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Central District Health Provides Updated Recommendations for Discontinuing Isolation
July 29, 2020
Based on the best information available as of mid-July 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated recommendations for discontinuation of isolation or precautions for people who have a positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2. Key changes include: shortening of the time after resolution of fever before discontinuation of isolation or precautions; removal of recommendations for a test-based strategy except for certain circumstances; and recommendation to not retest individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 and remain asymptomatic during the 3 months following symptom onset.
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Central District Health Provides Reminder of COVID-19 Resources and Information
June 25, 2020
Central District Health (CDH) staff are happy to answer your COVID-19 related questions. Additionally, would like to share information related to some of the more common questions we receive.
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Central District Health Requests Reporting Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019
May 18, 2020
In early May 2020, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene received reports of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). From April 16 through May 4, 2020, 15 patients aged 2-15 years were hospitalized, many requiring admission to the intensive care unit.
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Central District Health Announces Updates to COVID-19 Isolation Period
May 7, 2020
On May 3, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the recommended duration of isolation for individuals (including healthcare personnel) with COVID-19 when a symptom-based strategy is used.
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Central District Health Announces Online Resources to Help Slow the Spread
April 3, 2020
Central District Health (CDH) has received 317 reports of lab-confirmed COVID-19, to date, and documented community transmission is occurring in Ada and Elmore Counties. Over 200 of these reports have been received in the past week.
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Central District Health Announces Updated Prioritization of Specimens at IBL, Serologic Testing Information, and Waste Handling Guidelines
March 27, 2020
On 3/24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated guidance for clinicians on evaluating and testing persons for COVID-19, to include prioritization of groups for testing, and guidance on collecting specimens for COVID-19 testing to allow for use of nasal swabs and self-collection of nasal swabs.
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Central District Health Announces Additional COVID-19 Testing Information
March 17, 2020
Positive COVID-19 results have been reported for 3 Health District 4 residents and 7 people statewide. At this time, there is not indication of community spread in Idaho.
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Central District Health Announces Additional COVID-19 Testing Information and Infection Prevention Guidelines
March 12, 2020
Criteria to guide testing of patients of COVID-19 have been expanded to a wider group of symptomatic patients. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/clinical-criteria.html.
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Central District Health Announces Updated COVID-19 Testing Processes
March 6, 2020
Criteria to guide testing of patients for COVID-19 have been expanded to a wider group of symptomatic patients. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/clinical-criteria.html.
Healthcare providers should use their judgment to determine if a patient has signs and symptoms compatible with COVID-19 and whether the patient should be tested.
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Central District Health Urges Health Care Providers to Continue to Consider COVID-19 in Patients with Severe Respiratory Illness
March 3, 2020
In the United States, presumptive or confirmed COVID-19 cases likely from community spread have been reported from Washington state, Oregon, and California. The World Health Organization raised the global risk assessment to very high.
Healthcare providers should continue to consider COVID-19 in patients with severe respiratory illness and encourage all patients presenting with respiratory illness to take steps to minimize the potential for disease transmission in the community. Read Full HAN
Central District Health Urges Health Care Providers to Continue to Vaccinate Against Hepatitis A
February 20, 2020
Hepatitis A continues to be of concern in our region with 3 new case reports in recent weeks, including one being in a food worker. In 2019, 47 residents of our health district were confirmed to have hepatitis A. Providers should continue to test patients with clinically compatible signs and symptoms and vaccinate susceptible adults and children. Read Full HAN
Updated Interim Guidance for Healthcare Providers on 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
January 31, 2020
Health authorities in China, the United States, and other countries worldwide continue to investigate an outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), with nearly 8,000 confirmed infections reported to date, most of them in China. The first human-to-human transmission in the United States was announced this week, in a household contact of a person with confirmed 2019-nCoV infection who had traveled from Wuhan. Read Full HAN
Interim Guidance for Healthcare Providers on 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
January 22, 2020
Health authorities in China continue to investigate an outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infections associated with a large seafood and animal market in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China which started in December 2019. There are now growing indications that limited person-to-person spread is happening, it is unclear how easily this virus is transmissible between humans. Read Full HAN
Syphilis Update for Healthcare Providers; Central Distrct Health Recommends Continued Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections Including Syphilis
January 16, 2020
Rates of syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to increase. Central District Health (CDH) received reports of 61 syphilis infections in 2019 with nearly 1 in 4 reported infections being in females. Full HAN Message
Tuberculosis Exposure at Local High School; Central District Health Asks Providers to Test Patients Identified as Exposed
September 26, 2019
Central District Health (CDH) has confirmed that exposure to TB may have occurred at Capital High School in Boise between January and May 2019. There is no ongoing risk, and people are safe to attend school and school events as usual. Full HAN Message
Call for Cases: Severe Respiratory Illness Associated With Vaping or E-Cigarette Use
August 27, 2019
As of August 27, 2019, public health officials in 25 states are investigating 215 reports of persons with severe respiratory illness associated with vaping or e-cigarette use, and additional reports of pulmonary illness are under investigation. Full HAN Message
Hepatitis A and Pertussis Advisory for Health Care Providers
August 15, 2019
Hepatitis A continues to be of concern in our region with the illness being diagnosed in 28 Ada and Elmore county residents, including multiple food handlers, and 46 people statewide. Providers should continue to test patients with clinically compatible signs and symptoms and vaccinate susceptible adults and children. Full HAN Message
Measles Case Confirmed in an Idaho Resident
June 6, 2019
A case of measles has been confirmed in a Latah County, Idaho resident. This is the first confirmed case in Idaho since 2001. In addition to the Idaho case, there are ongoing measles outbreaks in Washington, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Georgia, California and Michigan. Full HAN Message
Central District Health Urges Health Care Providers to Continue to Watch
for Hepatitis A and Vaccinate Those at Risk
May 6, 2019
Hepatitis A continues to be of concern in our region with eight cases being diagnosed among Ada and Elmore county residents this year, and an additional seven throughout the state. Providers should continue to test patients with clinically compatible signs and symptoms and vaccinate susceptible adults and children. Full HAN Message
Central District Health Urges Health Care Providers to Watch for Hepatitis A
February 26, 2019
Since the first of the year, six hepatitis A cases have been reported among Ada and Elmore County residents. Typically, 1-2 cases are reported in an entire calendar year. All reported cases have been men between the ages of 30 and 60. Only one reported out-of-state travel during the most likely exposure period. No common risk factors for illness have been found. Full HAN Message
Central District Health Asks Providers to Include Measles in Differential Diagnosis for Patients with Febrile Rash Illness
February 5, 2019
At this time, there are no reported cases of measles in Idaho; however, there are ongoing measles outbreaks in Washington, New York and Texas.
Health care providers should consider measles in patients presenting with a febrile rash illness and clinically compatible symptoms, especially if the patient recently travelled internationally or to areas in the United States experiencing a measles outbreak. Full HAN Message
Lead in Drinking Water for Health Care Providers; Information about Water Lead Levels and School Test Results
October 29, 2018
As part of a voluntary water testing program, school officials recently detected elevated lead levels (>15 parts per billion (ppb)) in some drinking water samples at Fairmont Junior High. As Boise School District continues to test other schools, there may be additional public announcements about elevated water lead levels in fountains or faucets. Parents may have questions about the risk to their children’s health, or about the need for blood lead testing. As CDC case studies have demonstrated, exposure to a water source with elevated lead levels does not necessitate blood lead testing (CDC, 2004; 2010; 2012; 2016). Lead levels in Boise’s drinking water are not elevated so lead is typically from the fixture or plumbing components. Full HAN Message
Plague (Yersinia pestis) Confirmed in Child; Plague Exposure Could Be from Idaho or Oregon; Watch for Cases
June 12, 2018
Plague was confirmed this week in an Elmore County child. The child was in Idaho and Oregon during the incubation period. A source has not been identified and the investigation is ongoing. No ground squirrel die-offs have been detected this year in Ada or Elmore County or in Oregon. Full HAN Message
Central District Health Asks Medical Providers to Consider Enteric Testing for Romaine Lettuce Consumers with Diarrheal Illness
April 13, 2018
Central District Health (CDH) has identified six Shiga-Toxin Producing E. coli (STEC O157:H7) cases who are associated with a nation-wide cluster. Onset dates for CDH patients range from March 25 to March 30. Please continue to watch for new cases. Full HAN Message
Central District Health Asks Medical Providers to Consider Pertussis (Whooping Cough) and Test Suspect Cases in Infants, Teenagers, and Adults
November 20, 2017
During the last three months, 12 pertussis cases have been reported among Ada County residents. This is twice the number compared to the same time period last year. Many of the cases are in teenagers and young adults (i.e. 13-20 years old), however 25% of the cases are older than 40. Full HAN Message
Zika Virus Testing Update for Health Care Providers
March 20, 2017
Idaho Bureau of Laboratories (IBL) provides testing for emerging diseases when diagnostic testing is limited or nonexistent in the commercial sector. Zika virus testing was a recent example of this. Since commercial testing for Zika is now widely available in clinical reference laboratories, IBL is no longer accepting specimens for routine Zika testing. Specimens should be sent to the health care facility’s commercial laboratory. Full HAN Message
Reporting Acute Flaccid Myelitis
November 7, 2016
In 2014, the United States saw an unexpected increase in the number of reports of children experiencing neurologic illness with presentations similar to acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). The syndrome was named acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) to better distinguish it from other forms of AFP. Full HAN Message
Zika Virus Advisory for Health Care Providers
August 23, 2016
Please consider Zika virus infection when evaluating symptomatic patients or pregnant women with recent travel to affected areas. Full HAN Message
Gonorrhea and Syphilis Update
August 2, 2016
Gonorrhea and syphilis rates remain high across the Treasure Valley. CDH urges providers to continue to assess risk, discuss risk reduction strategies, and test patients for STDs including gonorrhea and syphilis. Full HAN Message
Plague Advisory for Health Care Providers
May 27, 2016
Plague (Yersinia pestis) Likely to Confirm in Ground Squirrels Outside of Boise; Central District Health Asks Providers to be Alert for Cases through June. Full HAN Message
Central District Health (CDH) Recommends Providers Screen for Syphilis
February 16, 2016
Syphilis continues to be a concern in our communities. In 2015 and 2016, 70 primary and secondary cases related to this latest outbreak were reported to CDH and Southwest District Health. Full HAN Message
Zika Virus Advisory for Health Care Providers
January 20, 2016
Please consider Zika virus infection when evaluating patients presenting with clinically compatible symptoms after travel to affected areas, including Puerto Rico and multiple countries in the Americas south of the United States.
Full HAN Message
CDC Health Alert Network Messages
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Idaho Health Alert Network
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Past HAN Messages
2015
10-20-15 Raw Milk, Enteric Advisory for Health Care Providers
08-26-15 Central District Health Recommends Providers Review Updated STD Treatment Guidelines
06-12-15 Salmonella Outbreak in Treasure Valley; Central District Health Asks Providers to Test Patients with Diarrheal Illness
05-22-15 Plague (Yersinia pestis) Confirmed in Ground Squirrels South of Boise; Central District Health Asks Providers to be Alert for Cases through June
01-14-15 Mumps Advisory for Health Care Providers