Press Releases
Year
Public Health Officials Reassure Illinoisans after First Case of a Serious Virus is Identified in the U.S.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2014
Contact
Melaney Arnold 217-558-0500 IDPH
Shelia Porter 312-814-3524 IDPH
Brian Richardson 312-747-9805 IDPH
Public Health Officials Reassure Illinoisans after First Case of a Serious Virus is Identified in the U.S.
CHICAGO – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today announced the first case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the U.S. The patient was on a flight last Thursday, April 24, 2014 from London to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and then took a bus to Indiana.
“We will continue to work with the CDC and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) concerning the MERS-CoV patient who traveled from London to Chicago and then to Indiana,” said Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck.
“The CDC, IDPH and CDPH do not consider passengers on the flight or bus to be close contacts[1] of the patient and therefore are not at high risk.”
As a precautionary measure, the CDC will contact the plane and bus passengers beginning Saturday, May 3. If the CDC identifies ill individuals with possible MERS-CoV, it will notify CDPH and IDPH.
“There is no reason to suspect any current risk to travelers or employees at O'Hare Airport at this time,” said CDPH Commissioner Bechara Choucair. “We will continue to work closely with the CDC and IDPH to protect the public's health.”
IDPH has activated the expert medical staff at Illinois Poison Center to operate the MERS-CoV hotline. Illinois residents and medical professionals who have concerns or questions should call 1-844 565-0256. For more information about MERS-CoV, including Frequently Asked Questions, go to www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/MERS/.
[1]. Close contact is defined as a) any person who provided care for the patient, including a healthcare worker or family member, or had similarly close physical contact; or b) any person who stayed at the same place (e.g. lived with, visited) as the patient while the patient was ill.
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WIC Celebrates 40 Years of Service to Those in Need
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2014
Contact
Nicole Wente, Program Coordinator
(217) 531-4305
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
WIC Celebrates 40 Years of Service to Those in Need
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Helps Celebrate 40 Years of WIC and 10 Years of Peer Counseling - Receiving Rising Star Ruby Award
Champaign, IL – In 2013, the Illinois WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program served over 280,000 low-income, pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children. Governor, Pat Quinn, recently issued a Proclamation announcing April 2014 as WIC Month in Illinois, encouraging all citizens to support and promote the WIC program.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) offers the WIC program to clients assisting over 4,000 families each year offering knowledge and skills to help them make healthy choices for their families. WIC is a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program that provides healthy food vouchers and is aimed to improve the health and wellbeing of pregnant women, moms and infants up to age 5. According to the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), “Nearly 40 percent of all babies born in Illinois are WIC participants and research shows that WIC has been successful in the reduction of fetal deaths, infant mortality, low birth weight rates, iron deficiency anemia in children and increased immunization rates.”
Illinois also participates in the Breastfeeding Peer Counseling program, offered through the WIC program. CUPHD was recently awarded the Rising Star Ruby Award for their efforts in assisting local hospitals with the Baby-Friendly Designation process. With the partnership of health departments and hospitals, cohesive supports systems can develop to benefit breastfeeding moms making way for breastfeeding friendly communities. This is a four-phase process that generally takes several years to complete. According to IDHS, “Illinois has increased the number of hospitals in the Baby-Friendly pathway from 10 in late 2011 to 56 at the end of 2013.”
For more information, visit www.c-uphd.org or www.babyfriendlyusa.org.
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Teen Birth Rates are Rising in Champaign County Despite a National Decrease
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2014
Contact
Jennifer Jackson, Health Educator II
(217) 531-2912
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Teen Birth Rates are Rising in Champaign County Despite a National Decrease
Comprehensive Sex Education is Necessary to Combat Teen Pregnancy
Champaign, IL – In preparation for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month in May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report on April 8, 2014 showing a decline in births to younger U.S. teens. Although younger teen births have declined nationally, the Champaign County teenage birth rate is rising slightly.
According to the CDC, the national rate of pregnancy among 15-17 year olds in 2012 was 14 births per 1,000 teens (1.4 percent). The Illinois Department of Public Health released provisional numbers showing that in Champaign County, the pregnancy rates for 15-17 year olds were 2.2 percent in 2012 and 2.3 percent in 2013 - higher than the national rate. These numbers represent an increase from the Champaign County 2011 birth rate for 1517 year olds, which was 1 percent. Teens overall (19 year olds and younger) accounted for 7 percent of births in Champaign County in 2012 and 2013, an increase from 6 percent in 2011.
Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) stated, “Champaign County teenage birth rates are somewhat higher than the national averages, which are already too high. We need targeted interventions to prevent teen pregnancy in our community. Teenage parents are more likely to drop out of school, have lower academic achievement and are more likely to have repeat births as teenagers.”
In the CDC’s press release announcing the teen pregnancy report, CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., stated, “Births to younger teens pose the greatest risk of poor medical, social and economic outcomes. Efforts to prevent teen childbearing need to focus on evidence-based approaches to delaying sexual activity and increasing use of the most effective methods of contraception for those teens who are sexually active.”
The CDC report had additional findings, including:
- Racial and ethnic disparities in teen pregnancy rates remain, suggesting the continued need for culturally appropriate interventions and services.
- Sexually active teens continue to use less effective contraceptives.
- Earlier delivery of prevention efforts may further increase abstinence and birth control use.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District offers teen pregnancy prevention services, including educational programs for junior high and high school students and walk-in family planning services (such as contraception, reproductive health exams, pregnancy health education and STD testing).
For more information:
www.c-uphd.org
www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0408-teen-births.html
www.idph.state.il.us/health/statshome.htm
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