Press Releases
Year
Multistate Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupes from Southwest Indiana
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2012
Contact
Sabrina L. Miller (312) 814-8194
Public Health Alert – Multistate Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupes from Southwest Indiana
141 persons from 20 states affected; 17 cases in Illinois
CHICAGO –The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is alerting the public to an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium linked to cantaloupes grown on one farm in southwestern Indiana. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating in an ongoing multistate investigation to identify all possible sources of contamination and prevent additional cases of illness.
A total of 141 people in 20 states have been infected with Salmonella, associated with this outbreak, with illness onset dates ranging from July 7, 2012 to August 4, 2012. Among the 17 reported Illinois cases—representing 11 counties—eight people have been hospitalized.
CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are continuing to investigate, and as a result of the initial investigations, cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana is a likely source of this outbreak.
“Illinois consumers should check for and ask about the origin of recently purchased cantaloupe, and discard any cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana,” said IDPH Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. “Anyone who becomes ill after eating cantaloupes grown in southwestern Indiana should seek medical attention immediately.”
Many cantaloupes have the growing area identified with a sticker on the fruit—if the sticker indicates the cantaloupe was grown in southwestern Indiana, discard it immediately. If no sticker is present, consumers should contact the store where they purchased cantaloupe to ask about its origin.
Signs and Symptoms
Most people infected with Salmonella bacteria develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. However, for some people, diarrhea may be so severe that the person requires hospitalization. Older adults, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to
Find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/IDPH.Illinois or follow us on Twitter @IDPH. have a severe illness from Salmonella infection. Among these and other high-risk groups, Salmonella infection may spread and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.
Recommendations
IDPH recommends that consumers discard any recently purchased cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana, and to seek medical attention immediately if exhibiting any symptoms of Salmonella infection. Retailers and food service operators should not sell or serve cantaloupe from southwestern Indiana.
Additionally, the FDA recommends consumers routinely rinse raw produce such as fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running tap water before eating, cutting or cooking. Even if the produce will be peeled, it should still be washed first. Scrub firm produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush. Dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel. Separate uncooked meats and poultry from vegetables, cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross contamination.
For more information on Salmonella and updates on the current investigation, visit http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium-cantaloupe-08-12/index.html
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Upcoming Event to Support Breastfeeding Moms
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2012
Contact
Linda Steinberg, Peer Counselor (217) 531-4292
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Upcoming Event to Support Breastfeeding Moms
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District to Host a Breastfeeding Expo in August
Champaign, IL –The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) will be hosting the 1st Annual Working Moms Breastfeeding Expo in conjunction with The Big Latch On August 2-4, 2012 at CUPHD, 201 W. Kenyon Road in Champaign. This event is to increase awareness for community mothers on the breastfeeding support services available to them throughout the community. All events are free and open to the public.
The 1st Annual Working Moms Breastfeeding Expo
August 2
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
The 1st Annual Working Moms Breastfeeding Expo – Information will be available about pregnancy, post partum and breastfeeding support services throughout the community, Illinois breastfeeding laws, breastfeeding-friendly businesses, employers and daycares and what you need to know to about successfully breastfeeding while working outside of the home. Free samples and raffles, including a double electric Medela breast pump, will be offered. Children are welcome; crafts and face painting activities will be available. This expo is also open to all pregnant women and new moms interested in breastfeeding information and resources.
The Big Latch On
August 3-4
9:30 – 11:30 AM
The Big Latch On – It is a fun way to meet other breastfeeding moms and be a part of an event that gets recorded every year in the Guinness Book of World Records. Participants will sign up upon arrival and at 10:30 AM everyone participating in The Big Latch On throughout the U.S. will latch their nursing babies at the same time for two minutes. The goal is to increase the number of participants each year. Snacks and beverages will be provided.
Linda Steinberg, Peer Counselor at CUPHD, said “We want to help community mothers reach their individual breastfeeding goals by empowering them with information and support.” According to the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the most highly effective preventive measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant is to breastfeed; however, in the United States, although most mothers hope to breastfeed, and 75 percent of babies start out being breastfed, only 15 percent are exclusively breastfed six months later.
For more information about CUPHD's programs and services, visit us on the web at www.c-uphd.org. You can now follow CUPHD on facebook www.facebook.com/CUPHD and Twitter www.twitter.com/CU_PublicHealth.
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First Human West Nile Virus Positive Case in Illinois For 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2012
Contact
Melaney Arnold (217) 558-0500
First Human West Nile Virus Positive Case in Illinois For 2012
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has confirmed the first human West Nile virus case reported in Illinois for 2012. The Cook County Health Department reported a female in her 60s became ill earlier this month.
“We are seeing are large increase in West Nile virus activity and this first human case is a good reminder that we all need to take precautions,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. “The mosquitoes that typically carry West Nile virus, commonly called the house mosquito, are not as noticeable as the swarms of floodwater mosquitoes we see during rainy summers. Even if it does not look like there are a lot of mosquitoes out, house mosquitoes are stealthy biters and their virus infection rate is increasing rapidly, so make sure to use insect repellent.”
A bird collected in Cook County on May 16, and mosquito batches collected on May 17 and May 18 in DuPage and Cook counties, were the first West Nile virus positive specimens this year. To date, West Nile virus positive birds, mosquitoes and one human case have been reported in 27 counties.
Typically the first human case of West Nile virus is announced in August each year.
Last year a total of 19 counties in Illinois reported a West Nile virus positive mosquito batch, bird and/or human case. A total of 34 Illinois residents contracted West Nile virus disease, and three died.
West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Common West Nile virus symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches. Symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks. However, four out of five people infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms. In rare cases, severe illness including meningitis or encephalitis, or even death, can occur. People older than 50 are at higher risk for severe illness from West Nile virus.
The best way to prevent West Nile disease or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Precautions include practicing the three “R’s” – reduce, repel and report.
- REDUCE exposure - avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn.
- Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.
- Eliminate all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles.
- REPEL - when outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR 3535, according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
- REPORT - In communities where there are organized mosquito control programs, contact your municipal government to report dead birds and areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes.
Additional information about West Nile virus can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website at www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm. Surveillance numbers are updated every Wednesday afternoon www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnvsurveillance12.htm.
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