Cherokee County Health Department presents

Your One-Stop-Spot for School Students’ State Health Requirements!

Prepare your child for the upcoming school year. The Cherokee County Health Department is conducting a Kindergarten Round-Up Health Clinic on Tuesday, March 21st from 2 to 6 p.m. Locations for the health clinic will be at the public health department offices in both Canton and Woodstock. The required Hearing, Dental, Vision and Nutrition Screenings will be available. Immunizations will be provided to school-age children for $21.90, each (for uninsured or underinsured). Medicaid (including Amerigroup, Peachstate and Wellcare), Peachcare for Kids, HUMANA, AETNA, United Health Care, Blue Cross/Blue Shield (immunizations, only), CIGNA and Coventry are accepted. The health department location in Canton is1219 Univeter Road and the address in Woodstock is 7545 North Main Street. For more information, please call (770) 345-7371 in Canton or (770) 928-0133 in Woodstock.

North Georgia – “Breastmilk is Brain Juice” will be presented by Theresa Nesbitt, MD at the 12th Annual Breastfeeding Conference on Wednesday, March 29th. The Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition, in collaboration with Hamilton Medical Center, is sponsoring the breastfeeding conference at the Dalton Convention Center at 2211 Dug Gap Battle Road in Dalton, Georgia. Registration and breakfast begin at 7:15 AM and the conference ends at 4:30 PM.

Dr. Nesbitt is an obstetrician-gynecologist, with special training in maternal fetal medicine. She promotes health and wellness for women, especially mothers, and she focuses on movement, nutrition and other practices to promote lifelong wellness.

One of Nesbitt’s primary goals is helping people build healthy brains at any time of life; therefore, she now shares her knowledge and experience through workshops, public speaking and publications through her company, BrainChanging^TM LLC.

Pre-registration for the breastfeeding conference is online at nwgabfcoalition.com/events/nwgbf-coalition-2017-conference. The early registration cost is $115 if completed by March 5th, and after March 5th, registration is $130. Registration includes breakfast, lunch and a tote bag.

Online pre-registration is preferable. Walk-in registration on the day of the conference is $150 with no guarantee of available conference materials.

Attendees of the breastfeeding conference will include physicians, nurses, lactation consultants, dietitians, certified nurse midwives, La Leche League leaders, WIC staff, breastfeeding peer counselors, nutritionists, nurse practitioners and others who work with breastfeeding mothers.

Education credits will be provided. Information about these credits is available at nwgabfcoalition.com/nwgbf-coalition-2017-conference.

There will be many exhibits and sponsors at the conference for the benefit    of participants.

For more information about the “Breastmilk is Brain Juice” Breastfeeding Conference, log onto the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition website at nwgabfcoalition.com/nwgbf-coalition-2017-conference or call (706) 260-1384.

 Public health officials canvassing area with warning flyers

Dalton, GA – A Whitfield County dog was recently bitten by a raccoon that has since tested positive for rabies. The dog was unvaccinated and must now undergo a six-month quarantine.

The dog was attacked by the raccoon during the evening of February 21st at a residence on Dogwood Drive off Pine Hill Road and East Morris Street in Dalton. The dog fought back and killed the raccoon.

The raccoon was sent to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory for rabies testing the next day and the positive results were reported to local officials on the afternoon of February 23rd.

Other unvaccinated dogs were on the property but were not known to have been bitten by the raccoon.

Officials of Whitfield County Environmental Health and Whitfield County Animal Control are canvassing the area with flyers that warn residents of the presence of rabies.

The owner of the bitten dog has chosen to keep the pet, so it will be given a rabies vaccination and placed in strict quarantine inside a double enclosure for six months with no human contact. Until the enclosure is ready, the dog will be kept at the Whitfield County Animal Control facility.

The remaining dogs will be vaccinated twice over a two-month period but not placed in quarantine.

Health officials continue to stress the importance of maintaining current rabies vaccinations in pets.

Additionally, residents should be wary of unfamiliar animals; and, parents should take special care to inform their children about rabies, telling children to avoid stray dogs and cats, as well as wild animals, and to report any such contacts or bites at once.

Ray King, director of Environmental Health for the North Georgia Health District, said, “The chance of dying from rabies is almost one hundred percent if the exposed person is not given preventive treatments soon after exposure. Rabies is a horrible way to die.”

King added, “Raccoons are much more common in urban areas than most persons realize, going out late each night on regular routes to feed on scraps and whatever humans leave available.”

Raccoons are the most common animal found with rabies in Georgia, but many other species can contract rabies such as skunks, foxes, bobcats, coyotes and bats.  Livestock can also contract rabies from wild animals and it is strongly recommended that livestock that have regular contact with humans also be vaccinated.

Suspicious animals that appear aggressive or sick should be immediately reported to Whitfield County Animal Control at (706) 278-2018 or to the Whitfield County Environmental Health Office at (706) 272-2005.

Health officials warn residents to be wary, take precautions

Jasper, GA – A rabid raccoon recently attacked a woman as she was getting into her car in the Bent Tree Community of Jasper, Georgia.

On the morning of February 22nd, the woman had walked from her house to her car, when the raccoon came out from underneath the vehicle and started biting her leg. The woman kicked the raccoon in the head, stunning it. She was then aided by the property security guard in killing the aggressive animal.

Pickens County Environmental Health officials submitted the raccoon to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory for rabies testing and the positive results were obtained the following day, February 23rd.

The bitten woman began anti-rabies treatments at Piedmont Mountainside Hospital on the evening of February 23rd. 

Residents of the Bent Tree Community and all areas of Pickens County should be aware of wild animals behaving aggressively or appearing to be sick. A number of wild animal species can contract rabies such as raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, bobcats and bats.

Stray dogs and cats should also be avoided and children should be educated on these facts about rabies:

• Have all your unvaccinated pets vaccinated against rabies by your local veterinarian and make sure your pets stay current on rabies vaccinations.

• Unvaccinated pets exposed to rabies must either be destroyed or placed in strict quarantine for six months.

• It is strongly recommended that valuable livestock animals having contact with humans be vaccinated against rabies.

For questions about rabies or to report a potentially rabid animal, call the Pickens County Environmental Health Office at (706) 253-0900 or Pickens County Animal Control at (706) 253-8988. If reporting a case during times when these offices are closed, call 911.

Prepare your child for the upcoming school year!

Pickens County Health Department presents

Pre-K Registration HEALTH CLINIC on Tuesday, February 14th from 1 to 6 p.m.

AND

Kindergarten Registration HEALTH CLINIC on Tuesday, March 21st from 1 to 6 p.m.

The Pickens County Health Department is located at 60 Health Way in Jasper.

These clinics are the One-Stop Spot for school students’ state health requirements. The clinics offer required Hearing, Dental, Vision and BMI/Nutrition Screenings and provide Immunizations for school-age children. The clinics accept Medicaid (including AmeriGroup, PeachState and WellCare) and PeachCare for Kids. For more information or to check on additional insurances accepted, please call (706) 253-2821.

Health officials urge residents to vaccinate their animals

Dalton (GA) – A Whitfield County resident observed stray dogs interacting with a skunk on Boyles Mill Road in the northeast section of the county on Monday, December 12 and contacted officials the next day after seeing a media report about rabies in the area. The resident was not close enough to the stray dogs to give a specific description.

Whitfield Animal Control responded to the call and found a dead skunk in about the same location. Since the skunk almost certainly had contact with the stray dogs, it was shipped to the Georgia State Public Health Laboratory, which confirmed on Wednesday, December 14 that the skunk had rabies.

There was no human exposure to rabies reported in this incident.

Residents in the northern parts of Whitfield and Murray Counties are strongly advised to be aware of wild mammals behaving aggressively, appearing sick or otherwise behaving in an abnormal manner. Children should be taught to avoid stray dogs, cats and wild mammals.

Pet owners should make sure their cats and dogs are currently vaccinated against rabies. When rabid wild animals come near a home, pets usually have first contact with them. So when pets are vaccinated against rabies, pet owners and their families are also better protected. Unvaccinated dogs or cats that have been bitten by a rabid animal are recommended to be destroyed or placed in very strict quarantine for six months.

Persons who own livestock in these areas should have farm animals with which they have close contact vaccinated against rabies and be aware that all livestock are susceptible to rabies. A cow in another part of north Georgia was recently found to have rabies resulting in anti-rabies treatments for several persons.

For more information about rabies and its prevention, contact your local Environmental Health office (contact information is at www.nghd.org) or log onto www.cdc.gov/rabies. 

North Georgia – Recently in northern Murray and Whitfield Counties, there have been several incidents of wild skunks chasing humans and pets.

A skunk on River Road in Murray County and a skunk on Riverdale Road in north Whitfield County have been confirmed as rabid.

Another Murray County skunk from Mantooth Road in Crandall is being tested but is probably rabid, as well.

Skunks normally avoid people and are mostly nocturnal. When skunks, raccoons and similar wild animals are visible during daylight hours, they may have rabies.

Rabid animals may be aggressive like these skunks have been, or they may seem sick, disoriented and lethargic.

Wildfires to the east of Crandall may be forcing wild animals out of their normal habitats.

Please make certain pets are currently vaccinated against rabies and have them revaccinated if they are not. Rabies is a deadly virus that can be transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals.

All hoofed livestock are susceptible to rabies. Vaccinating whole herds of animals against rabies is not usually practical, but we recommend vaccination for livestock that have close human contact, such as show cows and all horses. Any livestock showing neurological symptoms should be evaluated by your veterinarian for rabies.

The Murray County Sheriff’s Department will be sponsoring an emergency Rabies Vaccination Clinic to be held Saturday, December 3rd from 10 am to 4 pm at the Murray County Animal Shelter, located at 571 Highway 52 East, Chatsworth. Dr. Emily Felker, DVM, will be administering the rabies vaccinations. The cost is $15 cash for a one-year vaccination.

For more information about rabies and its prevention, contact the local county Environmental Health office or log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/rabies.

Zika Virus Information for Travelers from the Georgia Department of Public Health

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Zika virus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The Georgia Department of Public Health cautions travelers, especially women who are pregnant, to protect themselves against bites when heading to countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. 

There are urgent concerns about Zika virus infection and pregnant women. Zika virus infections have been confirmed in infants with microcephaly and in the current outbreak in Brazil, a marked increase in the number of infants born with microcephaly has been reported. Pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant should not travel to areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

For more information about Zika virus, please review the resources on this page, especially the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Zika Virus Infection

Zika Guidance for Pregnant Women
Zika Prevention
EPA Registered Insects Repellents
Zika FAQ
DPH Zika Virus Campaign Materials

Zika testing guidance for physicians and laboratories

Zika Guidance for Physicians/Healthcare Providers (UPDATED 8/02/16)

Zika virus testing -- what laboratorians need to know (UPDATED 8/02/16)                   

Información sobre virus Zika en español                                                                            

Zika Precautions Urged for GA Travelers

   

  

Thanksgiving Day is often fondly referred to as Turkey Day. But, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that 80 percent of food borne illnesses are linked to meat and poultry, so proper handling and cooking of your holiday turkey is essential.

1. IMPROPER THAWING: If a turkey is not completely thawed it will not get done in the middle allowing Salmonella to survive.

• Whenever possible, thaw turkeys in the refrigerator. However, it takes 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey. A 20 pound frozen turkey can take 4 to 5 days to thaw in a refrigerator.

• Frozen turkeys can be thawed by sealing in a food-grade plastic bag and submerging in cold tap water. Change the water every thirty minutes. This method takes approximately 30 minutes for each pound of turkey. Using a small stream of running water is an even better method but the water must drain at the same time.   An ice chest is a good container for these methods although a kitchen sink may suffice.

• NEVER thaw turkeys out at room temperature! Bacteria will grow on the outside of the turkey before the middle is thawed.

• Microwave thawing is a possibility but most whole frozen turkeys won’t fit inside most microwave ovens. Cook the turkey immediately after removing from microwave.

2. IMPROPER COOKING: The middle of the turkey must reach 165ºF in order to kill all Salmonella and other bacteria. Don’t guess! Use a meat thermometer. Cook dressing separately - don’t stuff the turkey. Whether you bake, smoke or fry a turkey, the middle must reach 165°F.

3. IMPROPER COOLING: Never let a turkey sit out at room temperature for more than one hour after cooking. Many cases of Salmonella food poisoning have happened because the turkey was not thoroughly cooked and then allowed to sit out at room temperature all morning or all night. If the turkey is not served the day of cooking, it should be carved and placed in the refrigerator.

4. LEFTOVERS: Don’t leave leftovers sitting out a room temperature. After the meal, freeze or refrigerate leftovers in convenient smaller portions. Leftovers can be as or more dangerous than freshly cooked turkey. Your home refrigerator should be no higher than 41°F.

 Just follow these tips, and have a very happy and SAFE Thanksgiving!