Press Releases
Year
First Central Illinois West Nile Virus Positive Results For 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2012
Contact
Melaney Arnold (217) 558-0500
First Central Illinois West Nile Virus Positive Results For 2012
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting the first West Nile virus positive bird detected in central Illinois for 2012. Champaign Urbana Public Health District staff collected a crow on June 12, which tested positive for West Nile virus. 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.
“With hot weather forecasted for this week, we anticipate increased West Nile virus activity across the state. Typically when temperatures increases, so do mosquito activity and the risk of West Nile disease,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. “It is important to protect yourself by following the three R’s – reduce your exposure to mosquitoes, repel them by wearing insect repellent, and report areas where mosquitoes typically breed.”
This year, West Nile virus positive birds and/or mosquitoes have been reported in 13 counties – Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Gallatin, Jackson, Kendall, LaSalle, Madison, Peoria, St. Clair, Stephenson and Will counties (website updates every Wednesday afternoon www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnvsurveillance12.htm). No human cases of West Nile virus have been reported so far this year.
The first West Nile virus positive results in 2011 were collected on June 8 and included two birds from LaSalle County. Last year 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.
Surveillance for West Nile virus in Illinois includes laboratory tests on mosquito batches, dead crows, blue jays, robins and other perching birds, as well as testing sick horses and humans with West Nile-like disease symptoms. People who observe a sick or dying crow, blue jay, robin or other perching bird should contact their local health department, which will determine if the bird will be picked up for testing.
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 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.
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Growing Your Own Food is a SNAP with Seed and Plant Sales at CUPHD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2012
Contact
Brandon Meline, Director Maternal & Child Health
(217) 531-4308
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Growing Your Own Food is a SNAP with Seed and Plant Sales at CUPHD
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is Hosting a Seed and Plant Sale Day
Champaign, IL –The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) will be hosting a seed and plant sale for anyone with SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign from 1:00 – 5:30 PM, as part of the Farmers’ Market season kick-off.
Seeds will be available for purchase from 10 to 50 cents per package and plants will be available for between $1.00 and $3.50 each, depending on variety. Available plants will include broccoli, peppers and tomatoes (multiple varieties), cucumber, eggplant, strawberry, spaghetti squash, zucchini, watermelon, cantaloupe, sweet potato and more. These items can be purchased at a much cheaper price than fresh produce. One $3.00 tomato plant can produce up to 10 to 15 pounds of tomatoes whereas you might pay $4.98 for two pounds of tomatoes at a local grocer; one $3.00 seedless watermelon plant can produce multiple watermelons but would cost $6.00 for one watermelon at the grocery store; one $3.00 cucumber plant also produces multiple cucumbers but costs $4.00 for two cucumbers at the store; and six red or yellow peppers could cost $7.00 when purchased at a local grocer.
According to Brandon Meline, Director of Maternal and Child Health at CUPHD, “I believe a majority of SNAP benefit recipients do not know that they can purchase foodproducing plants and seeds with their benefits and this is a great way to increase access to healthy, fresh foods and to increase the amount of food received with each dollar of SNAP benefits. It is not promoted widely because many places such as hardware stores that sell seeds and plants are not SNAP vendors because they do not meet all of the criteria, and many places that meet the criteria do not sell seeds and plants. Luckily, CUPHD is able to offer this service as part of our Farmers’ Market SNAP vendor license.”
This sale will be one day only and leads into the weekly 1:00 – 5:30 PM Tuesday Farmers’ Market at CUPHD, which will begin June 5th. SNAP benefits, as well as cash and WIC Farmers’ Market vouchers, are also accepted at these markets, which highlight locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly Food Stamps) helps low-income individuals and families buy the food they need for good health. The Department of Human Services administers the program in Illinois.
For more information about CUPHD's programs and services, visit us on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
Upcoming Workshop for Women’s Wellness
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2012
Contact
Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator (217) 531-531-2914
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Upcoming Workshop for Women’s Wellness
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Hosts a FREE Women’s Wellness Workshop to Provide Healthy Habit Ideas
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) will be hosting a FREE Women’s Wellness Workshop on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 from 5:00 – 9:00 PM (speakers begin at 6:00 PM) at 201 W. Kenyon Road in Champaign. This educational and fun workshop will be geared towards increasing positive healthy habits of women.
“The women of today are busier than ever before and too often women do not realize the strain that they inadvertently place on their health, which may lead to unfortunate consequences in the future,” said Nikki Hillier, Program Coordinator for CUPHD. “CUPHD hopes that this Women’s Wellness Workshop will give participants the tools necessary to meet these challenges in a healthy way.”
This workshop will feature vendors focused on women’s health and guest speakers touching on topics including stress management, healthy shopping on a budget, health and organic gardening. In addition, there will be fitness demonstrations, door prizes, light refreshments available and much more.
Guest speakers and topics include:
- Amy Ledbetter, The Frugal Family “Healthy Shopping on a Tight Budget”
- Wendy Starwalt, Carrie Busey “Getting Your Family Healthy So You Can Take Care of You”
- Lisa Braddock “Year Round Organic Gardening”
- Peggy Cler, Body Work Associates “Stress Management & Relief”
Women are encouraged to register for this free event by contacting Nikki Hillier at
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