Tag:
Public Health
Hepatitis A outbreaks have been occurring nationwide since 2016 affecting 23,000 people and causing 233 deaths. Since May, Minnesota has had an increased number of cases and, now, an official outbreak has been declared affecting nine counties. About 57% (13/23) of the reported cases have required hospitalization.
An independent study conducted by the United States Agricultural Research Service and the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History found 32 of 35 private wells in three counties in southwestern Wisconsin contaminated with fecal matter. The majority of the contaminated wells with fecal matter. The majority of the contaminated wells contained fecal matter from humans, followed by cattle, then swine.
After the smoke settled from the 4th of July fireworks, health officials started receiving calls reporting vomiting and diarrhea after boating near a popular gathering spot on Lake Minnetonka. State and Hennepin County public health investigators have interviewed 225 people. 172 of those interviewed reported symptoms.
In veterinary school, I was among a handful of peers interested in pursuing nontraditional veterinary career paths. We often rallied our classmates to recognize the application of One Health frameworks in our future careers; we were trained in a unique profession in which we could become advocates for or experts in food safety, regulatory medicine, One Health, ecosystem health, and the human-animal bond even within the walls of a small animal clinical exam room.
Hennepin County Public Health and Minnesota Department of Health officials are investigating illnesses among Lake Minnetonka boaters who reportedly became sick following Fourth of July celebrations. Officials have responded to over 200 calls from individuals who reported vomiting and diarrhea after spending the holiday on the lake. At least half of these individuals spent time around Big Island and several sought treatment for dehydration.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) will offer two free workshops later this month to explore mental health issues unique to farm youth and equip attendees with the tools to support rural families impacted by the financial and emotional stresses of farm life.
Letters were sent last week to over 16,000 Minnesota doctors, dentists, and other health care professionals who had prescribed opioids to at least one Medicaid or MinnesotaCare program patient in 2018. The letters let the prescribers know how many opioids they gave patients compared to their peers in terms of opioids prescribed.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources confirmed on Friday that they had captured a bighead carp, two silver carp, and detected a third tagged silver carp over the past few weeks in the Misissippi River in the southern part of the state.
