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October is SIDS Awareness Month. About 3,000 sudden unexplained infant deaths occur in the United States every year. Of those, more than 1 in 3 are from SIDS. Learn more about SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths data and statistics by visiting the National Institute of Health's Safe to Sleep website.
In Your Neighborhood . . .
Martinsville-Henry County Community Health Workers (CHW) Christa Moore, Karen Millner, and Loleader Valentine attended the 4th Annual Conference of the Virginia Community Health Worker Association which convened on Wed., October 24 in Richmond.
This event brought together recognized speakers; local, state, and federal dignitaries; nonprofit, philanthropic, and private-sector experts; and CHWs from all over the state to share and glean from each other. It was a chance to network, grow professionally, and celebrate the significant advances CHWs have made in our communities.
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In Virginia . . .
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Virginia has observed an increase in pneumonia ED and UC visits, particularly among children 5–17 years of age. Outbreaks of pneumonia at K–12 schools and a university have identified a variety of causes including enterovirus, rhinovirus, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
The number of weekly ED and urgent care (UC) visits with diagnosed pneumonia among 0–17 year olds in Virginia continues to rapidly increase. From October 13–19 there were 1,719 pneumonia visits, a 32% increase from the previous week. Of the visits, over 82% were among 5–17 year olds, and 18% were among 0–4 year olds. This is more than triple the weekly peak observed in the past two years. There are also increases observed among 18–44 year olds.
Practice healthy respiratory habits, including routine and seasonal immunizations. This will help prevent respiratory infections that can lead to pneumonia. Additionally, promoting healthy habits (e.g., staying home when sick, using your elbow to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and frequently washing hands) can help reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses. - VDH
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Across the country . . .
Why Food Recalls are Everywhere Right Now
A rash of foodborne illness cases in which deli meat, waffles, eggs, and other foods tainted with E. coli, listeria, and salmonella have been responsible for product recalls, hundreds of hospitalizations, and even deaths across the United States……. What’s going on?
Even though the burden of making sure food is safe should fall on the companies that produce and handle it, as well as the government bodies tasked with inspection, consumers should be more aware of the risks their food poses.
“We need to assume that food is always contaminated,” said a food policy expert. “We always have to be vigilant about ... where we buy, what we buy, what we eat, how we prepare the food, the questions we ask, that kind of thing, to be a stakeholder in that process as well.”
Listeria, salmonella, and E. coli infections are particularly concerning for the disproportionate effect they can have on vulnerable groups like pregnant people, children, and people over the age of 65.
For the whole story, and a list of symptoms for the illnesses listed above, read Waffles, chicken, deli meat: Why it feels like food recalls are everywhere | Vox
What Makes ‘Pink Cocaine’ So Dangerous
A designer drug called tusi has been in the news lately due to its connections with Sean “Diddy” Combs and the recent death of Liam Payne.
- It’s a bright pink powder combining any number of substances. Common ingredients include ketamine and ecstasy, but usually not cocaine.
Users are led to believe that tusi is safer than street drugs, but without knowing the exact ingredients of a given batch—which could even include fentanyl or xylazine—the effects can be unpredictable and even fatal.
 Today is World Psoriasis Day (October 29). Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease (a disease with an unclear cause that is characterized by inflammation caused by dysfunction of the immune system) that causes inflammation in the body. There may be visible signs of inflammation such as raised plaques (plaques may look different for different skin types) and scales on the skin. To learn more about psoriasis, including causes and triggers, visit the National Psoriasis Foundation.
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Health Notes
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People 50 and older should get pneumococcal vaccines to protect against pneumonia and other dangerous illnesses, a CDC advisory panel recommended yesterday, replacing earlier guidance aimed at people ages 65+. AP
- From August 2021 to August 2023, 47.7 percent of U.S. adults had hypertension. The prevalence was higher in men overall but increased with age for both sexes, according to the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
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