flu season is under way. The CDC urges people to get a flu vaccine if they have not done so already this season (see list of local clinics below). The Allegheny County Health Department offers some tips on ways to fight the flu: For more information from the county health department on who is at risk for getting the flu and what to do if you get sick, click here. The following is a list of immunization clinics in the Forest Hills-Regent Square area. Call ahead to confirm the vaccine is in stock. Forest Hills Swissvale Wilkinsburg Oakland Do you know of any other local places to get flu vaccines? Please…
Saturday, September 22, 2012
The product may be related to a multi-state outbreak of salmonella.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is advising consumers that Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter made with sea salt may be related to a multi-state outbreak of salmonella. The department is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health officials in several states to investigate the outbreak. Nationally, there have been 29 cases of illness with two cases reported in Pennsylvania, according to a health department statement. The local Trader Joe's is along Penn Avenue in East Liberty. Trader Joe’s has voluntarily removed the product for sale from its stores; however, consumers who have the product in their homes should discard it and should also be aware that this product is sold online …
