Safety

January 23, 2019Read more...

Influenza (FLU) Update for Week Ending 1-12-19

For week #02 (ending 1-12-19) the CDC reported that Influenza (Flu) activity, which includes diagnosed flu as well as ILI (Influenza-Like-Illness), remained elevated.  The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for flu decreased slightly to 12.4% from 12.7% last week, but all 10 Regions were still reporting flu levels above baseline, and the number of hospitalizations from flu continued to increase. Influenza A viruses were the most common found in the samples tested, with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 the most dominant, except in Region...

January 14, 2019Read more...

Influenza (FLU) Update for Week Ending 1-5-19

For week #01 (ending 1-5-19) the CDC reported that Influenza (Flu) activity, which includes diagnosed flu as well as ILI (Influenza-Like-Illness), remained elevated.  The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for flu decreased to 12.7% from 13.7% last week, but all 10 Regions were reporting flu levels above baseline and the number of cases of ILI and Flu continued to increase, as did hospitalizations. Influenza A viruses were the most common found in the samples tested, with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 the most dominant,...

January 8, 2019Read more...

Influenza (FLU) Update for Week Ending 12-29-18

For week #52 (ending 12-29-18) the CDC reported that influenza (Flu) activity, which includes diagnosed flu as well as ILI (Influenza-Like-Illness), continued to increase.  The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for flu decreased to 13.7% from 15.6% last week, but all Regions were reporting flu levels above baseline and the number of cases of ILI and Flu continued to increase, as did hospitalizations. Influenza A viruses are the most common found in sample testing, with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 the most dominant,...

January 7, 2019Read more...

Influenza (FLU) Update for Week Ending 12-22-18

For week #51 (ending 12-22-18) the CDC reported that influenza (Flu) activity, which includes diagnosed flu as well as ILI (Influenza-Like-Illness) continued to increase.  The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for flu increased to 15.6% from 11.0% last week. Influenza A viruses are the most common found in sample testing, with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 the most dominant, except for Region 4 (the Southeast), which again had A(H3N2) dominate.  Influenzas A (H1N1), A (H2N2) and Influenza B viruses tested were considered to...

January 7, 2019Read more...

Ebola

IN THE NEWS There are new items to report regarding the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): On December 29, the Nebraska Medical Center, located in Omaha, put out a news release that they had accepted a role in monitoring an American healthcare worker (HCW) who had been providing medical care in the DRC and had a possible exposure to the Ebola Virus.  This HCW was transported by private plane and car with the coordination with county,...

December 29, 2018Read more...

Influenza (FLU) Update for Week Ending 12-15-18

For week #50 (ending 12-15-18) the CDC reported that influenza (Flu) activity, which includes diagnosed flu as well as ILI (Influenza-Like-Illness) increased and the threshold has been reached met to indicate that the 2018-19 Seasonal Flu season has begun.  The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for flu more than quadrupled from last week to 11.0%. Influenza A viruses are the most common virus found in sample testing, with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 the most common, except for Region 4 (the Southeast), which...

December 29, 2018Read more...

Updates on the Outbreaks of Ebola Virus Disease, Acute Flaccid Myelitis, and E Coli O157:H7

IN THE NEWS Note:  for each of these diseases, there have been previous posts to this Health Intelligence Page.  Please see those articles for background, as well as more detailed information on each disease.  You can find these articles by clicking on the button marked ‘View all Posts & Resources,’ found at the bottom of the In the News category, and then looking for the specific disease that matches the dates listed at the end of each of the diseases covered...

December 17, 2018Read more...

Influenza (FLU) Update for Week Ending 12-8-18

For week #49 (ending 12-8-18) the CDC reported that influenza (Flu) activity, which includes diagnosed flu as well as ILI (Influenza-Like-Illness) was still slightly elevated. The percentage of respiratory specimens being tested still remains low. Influenza A viruses are the most common virus found in sample testing, with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 the most common of those.  Influenza A (H2N2) and Influenza B viruses have also been found and are considered to be co-circulating.  Also, the majority of the flu viruses are matching...

November 21, 2018Read more...

United States & Canadian Health Safety Alert/Public Health Notice on 11/20/18 of E. Coli O157: H7 Outbreak Linked to Romaine Lettuce

IN THE NEWS The CDC, Public Health Officials for multiple states, the FDA, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Provincial Health Partners, Health Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are collaborating on an investigation into a new outbreak of Shiga toxin producing E. Coli O157: H7 in 11 states (32 cases with 13 hospitalizations) and 2 provinces (18 confirmed cases with 5 hospitalizations).  The US and Canada are each reporting one (1) case each of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a...

November 18, 2018Read more...

PoliceOne article: “How biosurveillance turns opioids-related data into actionable intelligence”

Check out this PoliceOne article "How biosurveillance turns opioids-related data into actionable intelligence" by By Rob Lawrence, P1 Contributor. See how a customer agency, in Richmond, Virginia, is utilizing the FirstWatch system and turning real-time activity data into actionable intelligence. Of note, the Richmond Ambulance Authority was the first commercial user of the FirstWatch system. Read the Full Article Here.

October 19, 2018Read more...

Ebola Outbreak in Northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Update 10-18-18

IN THE NEWS Earlier in the week, the WHO (World Health Organization) announced that there was going to be a meeting of the Emergency Committee in Geneva, Switzerland to decide if the Ebola outbreak had reached a crucial stage of threat beyond the national and regional threat to the region that has already been identified (the outbreak currently has the label of Very High Risk at the Regional Level). The meeting was held and the Emergency Committee decided that the outbreak IS...

October 17, 2018Read more...

Outbreak of Acute Flaccid Myelitis – 10-17-18

IN THE NEWS The CDC is investigating a large surge in reported cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) for 2018 and reported 62 confirmed cases in 22 states through October 16, 2018.  These 62 confirmed cases are part of a larger group of 127 reported cases that the CDC has received notice on and is investigating, along with state and local health departments and hospitals.   The CDC has decided to include in its releases, the number of reported patient cases under...

October 12, 2018Read more...

Outbreak of Acute Flaccid Myelitis

IN THE NEWS The CDC is investigating a surge in cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) for 2018 and reported 38 confirmed cases in 16 states through September.  Since that release, state health departments from Illinois, Washington, Texas, New Jersey, New York have each reported cases.  Previously, Minnesota, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Illinois had reported cases from the beginning of 2018 through the present time.  This appears to be an untick in cases compared to last year (2017) which reported a total...

October 3, 2018Read more...

SUSPECTED RICIN FOUND IN MAIL NEAR THE PENTAGON

IN THE NEWS There is a mail gathering & screening facility adjacent but separate from the Pentagon, used to screen all mail going to the Pentagon.  It was built after 9/11 to prevent mail from entering the Pentagon that may be a danger to personnel or put the building at risk. On Monday, Oct 1, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, which screens all the mail 24/7, detected a suspicious substance in two packages; one was addressed to Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis...

August 28, 2018Read more...

Ebola Outbreak in Northeastern Part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Update

IN THE NEWS As of August 22, 2018, the number of those diagnosed or suspected of having Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) continues to increase and the death toll continues to rise as well.  In fact, in the three (3) weeks since this outbreak was announced, the total number of cases, as well as the deaths, have surpassed the total seen in the eleven (11) weeks of the DRC Northwestern outbreak that ended July 25, 2018.  Specifically, according to the World Health...

August 23, 2018Read more...

Protecting from Heat Illness/Injury

Very hot temperatures seem to be a frequent topic in the news and as people discuss the weather.    Everyone who feels these temperatures can readily identify them and, when they are in the extremes, needs to take precautions when out in the weather.  Stay hydrated, wear light colored, natural or wicking fabrics, use hats, sunscreen and umbrellas; seek out shade.  Avoid being outside during the hottest part of the day; consider water or inside activities until the temperature has cooled...

August 22, 2018Read more...

Suicide Prevention for First Responders Resources

Important: Tools/Cards/Scales Are Not Designed to Be Used without Training & Medical Director and/or Mental Health Professional Oversite

General Information on Suicide/Prevention:

National Institute of Health (NIH) Suicide in America FAQs: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-faq Mental Health Government Site for Identifying Suicidal Behavior: https://www.mentalhealth.gov/what-to-look-for/suicidal-behavior # Information on a Scale (C-SSRS) developed by Columbia University to ID Someone at Risk: https://cssrs.columbia.edu/the-columbia-scale-c-ssrs/about-the-scale/ # Training Opportunities for Using the C-SSRS (see above): https://cssrs.columbia.edu/training/training-options/ # Home Page for the C-SSRS with Links for Group-Specific Scales: https://cssrs.columbia.edu/ # C-SSRS Scale for Use with Families,...

August 22, 2018Read more...

Suicide Prevention for First Responders

For those who have seen the tragedy of first responder suicide up close, or heard about it, they know that suicide needs to be prevented at all costs. And, to prevent it, an agency and its individuals – all of them – need to be aware of the increased risks in this population, the causes, the early signs of an issue, and how to quickly intercede and get help for that individual(s).

August 2, 2018Read more...

New Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic Of The Congo (DRC)

IN THE NEWS New Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic Of The Congo (DRC) On August 1, 2018, just a week after the outbreak of Ebola in the northwestern part of the country was declared over, initial testing suggests that there is a new outbreak of Ebola in the northeastern part of the DRC.  The DRC Minister of Health said that four (4) people in the new area preliminarily tested positive for Ebola, and there have been 26 people with signs of...