ENTEROVIRUS D68 MAY LINK TO PARALYSIS, SPREADS IN CALIFORNIA
From the Breitbart.com.
Cases of the sometimes-deadly Enterovirus D68 (EV D68) in California children have begun multiplying following exponential numbers of cases nationwide. Some Enterovirus cases have been connected to paralysis in patients. The original source of the rising number of EV D68 in the United States is unknown Dr. Gil Chavez, Deputy Director, State Epidemiologist for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) told Breitbart News on Friday.
Shasta County sees four-fold uptick in whooping cough cases
From the Record Searchlight.
Keeping up with a state-declared epidemic, Shasta County has had four times as many whooping cough cases, so far this year, than it did during the same period of 2013. "We’re definitely having an upswing of whooping cough in Shasta County," said Andrew Deckert, the county’s public health officer. The illness has hospitalized 288 people statewide, so far this year, including 68 intensive-care stays, according to the California Department of Public Health.
CA HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN OF BOTULISM RISK IN PUMPKIN SEED PESTO SAUCE
From KTIC Radio.
The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers of recalled Williams-Sonoma Pumpkin Seed Pesto sauce due to a potential botulism risk. The food may have been improperly produced, officials said Friday, making it susceptible to contamination with Clostridium botulinum. Ingestion of the toxin from improperly processed jarred and canned foods can lead to serious illness and death, according to health officials.
How do you convince people climate change affects health?
From 3fold.
The California Department of Public Health, in partnership with Harder + Company, came to 3fold looking to raise awareness about the links between climate change and the health of individuals, and incite community action and change. The campaign required creating a marketing campaign and template for execution to be tested in a pilot county (San Luis Obispo) with the goal of securing future funding to take the campaign. 3fold created compelling messaging and imagery that communicated the links between climate change and health to prompt target audiences to take a specific action(s).
California’s tobacco control efforts losing steam, report finds
From Medical Press.
California’s position as a leader in tobacco control is under threat, according to a new report from the UC San Francisco Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education. Once a highly successful program and international model, the state’s anti-tobacco efforts now appear to be waning due to the decreased spending power of the California Tobacco Control Program, a resurgence of the tobacco industry in state politics, and the emergence of new unregulated tobacco products.
West Nile virus cases surging across California
From Oroville Mercury Register.
In the midst of a historic drought, public health officials are searching for clues as to why cases of West Nile virus have exploded statewide since last year, making this season the worst for human infections in California since 2005. This year, the proportion of mosquitoes infected with the virus statewide is at the highest level ever detected, according to the California Department of Public Health. Statewide, 562 human cases of West Nile have been reported as of Tuesday, more than twice the number from a year ago. The state has also confirmed 17 deaths related to the virus so far, up from 15 in all of 2013.