Press Releases
Year
CUPHD Alerts Public to County-Wide Outbreak of Shigellosis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2009
Contact
Awais Vaid, Epidemiologist
(217) 531-5360
Rachella Thompson, Communicable Disease Investigator,
(217) 531-5361
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
CUPHD Alerts Public to County-Wide Outbreak of Shigellosis
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Urges the Public to Wash Their Hands Often to Prevent the Spread of the Disease
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has determined that there is an outbreak of shigellosis in Champaign County. Since January of 2009, CUPHD has been alerted to 40 lab confirmed cases of shigellosis. CUPHD has requested that the medical community and emergency departments increase testing and treatment of shigellosis. CUPHD has also notified and sent informational letters to Champaign County daycares, educational facilities, pools, day camps, and restaurants.
Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella. Most who are infected with Shigella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps starting a day or two after they are exposed to the bacteria. The diarrhea is often bloody. Shigellosis usually resolves in 5-7 days. Persons with shigellosis rarely require hospitalization. A severe infection with high fever may be associated with seizures in children less than two years old. Some persons who are infected may have no symptoms at all, but may still pass the Shigella bacteria to others.
Most Shigella infections are the result of bacterium spreading from the stools or soiled fingers of one person to the mouth of another. This happens when basic hygiene and hand washing habits are inadequate. It is particularly likely to occur among toddlers who are not fully toilet-trained. Family members and playmates of toddlers are at high risk of becoming infected.
The spread of Shigella can be stopped by frequent and careful hand washing with soap and warm water. Hand washing among children should be frequent and supervised by an adult. In a household where a child is in diapers, everyone who changes the diapers should be sure that the soiled diapers are disposed of properly in a closed-lid garbage can. Those who change the diapers should wash his or her hands and the child’s hands carefully with soap and warm water immediately after handling soiled diapers.
CUPHD encourages the pubic to utilize the following steps to prevent the spread of shigellosis:
- Wash hands with soap carefully and frequently, especially after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers, and before preparing foods and beverages.
- Dispose of soiled diapers properly.
- Disinfect diaper changing areas after using them.
- Keep children with diarrhea out of child care settings until they have been symptom free for at least 48 hours.
- Supervise hand washing of toddlers and small children after they have used the bathroom.
- Do not prepare foods and beverages for other when ill with diarrhea.
- Avoid swallowing water from ponds, lakes or untreated pools.
Proper hand washing should include the following steps:
- Wet your hands and apply soap.
- Rub hands together vigorously to lather and scrub all surfaces.
- Continue washing for 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday”- twice!).
- Rinse hands well under running water.
- Dry hands using a single use paper towel or air dryer.
- If possible, use the paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the bathroom door to avoid contaminating your clean hands.
For more information, please contact CUPHD, Division of Infectious Disease Prevention & Management, (217) 352-7961 or visit our website at www.c-uphd.org.
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CUPHD Super Sale to Promote Good Deals and Good Health!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2009
Contact
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
CUPHD Super Sale to Promote Good Deals and Good Health!
CUPHD Initiates New Strategy to Introduce Local Residents to a Variety of Services and Encourages Them to be “Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise…”
Champaign, IL – On Saturday, April 18, 2009, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) will have a “Super Sale” garage sale and health fair in the main CUPHD parking lot at 201 West Kenyon Road from 10:00am – 2:00pm. Sale items will include holiday items, collectables, clothing, household items and more. All clothing items will be $1.00 or less.
More importantly, CUPHD will incorporate a health fair into the sale which will introduce and provide a variety of services for participants including:
- FREE Prostate Cancer Screenings
- FREE Smoking Cessation Materials
- Access to FREE Mammograms & Pap Tests for Uninsured Women
- FREE Emergency Alert System Sign-up
- FREE Diabetes Materials
- FREE Blood Pressure Check
- FREE Pandemic Flu Planning Materials
- FREE Healthy Cooking & Nutrition Tips
- FREE Child Face Painting
- MUCH MORE!!!
“The CUPHD Super Sale & Health Fair Event is a new outreach idea,” said Julie A. Pryde, Public Health Administrator at CUPHD. “CUPHD provides and /or participates in many health fairs every year, and attendance is always good. However, most of the participants at these events already take an active role in their personal wellness. The goal of this event is to encourage those who may not otherwise attend a health fair to see what CUPHD has to offer. Garage sales attract many people of all ages and lifestyles. What could be better than getting a good deal and a chance at good health too?”
In the event of rain, the “Super Sale” will be the following Saturday, April 25 2009. Sorry, no early sales. Everyone is welcome, and whole family participation is encouraged. There will be interactive opportunities for the children including games and FREE face painting.
For more information on CUPHD and its many programs, please contact CUPHD at (217) 3527961 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.Stock2forFlu or www.c-uphd.org.
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CUPHD Honors “Kick Butts Day” with a Focus on Family Fun & Wellness
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2009
Contact
Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator
(217) 531-2916
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
CUPHD Honors “Kick Butts Day” with a Focus on Family Fun & Wellness
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Provides FREE Wellness Fair to Local Families
Champaign, IL – On Saturday, March 28, 2009, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) will be providing a FREE Wellness Fair in honor of National “Kick Butts Day”. This event will occur from 10:00am -2:00pm at 201 West Kenyon Road. This event is FREE, and local families with children of all ages are encouraged to attend. One lucky family will go home with a brand new Nintendo Wii! Those interested in additional information should call 217-531-2915.
The CUPHD “Kick Butts Day” Wellness Fair will include a variety of family fun activities designed to help kids understand the importance of living tobacco-free. Fair activities will include a Dance Dance Revolution Contest, Trivia Games, Local Kids Poster Display, Free CUPHD Program Materials, Free Give-Aways, a Door Prize Drawing for a Wii, and MUCH More! Fair attendees that would like to live tobacco-free, and may be struggling, will have access to a variety of CUPHD programs designed to meet their individual needs.
“The decision to live tobacco-free is very important, but not always easy”, said Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator for the Division of Wellness & Health Promotion at CUPHD. “Today’s youth face a myriad of tobacco related issues like marketing campaigns that glamorize smoking, peer pressure, potential Nicotine addiction, and exposure to second hand smoke. Everyday about 3,500 youth under the age of 18 try smoking for the first time, and another 1,000 more become new regular, daily smokers. CUPHD hopes that the “Kick Butts Day” Wellness Fair makes the decision to live tobacco-free easier for everyone.”
“Kick Butts Day” is a national movement that “empowers youth to stand out, speak up and seize control from Big Tobacco with fun, educational activities and events.” “Kick Butts Day” youth movements are not only designing messages that work, but also spreading those messages far and wide through advocacy events, activism, viral marketing and word of mouth.
Almost 90% of adults who have ever been regular smokers began smoking by the time they were 18. More than 6 million children under the age of 18 alive today will eventually die from smoke-related disease. On average, 20% of high school students are current smokers. Among these students over 16% are Hispanics and over 11% are African-American.
For more information on smoking cessation or any other CUPHD program, please contact CUPHD at (217) 352-7961 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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