Press Releases
Year
Fall for Smiles Kicks Off with Free Apples
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8, 2010
Contact
Alicia Ekhoff, Program Coordinator
(217) 531-4538
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Fall for Smiles Kicks Off with Free Apples
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Helps Promote Oral Healthcare for Children
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) and its Dental Clinic are showing support for the mission and efforts of Oral Health America by participating in Fall for Smiles, a public messaging campaign conducted in collaboration with Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait®, an initiative of the Dental Trade Alliance.
The Fall for Smiles campaign focuses on four specific messages:
- Brushing and flossing teeth as part of a healthy daily routine
- Maintaining regular visits to the dentist
- Choosing healthy foods for a nutritious diet and healthy mouth
- Avoiding all tobacco products
Through the month of September, CUPHD is offering free apples and healthy smile information on Thursday afternoons from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign. “An estimated 51 million school hours per year are lost because of dentalrelated illness," says Kara Ruffatto, DMD, a CUPHD dentist. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, “Early tooth loss caused by dental decay can result in failure to thrive, impaired speech development, absence from and inability to concentrate in school, and reduced self-esteem.” Parents should support a healthy mouth for their child by seeing the dentist twice each year, helping their child brush at least twice daily, flossing everyday, offering healthy foods like fruit and vegetables, and teaching their children about the dangers of tobacco use.
The CUPHD Children’s Dental Clinic provides treatment for children ages one to 18 who live in Champaign or Urbana and have healthcare coverage through All Kids or Medicaid.
Children enrolled in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, 2nd, or 6th grade in the ChampaignUrbana school district can receive dental care at their school by CUPHD dentists and dental hygienists. Children enrolled in the Urbana school district may also visit CUPHD’s Dental Clinic located in the Urbana School Health Center (USHC) at Urbana High School, 1002 South Race Street.
For more information about dental care and programs, contact CUPHD at (217) 531-4279 or USHC at (217) 239-4220. Visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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Mosquitoes Continue to Test Positive for West Nile Virus in Champaign County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2010
Contact
Jim Roberts, Director of Environmental Health
(217) 531-2908
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Mosquitoes Continue to Test Positive for West Nile Virus in Champaign County
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Urges Residents to Use Insect Repellent When Outdoors in the Evening
Champaign, IL – In recent weeks, mosquito samples and dead bird samples have continued to detect the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) in Champaign County. A total of 14 WNV positive mosquito samples have been detected in Champaign and Urbana, while WNV positive dead bird samples have been detected from Tolono, west Champaign County, and the City of Champaign.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has confirmed the first human West Nile virus case reported in Illinois for 2010. According to IDPH, it was reported that a DuPage County woman in her 50s began with the onset of illness in early August. In 2009, Illinois reported five human cases of West Nile virus with the first case reported on August 31.
In Illinois during hotter summers, such as 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2007, more human cases were reported. This year, a very hot July and August with little rain has produced very good conditions for the Culex mosquito and for WNV transmission. Late summer is the time of the year that you are most likely to come in contact with a WNV infected mosquito. As of August 31, 2010, there have been 25 counties in Illinois reporting either a positive West Nile virus bird or mosquito batch.
“Continued hot weather in September could produce an increased risk of WNV cases. Residents should continue to protect themselves from mosquito bites including, at a minimum, the use insect repellent when outdoors in the evening,” said Jim Roberts, Director of Environmental Health at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD).
CUPHD urges residents to continue to take personal actions to avoid mosquito bites when outdoors:
- Avoid times when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn.
- Apply insect repellent that includes DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellants on infants. Continue to use until evening temperatures are consistently below 50° F when mosquito flying is reduced.
- Wear shoes and socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt.
West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people with the virus have no clinical symptoms of the illness, but some may become ill three to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Only about two out of 10 who are bitten by an infected mosquito will experience any illness. Symptoms of West Nile virus include fever, headache, body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body, and swollen lymph glands. Convalescence from West Nile virus fever may take one to three weeks. About one in 150 people infected will develop serious illness; encephalitis, meningitis, and death are possible in these serious cases. Persons older than 50 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease.
For more information about Mosquito Surveillance and West Nile virus programs, call (217) 373-7900 or visit the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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Download 2010-09-01-WNV-Continue-positive-PR
Egg Recall Due to Salmonella Expanded
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 2010
Contact
Melaney Arnold, Communications Manager
(217) 558-0500
Egg Recall Due to Salmonella Expanded
Impacted brands: Albertson, Boosmsma, Dutch Farms, Farm Fresh, Glenview, Hillandale, James Farms, Kemps, Lucerne, Lund, Mountain Dairy, Pacific Coast, Ralphs, Shoreland, Sunshine, Trafficanda
SPRINGFIELD – Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa today is expanding its voluntarily recall of eggs produced by its farms because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
Eggs affected by this recall are packaged under the following brand names: Albertson, Boosmsma, Dutch Farms, Farm Fresh, Glenview, Hillandale, James Farms, Kemps, Lucerne, Lund, Mountain Dairy, Pacific Coast, Ralphs, Shoreland, Sunshine and Trafficanda. The eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons (six-egg, dozen-egg and 18-egg cartons) with dates ranging from May 16 to August 17 (Julian dates 136 to 229) and plant numbers 1026, 1413, 1720, 1946 and 1942. Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1720 223.
There have been confirmed Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses associated with the recalled eggs, although none in Illinois that are linked to the eggs at this time. Investigations are ongoing.
Symptoms of salmonellosis may include headache, muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, chills, fever, nausea and dehydration. Symptoms usually appear six to 72 hours after ingestion of the bacteria, but can be longer. Salmonella can, in rare cases, cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Consumers who believe they may have purchased these eggs should not eat them but should return them to the store where they were purchased. This recall is of shell eggs only. Other egg products produced by Wright County Eggs are not affected. Consumers with questions should visit www.eggsafety.org or call 866-272-5588.
- Don’t eat recalled eggs that might still be in grocery stores, restaurants, and consumers' homes.
- If you think you have eaten recalled eggs and become ill, contact your doctor.
- Wash hands, cooking utensils, and food preparation surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.
- Eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm and eaten promptly after cooking.
- Avoid eating raw eggs.
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