Ebola Prevention

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Published on Wednesday, 15 October 2014 15:31

There is no FDA-approved vaccine available for Ebola.

If you travel to, or are in an area affected by an Ebola outbreak, make sure to do the following:

• Practice careful hygiene. For example, wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and avoid contact with blood and body fluids.
• Do not handle items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids (such as clothes, bedding, needles, and medical equipment).
• Avoid funeral or burial rituals that require handling the body of someone who has died from Ebola.
• Avoid contact with bats and nonhuman primates or blood, fluids, and raw meat prepared from these animals.
• Avoid hospitals in West Africa where Ebola patients are being treated. The U.S. embassy or consulate is often able to provide advice on facilities.
• After you return, monitor your health for 21 days and seek medical care immediately if you develop symptoms of Ebola.

Healthcare workers who may be exposed to people with Ebola should follow these steps:

• Wear protective clothing, including masks, gloves, gowns, and eye protection.
• Practice proper infection control and sterilization measures. For more information, see “Infection Control for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers in the African Health Care Setting”.
• Isolate patients with Ebola from other patients.
• Avoid direct contact with the bodies of people who have died from Ebola.
• Notify health officials if you have had direct contact with the blood or body fluids, such as but not limited to, feces, saliva, urine, vomit, and semen of a person who is sick with Ebola. The virus can enter the body through broken skin or unprotected mucous membranes in, for example, the eyes, nose, or mouth

For additional information please visit the CDC website

You can learn more about Ebola Medical Waste Management here.

Increase in Respiratory Illness Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68): What you need to know

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Published on Wednesday, 10 September 2014 15:24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 11, 2014

Increase in Respiratory Illness Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68): What you need to know

In response to increasing numbers of respiratory illness (Enterovirus D68), the Andrew County Health Department wants you to know the facts so you can protect your family.

Enterovirus is a common virus.  With more than 100 types of enteroviruses, an estimated 10 to 15 million infections occur in the United States each year.  Most people who are infected with enteroviruses have no or mild symptoms.  However some enteroviruses, like Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), can be very serious.

Symptoms of the Enterovirus D68 are similar to the common cold.  Severe symptoms are possible with EV-D68, such as difficulty breathing. Children with cold like symptoms that experience difficulty breathing should consult their family physician. 

Enterovirus D68 appears to be spreading by close contact with infected people.   There is no vaccine or antiviral medication to treat EV-D68. 

The Andrew County Health Department provides the following recommendations to prevent the spread of EV-D68 and to also protect yourself and your family:

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the restroom or changing diapers.  The use of soap and water is very important to combat EV-D68.  Soap and water are the preferred method of hand washing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick
• If you are sick, stay home.

Your Local Public Health Department continues to monitor the situation and share information with local health providers.  While there are reports of increased cases across several Midwest states, there is not a surveillance system that can account for exact numbers of infections.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Senior Epidemiology Specialist C. Jon Hinkle says, “Using good hand hygiene, practicing good cough and sneeze etiquette and staying home if you are sick are the most effective tools to fight EV-D68.”

For more information on EV-D68 visit http://www.cdc.gov/non-polio-enterovirus/about/EV-D68.html or contact the Andrew County Health Department at 816-324-3139.

Contact: Andrew Hoffman, Administrator or Paige Lance, RN

Contact Number: 816-324-3139

School Value-Added Agriculture Grants

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Published on Thursday, 04 September 2014 10:50

Applications Available Now for Farm to School Value-Added Agriculture Grants

Deadline to apply is Oct. 31, 2014

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced today that the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA) is now accepting applications for farm to school value-added grants. These grants will assist Missouri businesses in accessing and processing locally grown agricultural products for use in Missouri schools.

The new program was authorized by Senate Bill 672 and Senate Bill 701, which were signed by Governor Nixon on July 8 and 9, and provides businesses the opportunity to place locally grown agricultural products in Missouri school meals and snacks, while at the same time strengthening local farming economies.

“As evidenced by Missouri being in the top 10 states in the number of farmers markets, producers in Missouri grow some of the best food around,” Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce said. “We’re thrilled that we can offer this program to incentivize Missouri businesses, which will in turn increase the amount of nutritious and delicious Missouri-made food served to students and benefit Missouri farmers.”

Eligible applicants must be a small business that purchases or processes locally grown agricultural products from a small farmer, and whose primary market is schools in Missouri. Small businesses that are producers of agricultural products themselves are eligible too. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. Applications will be scored based on their economic development potential, credibility and merit, as well as the source and level of matching funds.

The maximum individual grant is $200,000. Applicants are required to provide a 10% cash match toward the resource being funded. Eligible resources may include, but are not limited to, items such as coolers, freezers, washing, bagging, sorting and/or packing equipment and professional services for the development of Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices (GAP/GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Analysis (HACCP) plans. The program does not provide funds for agricultural production practices or equipment, paying off debt, applicant salaries or wages (or that of employees), motor vehicles or operating expenses.

Applications must be submitted to MASBDA by 5 p.m. on Fri., Oct. 31, 2014. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. For more information on the program and complete guidelines, visitagriculture.mo.gov or contact MASBDA at masbda@mda.mo.gov or (573) 751-2129.

It's Tick Season

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Published on Friday, 16 May 2014 16:01

It's Tick Season

Heartland Virus – What Do I Need to Know?

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has put together a selection of answers to the questions people might ask about the recently discovered phlebovirus, which has been named the Heartland virus.

What is Heartland virus?

Heartland virus belongs to a group of viruses called phleboviruses. Viruses in the phlebovirus family are found all over the world. Sometimes these viruses can cause people to get sick. Most of the phleboviruses that cause human illness are passed to people through a bite from a mosquito, tick, or sand fly.

What is the history of Heartland virus?

In 2009, two people admitted to a Missouri hospital were later found to be infected with this virus. Both people had illness with fevers, and both recovered. Scientists who study the new virus have named it the “Heartland virus”.

What is being done about this new virus?

In 2012, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began working together to learn more about the virus. Several hospitals in Missouri have agreed to try to find other people with the same illness. CDC also has another study for people seen by doctors in other states. These studies may help find out how people get infected with Heartland virus and how to prevent other people from getting it. Also, by studying how the virus effects people, laboratories and doctors will learn more about how to diagnose Heartland virus illness.

What kind of illness does Heartland virus cause?

In 2013, five Missouri patients were diagnosed with Heartland virus. All five had a flu-like illness in May-September. They all had a fever, lost their appetite, and were very tired. Some also complained of headaches, muscle and joint aches, diarrhea, or feeling sick to their stomach. All five cases had low numbers of white blood cells that fight infection as well as another kind of cell that helps blood clot. Four of the five patients required hospitalization for their illness. Most of the five patients fully recovered.

How do people get this new virus?

Missouri’s most common tick, the Lone Star tick, has been found infected with Heartland virus. Scientific investigations are underway to find out if a bite from an infected tick is how people get Heartland virus illness.

Like Missouri’s most serious tick-borne illness, ehrlichiosis, the Lone Star tick might become infected with Heartland virus by taking a blood meal from an infected animal. Later, the tick can transmit the virus to humans when taking another blood meal.

What can I do to protect myself and my family?

• Since this virus is in a family of viruses that can be spread by insects, you should avoid bites from ticks and mosquitoes.
• For mosquitoes, use a repellent that gives you the length of protection you need, based on the amount of time you will be outdoors. Look for EPA-registered products that provide protection time information on the product label.
• For ticks, use repellents that contain 20% or more DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) on the exposed skin for protection that lasts up to several hours.
• For children two months and older, use a repellent with 30% DEET or less.
• Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding 
hands, eyes, and mouth.
• People who work outdoors for a living or who spend a lot of time outdoors may want to consider 
learning about products that contain permethrin on clothing. Clothing and gear can be pretreated with special permethrin products that adhere to boots, pants, socks, and tents. It remains protective through several washings. The product label will say to do the pretreatment outdoors and let the product fully dry before use.
• Some commercial clothing lines are available pretreated with permethrin.
• Always remember that heavy application of insect repellent is not needed. Read the product label 
carefully.

What if I think I may be infected with this new virus?

If you feel unwell you should see your doctor. Your doctor can help figure out what might be the problem. If you had a recent tick or mosquito bite, they may take blood to test for illnesses like tularemia, ehrlichiosis, and West Nile virus. If your doctor is concerned that you may have the new virus, they can contact the DHSS.

What happens if I get the new virus?

There is no specific treatment for this virus but a doctor may be able to lessen some symptoms with medicine. You can discuss any concerns you have about your illness with your provider. There is no vaccine against Heartland virus.

Can I get a test to see if I have been infected with this virus?

Since this virus is new to medical science, there are no tests to tell if a person is infected. Researchers are working on tests that will help a doctor diagnose an infection. Developing new tests is one of the goals of the research study.

Can my pets get this virus?

It is not yet known if this virus can make pets sick. If your pet is ill, you should take it to a licensed veterinarian. Ticks may carry this virus, so talk with your veterinarian about using tick preventives on your pet.

How Do I Choose An Insect Repellent?

Order this informative color poster and other educational materials at no charge here

Other Internet Resources

• DHSS Insect Repellent Questions & Answers
• University of Missouri Extension Service Publication G7382, “Ticks”
• Tick Born Disease