Tag Archives: Health News

Take Precautions to Prevent Hantavirus

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Residents, visitors urged to protect themselves against the Hantavirus

FLAGSTAFF, AZ––As warmer temperatures and wetter weather return to Northern Arizona, so does the threat of Hantavirus, a rare but fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings.

The Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) reminds the public to take a few precautions when entering and cleaning sheds, garages, campers, cabins, barns and other buildings to protect themselves from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).

“As preparations for summer activities begin, we want to remind everyone to take the time to use appropriate precautions when entering and cleaning structures and buildings,” said Kimbal Babcock, CCPHSD Interim Chief Health Officer.

HPS is transmitted to people who come into contact with or breathe the urine, droppings and saliva of wild mice, primarily deer mice. The illness starts with fever, headache and muscle aches, and progresses rapidly to severe difficulty in breathing and, in some cases, death.

The last reported case of Hantavirus in Coconino County was reported in 2007, but to prevent HPS, public health officials recommend the following:

Proper clean-up methods:

  • Open all door and windows, leave them open for 30 minutes before cleaning.
  • Do not stir up dust by vacuuming, sweeping, or any other means.
  • When rodent droppings or nests are found in and around the home, spray them liberally with a household disinfectant and allow them to soak for at least 15 minutes. Any rodent droppings and rodent nests should be sprayed with a pesticide to kill fleas before disinfecting or disposing the carcasses.
  • After disinfecting, wear rubber gloves and clean up the droppings with disposable materials such as paper towels, rags or disposable mop heads.
  • Seal all materials, droppings or nests in double plastic bags and dispose of them in the trash.

Rodent-proof your home:

  • Prevent rodents from entering the home by plugging or sealing all holes and gaps to the outside greater than 1/4-inch in diameter. Use steel wool, thick wire screen, metal flashing or cement to seal holes.
  • Eliminate or reduce rodent shelter around the home by removing outdoor junk and clutter, and by moving woodpiles, lumber, hay bales etc., as far away from the house as possible.
  • Do not make food easily available to rodents. Do not leave pet food in dishes. Dispose of garbage in trash cans with tight-fitting lids.

Certain forms of outdoor recreation, such as camping and hiking, can pose a risk for Hantavirus exposure.

  • A few precautions should be taken, including:
  • Campers should not pitch tents or place sleeping bags in close proximity to rodent nests, burrows, or in areas of heavy rodent activity.
  • Before use, properly clean tents and other camping gear that have been stored where rodents may have had access.
  • If possible, do not sleep on the bare ground and zip tents closed to keep animals out.
  • Use only bottled water or water that has been disinfected by filtration, boiling, chlorination, or iodination for drinking, cooking, washing dishes and brushing teeth.

VA wait times mean some die before getting care

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“The bottom line is it is unclear how long veterans are waiting to receive care in VA’s medical facilities because the reported data are unreliable,” Draper told the panel.

By Patricia Kime – Staff writer

Internal Veterans Affairs Department documents show that at least two veterans died last year waiting to see a doctor while others couldn’t get primary care appointments for up to eight months, members of a House oversight and investigations panel said Thursday.

Addressing the ongoing problem of vets who suffer through long waits for appointments at VA hospitals and clinics, House lawmakers joined federal investigators and veterans service organizations in castigating VA on an issue that has endured for more than a decade.

“Evidence shows that many VA facilities, when faced with a backlog of thousands of outstanding or unresolved consultations, decided to administratively close out these requests. Some reasons given included that the request was years old, too much time had elapsed, or the veteran had died,” said Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., chairman of the House Veterans Oversight and Investigations panel.

“This is unacceptable,” said Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., the panel’s ranking Democrat. “Veterans deserve timely, accessible health care.”

According to VA, about 49 percent of new patients and 90 percent of established patients are able to see a primary care doctor or specialist within VA’s goal of 14 days, a metric established in 2011.

But the first-time patients who weren’t seen within 14 days waited an average 50 days to schedule initial appointments.

Read more at Army Times

Would legalizing marijuana actually increase problems?

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With the recent legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington and marijuana dispensaries being all the rage, YouTube video reporter Steven Crowder takes a humorous, but insightful, look into the legalization of the drug.

His report makes some interesting discoveries such as the fact that some people get a prescription for the drug to purchase from dispensaries and sell on the open market. He makes the point, as well, that pro-marijuana organizations claiming the drug is not that harmful may actually cause kids who would otherwise stray from the drug to try it.

While Crowder does not take either side of the cause, he does make some interesting points interviewing people concerned with various sides of the issue.

Coconino County Health ask help with their health assessment

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WILLIAMS—The Coconino County Health department is holding an assessment of health services and asks the help of the public. The last session is to be held in Williams on Tuesday, July 17th from 10:30 to 11:30.

People are welcome to go to the event and participate.

As an enticement they offer refreshments and snacks at the event. However it is the Health department so don’t expect donuts and pastries.

Increases in Rocky Mountain spotted fever detected in Arizona

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A March 30 email from the Arizona Health Alert Network reports:

Arizona Department of Health Services has detected increased levels of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in the state including one confirmed and one suspect fatality. RMSF is a serious illness that can be fatal if not treated promptly and correctly, even in previously healthy people. Doxycycline is the treatment of choice for adults and children of all ages and should be initiated immediately whenever RMSF is suspected. Use of antibiotics other than doxycycline is associated with a higher risk of fatal outcome. Treatment is most effective at preventing death if doxycycline is started in the first 5 days of symptoms.

Treatment should never be delayed pending the receipt of laboratory test results, which are unlikely to be available in time for treatment to prevent death. Treatment should not be withheld in a patient where there is clinical suspicion on the basis of an initial negative finding for R. rickettsii. The diagnosis of RMSF must be made based on clinical signs and symptoms, and can later be confirmed using paired sera.

Most people will develop symptoms one week following the tick bite (range 3-14 days) and not all infected patients recall a tick bite.
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