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Central District Health Announces Updated Prioritization of Specimens at IBL, Serologic Testing Information, and Waste Handling
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.
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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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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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
August 23, 2016
Please consider Zika virus infection when evaluating symptomatic patients or pregnant women with recent travel to affected areas. Full HAN Message
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
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
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
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
Click here for the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Check out more information on Idaho’s Health Alert Network website.
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
In accordance with the Idaho Statewide Stay at Home Order, CDH events, meetings, and gatherings are postponed until further notice.
CDH is considered an Essential Business and is still offering many services, including food and septic permit applications and processing, primary care clinic appointments (non-respiratory-related).
Call to make a clinic appointment: 208-327-7400
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