Press Releases
Year
Sunday, June 27, Marks National HIV Testing Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2010
Contact
Candi Crause, Director
(217) 531-5372 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Sunday, June 27, Marks National HIV Testing Day
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Citizens to “Take the Test, Take Control”
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) recognizes Sunday, June 27, as National HIV Testing Day. This is the 17th National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) and this year’s theme is Take the Test, Take Control to encourage everyone to know their status. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are more than one million people in the United States that are living with HIV. Of those one million people, the CDC estimates one out of five does not know they are infected.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), as of May 31, 2010, there were almost 60,000 HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in Illinois. Of those diagnosed cases:
- 81% were male
- 48% - African American; 35% - Caucasian; 13% - Hispanic
- 67% were between the ages of 25 - 44 years
Illinois has the seventh highest number of AIDS cases in the nation, with more than 41,000 reported cases since 1981. Of those diagnosed with AIDS, approximately 20,000 have died. It is important to get tested and take control because steps can be taken not only in seeking medical care, but to protect the health and wellbeing of yourself and your partner.
CUPHD offers testing to anyone who is 12 years of age or older and recommends testing for:
- Men who have unprotected sex with other men
- Anyone who injects drugs and shares needles or works with others
- Anyone who has unprotected sex with an injection drug user or a man who has sex with other men
- Anyone who has a sexually transmitted disease
- Anyone who exchanges sex for money or drugs
Upcoming CUPHD events include HIV testing at the University of Illinois’ LGBT Resource Center on Tuesday, June 29, from 4 – 7 PM. CUPHD offers testing through community events, mobile outreach, and by appointment during clinic hours; Tuesdays, 1-5 PM; Thursdays, 9-11 AM and 1-3 PM.
For more information on HIV testing or to schedule an appointment, please call the CUPHD Division of Infectious Disease Prevention and Management at 217-239-7827 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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Statement of Support for the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2010
Contact
Jim Roberts, Director of Environmental Health
(217) 531-2908
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Statement of Support for the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Recognized for Support of the National Guard and Reserve
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) was recently issued a Statement of Support from the National Guard and Reserve from the U.S. Department of Defense. The Statement of Support illustrates an employer’s commitment and support to employees who serve in the National Guard or Reserve.
John Dwyer is employed at CUPHD as the Emergency Preparedness Planner in the Environmental Health division. He is also a Major in the U. S. Air Force Reserves serving as the Officer in Charge of Personnel Programs with the 434th Mission Support Flight, a unit of the 434th Air Refueling Wing. John nominated his supervisor, Jim Roberts, Director of Environmental Health, to participate in the employer orientation flight program. Jim Roberts recently visited the 434th Air Refueling Wing and took part in a refueling mission aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker. The 434th Air Refueling Wing is based out of Grissom Air Reserve Base, near Kokomo, Indiana. On behalf of CUPHD and the Board of Health, Carol Elliott, Chair, signed the Statement of Support that will be displayed in the main lobby at CUPHD.
The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) was established in 1972 and operates within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs.
For additional information about CUPHD, call (217) 352-7961 or visit www.c-uphd.org.
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Warmer Weather Brings Mosquitoes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2010
Contact
Michael Flanagan, Environmental Health Specialist I
(217) 531-2908
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Warmer Weather Brings Mosquitoes
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Residents to Take Simple Precautions against West Nile Virus
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) encourages everyone to be aware of West Nile virus (WNV) and the simple precautions to take to avoid the virus. Viruses are most likely to be spread during the warm-weather months when mosquitoes are most active, usually beginning in the spring and lasting until the first hard frost. Most human cases occur in late summer and fall.
West Nile virus is a disease that can cause encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, in humans and other animals. People get West Nile encephalitis from the bite of a mosquito (primarily the Culex group of species) that is infected with WNV. A mosquito becomes infected by biting a bird that carries the virus. WNV is not spread by person-to-person contact or directly from birds to people. West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Environmental Health routinely tests dead birds in Champaign County as part of the WNV surveillance program.
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 are usually mild and include fever, headache, body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body, and swollen lymph glands. You should see a doctor immediately if you develop symptoms such as high fever, confusion, muscle weakness, or severe headaches. Serious illness, such as encephalitis, meningitis, and death are possible in extreme cases. Persons older than 50 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease.
The best way to prevent West Nile encephalitis or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and neighborhood and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. A few suggestions to help avoid WNV include:
- Stay indoors at dawn, dusk, and early evening. If outdoors at these times, wear shoes and socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt. Loose-fitting, light-colored clothing is best.
- Use repellent specifically labeled as mosquito repellent when it is necessary to be outdoors, apply sparingly to exposed skin or clothing, as indicated on the repellent label. Consult a physician before using repellents on young children.
- Eliminate stagnant water in bird baths, ponds, flower pots, wading pools, old tires, and any other receptacles in which mosquitoes might breed.
- Check for and repair any tears in residential screens, including porches and patios. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.
For additional information on mosquito surveillance or West Nile virus, please contact the CUPHD Environmental Health division at (217) 373-7900 or visit http://c-uphd/westnile-virus.html.
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