 Friday, June 2, 2023
Mayor Greenberg appoints new interim leadership
Mayor Craig Greenberg recently appointed new interim leadership for the Department of Public Health and Wellness.
Connie Mendel, senior deputy director for the department, will serve as interim Chief Health Strategist. She replaces Dr. Jeff Howard whose term ended May 31. Mendel has devoted her career to public service beginning in 1997 when she joined the Jefferson County Health Department as an environmental health specialist in the Hazardous Materials Emergency Response, Food Safety, and Mosquito Control programs.
She steadily ascended the ranks and prior to her appointment by Mayor Greenberg served as Senior Deputy Director where she led the department’s COVID-19 response, administrative and finance operations, regulatory operations and enforcement, emergency planning and preparedness, and the Public Health Laboratory. She has a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Public Health from the University of Louisville.
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Dr. Inder Singal, an ophthalmologist with Bennett and Bloom Eye Center, has been appointed to serve as the interim medical director. Previously, Dr. Jeff Howard served as the department’s interim director and medical director. Singal will serve as clinical and medical advisor to the department.
The Mayor also announced Dr. Kris Bryant as the associate medical director for the department.
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Dr. Bryant, a pediatric infection disease specialist with Norton Children’s, will work with the existing Medical Director and Special Healthcare Projects Manager on coordination with the healthcare system, optimization of clinical services, and dissemination of public health guidance and updates as well as dissemination of information to the public.
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Protect yourself from tick-borne illnesses
 Have you recently been bitten by a tick? If so, you’re not the only one. Though ticks are prevalent all year long in Kentucky, they are much more active during the warmer months. The tiny parasites are more commonly found in wooded, brushy and grassy areas. However, they can be found in your favorite park and even your own backyard.
Ticks can spread diseases to both dogs and people, and can transmit a number of illnesses including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). If you are bitten by a tick, or discover one, the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW) is asking you to share it with us for identification purposes.
Since the “Spot a Tick and Share Program” launched last year, LMPHW has tested more than 170 ticks. Results are being used to create a map of where ticks are being reported to enhance our education and outreach efforts.
To submit a tick, place it in a small leak-proof container and cover the sample with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. Label the container with your name on it, along with this completed form, and drop off the sample to LMPHW at 400 E. Gray St. Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. To learn more about how to submit a tick properly, click here.
To protect yourself from getting bitten, remember the T-I-C-K rules of thumb:
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Take precautions and wear insect repellent.
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Inspect your body for ticks and rashes after being outdoors.
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Carefully remove the head and body of the tick.
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Keep monitoring your health for fever, body aches and rashes and seek medical attention if they develop.
For more information about ticks, prevention tips and proper removal, visit LMPHW’s webpage.
Make sure you and your family swim with care
 Don’t swim or let your kids swim if they are sick with diarrhea. One person with diarrhea can contaminate the entire pool. You can learn more ways to help keep you and those you care about healthy visit: https://go.usa.gov/xsymt
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