|
While the summer has been mild, the recent heat and humidity
serves as a reminder to keep cool, drink fluids and lie low to prevent heat
illness.
Older adults infants, pregnant women, people who have
chronic diseases and workers are most at risk for heat illnesses. On hot days,
these people need access to air conditioning and to drink more fluids.
And as many student-athletes are returning to the practice
field, coaches and parents need to know how to manage fluids and rest breaks on
hot days.
For more on how to recognize and prevent heat illness:
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/environmental-health/heat/index.html
Use the Maine Tracking Network to find data about heat
illness in Maine: https://data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking
 Key participants in the development and implementation of the new system are (from left): Cecile Sprout, Karen Blake, Richard Greenwald (OIT), Marty Henson and Dana Daigle (OIT)
Data, Research and Vital Statistics
has launched a new, time-saving automated process within its Electronic Death
Registration System (EDRS). Now the Social Security number of a
person who is deceased can be verified online when a death record is created in the EDRS. This process will be helpful to funeral homes,
medical certifiers and State staff. Once a Social Security number
is entered into the EDRS, it is instantly verified at the Social Security
Administration. A message is returned to the user indicating whether
the name, Social Security number, date of birth and sex are correct.
This service will save valuable
time for the users of the EDRS by allowing for the review of information and
the correction of any errors when the data are entered.
The implementation of this new
service brings more money to the State from Social Security Administration for
the data we provide. The funds will be used to support the ongoing maintenance
of the EDRS.
Ticks are generally found in brushy or wooded areas and near the ground. They cannot jump or fly.
Ticks are attracted to a variety of host factors, including body heat and
carbon dioxide. They will transfer to a potential host when one brushes
directly against them and seek a site for attachment.
Ticks cause a variety of diseases, including Lyme disease,
anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Powassan and Rocky Mountain spotted
fever, all of which are reportable in Maine.
Cases of tickborne diseases reported in Maine through August 4 include:
- 345 cases of Lyme disease, compared to 1,395 for all of 2014
- 95 cases of anaplasmosis, compared to 191 for all of
2014
- 18 cases of babesiosis, compared to 42 cases for all of 2014
For more information:
Summer is here, which means mosquitoes are here as well.
Arboviral diseases, including eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile
virus (WNV), are very serious infections that are transmitted by the bite of an
infected mosquito. Additionally, Powassan
virus is an arboviral disease transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. Although rare, these diseases have
potentially severe and even fatal consequences for those who contract them. Maine CDC reminds clinicians of the potential
for human disease activity in Maine and to consider testing for arboviral
disease in patients presenting with unexplained encephalitis, meningitis or
fever (≥100.4°F or 38°C) during the summer and early fall.
EEE and WNV were first detected in Maine in 2001 in
birds. In 2009, Maine experienced
unprecedented EEE activity with 19 animals and two mosquito pools testing
positive. In 2012, Maine reported its
first human case of locally-acquired WNV neuroinvasive illness. In 2014, Maine reported its first human case
of locally-acquired EEE neuroinvasive illness. Powassan was first identified in
Maine in 2000 but is rarely reported; a confirmed case in 2013 was the first
reported case in nearly a decade. In
2014, Maine reported EEE in an emu from Cumberland County. In addition, 22 mosquito pools from York
County and one human from York County.
Many people infected with arboviral illness remain
asymptomatic. The following groups of people are at higher risk for clinically
significant arboviral infection:
- Residents of and visitors to areas with mosquito or tick activity
- People who engage in outdoor work and recreational activities
-
People older than 50 and younger than 15
Additional
Information
- Disease
consultation and reporting available through Maine CDC at 1-800-821-5821
Cases of pertussis (whooping cough) continue to be reported
statewide.
As of August 4, 197 cases have been reported in Maine this
year, and the majority of the cases are in school-aged children.
Maine CDC encourages providers who see patients for cough in
an outbreak area to test for pertussis and treat empirically. (Providers do not
need to wait for positive results to return or a two-week history of cough in
order to treat.)
DTaP vaccine is recommended for all infants and children.
Tdap vaccine is recommended for all preteens, teens and adults, including
health care providers. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists, Tdap is also recommended in the third trimester of every
pregnancy.
For more guidance and
information, visit http://go.usa.gov/dCO
|
