Testing for Blue-Green Algae at Skaneateles Lake Ending

The Health Department reported today that testing for blue-green algae in Skaneateles Lake is now complete. Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta explained, “There have been three consecutive rounds of testing done which have indicated non-detectable levels of toxin at all points where sampling occurred. Based on these results, the fact that there have been no reports of visible blooms on the lake, and in consultation with the NYSDOH, we have concluded that sampling of Skaneateles Lake water can be safely stopped.”

Following the report of algal blooms in Skaneateles Lake in mid-September, the Onondaga County Health Department has been working collaboratively with both the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the City of Syracuse Water Department, to collect samples to determine whether the levels of algal toxin could impact the municipalities that use Skaneateles Lake as a public drinking water supply.

As cooler temperatures have arrived, the blue-green algal bloom has naturally dissipated. Sampling has consistently shown non-detectable levels of toxin for drinking water reaching customers of the public system, including the City of Syracuse, the Town of Dewitt, the Village of Skaneateles, the Town of Skaneateles, the Town of Elbridge, the Village of Elbridge and the Village of Jordan. Those residents who use private surface water intakes are advised to never drink untreated surface water. Even if an in-home treatment system is present, bottled water should be used during a bloom. Please refer to the fact sheet: Harmful Blue-green Algae Blooms: Understanding the Risks of Piping Surface Water into Your Home, posted on our website.

For information about blue- green algae, sample results, or using surface water as a drinking water source, please visit our website at: /health/bluegreenalgae.html

2016-2018 Onondaga County Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan

The Onondaga County Health Department is pleased to announce the publication of the enhanced 2016-2018 Onondaga County Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan. The Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan provides a complete overview of demographic and health indicator data for Onondaga County residents while also identifying current health challenges, determinants of health, and existing community assets and resources. The document also outlines a collaborative plan for addressing community health priorities. The 2016-2018 priority areas are:

Preventing Chronic Disease and
Promoting Mental Health and Preventing Substance Abuse.

This collaborative document was developed by the Onondaga County Health Department in partnership with Crouse Health, St. Joseph’s Health, and Upstate University Hospital. Input was also received from numerous community partners and with the engagement of County residents through community surveys and focus groups.

“The Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan establishes public health priorities and provides a road map for collaboratively addressing identified challenges” said Dr. Indu Gupta, Onondaga County Health Commissioner. Dr. Gupta continued, “This effort would not have been possible without the support of local hospitals, numerous community agencies, and the feedback and engagement of community members.”

The revised 2016-2018 Onondaga County Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan is available on the Onondaga County Health Department website at: /health/documents/OnondagaCountyCHA-CHIP.pdf

Tuberculosis Case Reported in the Syracuse City School District

Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta reported today that a case of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) was reported in an individual affiliated with the Public Service Leadership Academy (PSLA) at Fowler High School. Dr. Gupta explained, “While TB is less common than it once was, it still remains a public health concern. Anyone can contract the disease after exposure to an active TB case. It is treatable and curable by specific antibiotics treatment.”

Tuberculosis is caused by bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is an airborne bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs. TB is spread when an infected person coughs, speaks, laughs, sings or sneezes into the air and the germs are inhaled by others. Symptoms include: persistent cough, feelings of weakness or lethargy, weight loss, low-grade fever, and/or night sweats. Active TB can take several months after infection to develop.

Those who may have been exposed to this individual should be evaluated for their symptoms and should be tested for any evidence of TB.
The Onondaga County Health Department is working collaboratively with the Syracuse City School District to identify and screen those who may have been exposed. The Health Department will continue to monitor the situation and inform the public.

For more information about tuberculosis visit www.cdc.gov/tb

Flu Vaccines Now Available

Get your annual flu vaccine! The Onondaga County Health Department is now offering the flu vaccine at the Onondaga County Immunization Clinic. This clinic is a walk-in clinic and no appointment is necessary. Vaccines are free for Onondaga County residents, while supplies last. The Onondaga County Immunization Clinic will provide flu vaccines for anyone six (6) months of age and older. The clinic is held weekly on Wednesday mornings from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon at the John H. Mulroy Civic Center, 421 Montgomery Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, in Room 30.

According to the CDC, getting a flu vaccine every year is particularly important for persons at high risk for complications from the flu, or for those who have contact with people at high risk. Those include the following:

Pregnant women
Children younger than five, but especially children younger than two years old
People 50 years of age and older
People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:

– Health care workers
– Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
– Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than six months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

Children under 9 years of age who have never had a flu vaccine before will need two doses of vaccine. The second vaccine should be given one month after the first vaccine. If your child is under the age of nine, but has had two flu vaccines in the past, even if they were not in the same flu season, only one dose is needed.

Getting a flu vaccine is the best way to protect your health as well as your family, friends, and others. In addition, good hand hygiene and practicing cough etiquette throughout the season will reduce your chance of getting or spreading the flu. Residents who would like more information on Onondaga County Immunization Clinic are encouraged to visit www.ongov.net/health or call 315-435-2000.

Mumps Vaccine Booster Offered to Syracuse University Students

The Onondaga County Health Department is working with Syracuse University (SU) and the New York State Department of Health in planning clinics to offer a booster dose of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) shot to SU student-athletes and undergraduate students. The clinics will begin operating on Tuesday, October 24, 2017 on the SU campus.

Onondaga County Health Commissioner, Dr. Indu Gupta, explains that the mumps outbreak is still spreading, mainly on the SU campus. The students most affected are undergraduate students on sports teams, their roommates, friends, and close contacts. At this point there are 27 confirmed cases and 45 probable cases that involve members of the SU campus community. There are also two probable cases in the community; one with a known link to SU, and one with no known link to SU.

The booster doses may help bring the outbreak to an earlier end, but the main effort to control the spread of mumps is to provide continuous education to students on the following prevention measures:
Be sure that you are fully vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases including mumps

If you have a fever and swollen salivary glands under the ears on one or both sides or in other salivary glands, seek medical care immediately and stay out of work, school, and social activities for five days
Avoid risky behaviors such as kissing and sharing drinks and eating utensils
Wash hands frequently, cover your cough, and stay home if you are sick
If you are a close contact of a person diagnosed with mumps, watch yourself for symptoms for 25 days

Other symptoms of mumps include headache, muscle aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, testicular or abdominal pain. For more information about the mumps outbreak at SU, please visit their website at health.syr.edu/health-tips/mumps-vaccinations.html or call SU Health Services at 315-443-9005.

For information about mumps and for the latest county-wide case counts, please visit the Health Department website at www.ongov.net/health/mumps.html.

Don’t Forget Your Flu Vaccine!

This fall, remember to get your flu vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive an annual flu shot. Everyone should be vaccinated yearly because immunity to flu viruses declines over time and circulating flu strains often change from year to year.

Dr. Indu Gupta, Onondaga County Health Commissioner, explained, “Getting your flu vaccine is the single best way to prevent getting the flu.” Dr. Gupta further emphasized that the flu vaccine is especially important for children and adults at high risk for complications from the flu or for those who have contact with people at high risk. People at high risk include:

Children 6 months through 59 months of age
People 50 years of age and older
Pregnant women
People of any age with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and diabetes
People who have a weakened immune system due to any cause
People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
American Indians / Alaska Natives
Persons who are extremely obese (BMI ≥ 40)
People who live with or care for those who are at high risk for complications including:
Health care workers
Household contacts of persons who are ≤ 5 years of age and adults ≥ 50 years of age
Household contacts and caregivers of persons with a medical condition that put them at high risk for complications

Many types of vaccine are available this year, including vaccines for people with egg allergies, and vaccines especially for senior citizens. The flu nasal spray vaccine is not offered in the United States this year.

Children under the age of nine who have never had a flu vaccine before will need two doses of vaccine. The second vaccine should be given one month after the first vaccine. If your child is under the age of nine, but has had two flu vaccines in the past, even if they were not in the same flu season, only one dose is needed.

Getting a flu vaccine is the best way to protect your health as well as the health of your family, friends, and others. In addition, good hand hygiene and practicing cough etiquette throughout the season will reduce your chance of getting the flu. Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist to ask about getting a flu vaccine today! If you do not have a health care provider or health insurance, call the Onondaga County Health Department at 435-2000.

Update Report on Mumps Cases in Onondaga County

Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta reported that a total of 13 cases of mumps have now been diagnosed in Onondaga County since the last week of August. All of these cases are Syracuse University students. The students were diagnosed in a timely manner and have been isolated to prevent any further spread of the disease. Dr. Gupta explained, “It is important to remember that mumps is a vaccine preventable disease and because of high vaccination rates, mumps is no longer very common in the United States.” She further explained that although all of the cases have involved students that were fully vaccinated against mumps, sporadic cases can still occur among vaccinated individuals and outbreaks have occurred on college campuses across New York State and the US. It is important to note that the best way to protect against mumps is to get the measles-mumps-rubella shot (MMR shot), said Gupta.

OCHD continues to monitor suspect cases. The public should be aware of the signs and symptoms, especially if they have been in close contact with a person diagnosed with mumps.

Mumps is a serious contagious viral disease passed through saliva and respiratory secretions of an ill individual. There are currently a number of suspect cases in the community and people need to know what symptoms to look for. Symptoms include: fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, and swollen and tender salivary glands under the ears or along the jawline on one or both sides. Severe symptoms can include meningitis and swelling of the testis. An ill person can transmit the disease for two days before the onset of swollen salivary glands and 5 days afterwards. There is no specific treatment.

To prevent the spread of mumps:

Check with your doctor to be sure that your vaccinations are up to date. The mumps vaccine is given as part of the MMR shot.
If you have been in contact with a person diagnosed with mumps, watch for symptoms for 25 days.
If you have swollen salivary glands under your ears on one or both sides, seek medical care immediately and stay out of work and/or school for five days. Inform the student health service of your illness.
Avoid sharing drinks, cover your cough, and stay home if you are sick.

The Onondaga County Health Department is working closely with the New York State Department of Health and Syracuse University and will continue monitoring the situation and informing the public. For more information about mumps visit www.cdc.gov/mumps.

Second Human Case of West Nile Virus and Mosquito Pool Positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus

Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta was notified by the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratory about a second human case of West Nile virus and also the presence of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus in a mosquito pool in Onondaga County.

The West Nile virus (WNV) case was diagnosed in an elderly person who is hospitalized but in stable condition. West Nile virus is spread by the bite of a mosquito infected with the virus. Dr. Gupta explained that, “West Nile virus has been found in numerous mosquito traps throughout the county this summer, and is considered to be endemic, or widespread.”

While most people infected with WNV do not develop symptoms, 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever with symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. Severe illness can strike at any age, however, people over 60 years of age and people with certain medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, or who have received organ transplants, are at higher risk. Symptoms of severe illness may include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, stupor, disorientation, tremors, seizures, paralysis, and coma that could lead to death. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for WNV infection, other than to treat the symptoms and provide supportive care. Consult with your healthcare provider if you are concerned that you have any of these signs or symptoms.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) was found in a mosquito pool collected last week from a trap located in the town of Lysander. Dr. Gupta explained, “EEE is an extremely rare but serious infection that causes encephalitis or inflammation of the brain. It is spread by the bite of a mosquito infected with EEEV.” People over the age of 50 and younger than the age of 15 are at greatest risk for developing severe disease when infected with EEEV.

Dr. Gupta continued, “Mosquito counts are low at this point in the season, but it is extremely important that residents continue to use personal protection measures to help reduce their risk of being bitten by a mosquito. Reducing exposure to mosquitoes is the best way to protect yourself from mosquito-borne viruses.” Personal protection is recommended during outdoor activities by wearing shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outside. Applying a mosquito repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or IR3535 is also recommended to prevent mosquito bites. Do not allow children to handle repellent. Put a small amount of repellent on your hands and apply it to your child. Do not put insect repellent on your face. Wash skin and clothing after returning indoors and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for application.

For more information about mosquito counts, mosquito-borne diseases, and personal protection measures, contact the Onondaga County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health at (315) 435-1649 or visit www.ongov.net/health/mosquitoborne.html.

The Pink Shawl Initiative: A Story of Joining Together for Breast Cancer Screening

By Emily Young, Public Health Educator

For many years, the Cancer Services Program (CSP) has collaborated with the Onondaga Nation to screen local Native American women for breast cancer. This partnership has grown and evolved in many ways over the years. It is true that breast cancer rates do tend to be lower in American Indian/Alaska Native women when compared to other ethnic groups, but mammography screening rates among these women are also somewhat lower than rates among other non-Hispanic groups of women, including white, black, and Asian.

When the CSP first began working with the Onondaga Nation, we had access to a mobile mammography unit. The unit was transported directly to the Onondaga Nation Health Clinic and set up inside of the building, which allowed women access to Free Mammograms their mammograms at a location that was both convenient and familiar to them. Due to various factors, the use of the mobile mammography unit was eventually discontinued. As a result, the number of Native American women in Onondaga County who received breast cancer screenings through this program dropped dramatically over the next several years. These women no longer had a familiar and convenient location to have their mammograms and the sense of community that the mobile mammography program had offered to them was unique and difficult to replace.

Recognizing this, the CSP initiated contact with the Onondaga Nation’s clan mothers to discuss strategies to increase breast cancer screening rates among their Native women. Out of these discussions the “Onondaga Nation Pink Shawl Initiative” was created. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the CSP, the Onondaga Nation, and Wellspring Breast Care Center at Upstate University Hospital-Community Campus. It encompasses both education and the provision of breast cancer screening services to women of the Onondaga Nation. Promotional materials were designed with culturally appropriate artwork that was obtained from a well-known Native American artist. Now this artwork is easily identifiable among women within the Onondaga Nation community and has been extremely successful at bringing awareness to the availability of this mammogram program.

Through the “Pink Shawl Initiative”, three to four mammogram clinics are scheduled at Wellspring Breast Care Center each year. The clinics, held on Saturday mornings, are open only to Native American women. We encourage women to schedule their mammogram appointments around the same time as other family members and friends who also need their mammograms so they can come together. This practice promotes a sense of community which is a very important part of the Native American culture. So far in 2017, approximately 60 Native American women have been screened for breast cancer through the “Onondaga Nation Pink Shawl Initiative”. The CSP looks forward to continued collaboration with our partners to provide these breast cancer screening clinics for our community’s Native American women.

Learn more about breast cancer and current federal screening guidelines at: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/risk_factors.htm

https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/UpdateSummaryFinal/breast-cancer-screening1?ds=1&s=breast%20cancer

FREE Mammograms are Available

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among United States women, no matter your race or ethnicity. The three main risk factors for breast cancer are being a woman, getting older, and certain genetic changes.

Most women (about 8 out of 10) who get breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease. However, women who have close blood relatives like a mother or sister who have had breast cancer are at a higher risk themselves. About 5-10% of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary, meaning they result directly from gene changes passed on from a parent. The most common cause of hereditary breast cancer is an inherited change in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

Breast cancer may not cause any symptoms in its early stages. If symptoms do appear, they may include the following:

a lump, hard knot, or thickening in the breast or underarm area
new pain in one spot that does not go away
nipple discharge that starts suddenly
pulling in of the nipple or other parts of the breast
dimpling or puckering of the breast skin
any change in the size or shape of the breast
swelling, warmth, redness, or darkening of the breast skin
itchy, scaly sore, or rash on the nipple.

Routine screenings are an important step to help find breast cancer early. With early detection breast cancer is usually easier to treat and has better outcomes. A mammogram is the best test to detect breast cancer early.

Free mammograms are available through the Onondaga County Cancer Services Program (CSP) for women between the ages of 40 to 64 who do not have health insurance or experience other barriers to completing their screenings. Services are available at many healthcare provider sites throughout the city of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Call 315-435-3653 or visit the CSP website at ongov.net/health/cancerscreening.html to register for your free mammogram.

Whether you have health insurance or not, having a mammogram may save your life. Remember, if you are a woman between the ages of 40 to 64 and do NOT have health insurance, call 315-435-3653 to see if you qualify for a free mammogram. Take care of yourself this October and schedule your mammogram today!