Family Preparedness Plans Must Include Pets

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            CONTACTS:

June 1, 2016                                                                            Patti Thompson     217-557-4756

                                                                                                Patti.thompson@illinois.gov

 

IEMA, local emergency management agencies to focus on pet preparedness throughout June

SPRINGFIELD – According to a recent survey by the American Pet Products Association, 65 percent of U.S. households include at least one pet. If your family includes a dog, cat, hamster or other furry, feathered or scaly friends, don’t forget to include their unique needs in your home emergency plans.

Throughout the month of June, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management agencies will highlight the importance of emergency preparedness for pets.

“Pets are beloved members of many families these days,” said IEMA Director James K. Joseph. “That’s why it’s so important to include your pet’s needs when developing your family emergency plan and stocking your emergency supply kit.”

Joseph said home emergency supply kits for people should include a three-day supply of such items as food, water, first aid kit, weather alert radio, flashlights, spare batteries and other items. Pet owners should also have a pet preparedness kit stocked with items such as:

·        At least a three-day supply of food and water

·        Extra supplies of pet medicines

·        Copies of pet registration, vaccinations and other important documents

·        Photo of your pet in case you are separated during an emergency

·        Collar with ID tag, harness or leash

·        Crate or other pet carrier in case of evacuation

·        Pet litter and box, newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags and household chlorine bleach for sanitation

·        Toys, treats or other familiar items to reduce your pet’s stress during the emergency

A disaster may require you to evacuate your home, sometimes with little notice. It’s important to take pets with you, as an evacuation could last several days, even weeks, and your pets likely cannot survive without care. Plan now for places you and your pets can stay following an evacuation, as many public shelters do not allow animals inside.

It’s also important to have a back-up emergency plan in case you can’t care for or evacuate your animals yourself. Talk to neighbors, friends and family to make sure someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so. 

Additional pet preparedness and general emergency preparedness information is available on the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov, the Ready Illinois Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ReadyIllinois and on Twitter at Twitter.com/ReadyIllinois.

First Bird In Illinois Tests Positive For West Nile Virus In 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            CONTACT:

May 26, 2016                                                                          Melaney Arnold – 217-558-0500

                                                                                                Divya Mohan Little – 312-814-4669

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting the first bird to test positive for West Nile virus in Illinois for 2016.  Douglas County Health Department employees collected the blue jay on May 20, 2015, in Arcola Township.

“While there is a lot of focus on Zika virus, West Nile virus is also transmitted by mosquitoes and is something we see every year in Illinois,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D.  “We want to remind people not to be complacent.  Take precautions to protect yourself by wearing insect repellent and getting rid of standing water around your home.”  

Surveillance for West Nile virus in Illinois includes laboratory tests on mosquito batches, dead crows, blue jays, robins and other perching birds, as well as testing sick horses and humans with West Nile virus-like symptoms.  People who observe a sick or dying crow, blue jay, robin or other perching bird should contact their local health department, which will determine if the bird will be picked up for testing.

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a Culex pipiens mosquito, commonly called a house mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird.  Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches.  Symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks.  However, four out of five people infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms.  In rare cases, severe illness including meningitis or encephalitis, or even death, can occur.  People older than 50 and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk for severe illness from West Nile virus.

The first West Nile virus positive result in 2015 was a mosquito batch in St. Clair County collected on May 26, 2015.  Last year, 64 counties in Illinois reported a West Nile virus positive mosquito batch, bird and/or human case.  For the 2015 season, IDPH reported 77 human cases (although human cases are underreported), including nine deaths.  No human cases of West Nile virus have been reported so far this year.

While Zika virus is also primarily transmitted through the bite of a mosquito, the main type of mosquito that carries Zika virus, Aedes aegypti, is different and is rarely found in Illinois.  However, taking some simple precautions can help you avoid mosquito bites, regardless of the type of mosquito or the diseases they carry.  

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West Nile Virus/ Page 2

Precautions include practicing the three “R’s” – reduce, repel, and report.

·        REDUCE - make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.  Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings.  Try to keep doors and windows shut.

Eliminate, or refresh each week, all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires, and any other containers.

·        REPEL - when outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR 3535 according to label instructions.  Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.

·        REPORT – report locations where you see water sitting stagnant for more than a week such as roadside ditches, flooded yards, and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes.  The local health department or city government may be able to add larvicide to the water, which will kill any mosquito eggs.

Additional information about West Nile virus can be found on the IDPH website.

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Looking to Hire Contractual Public Health Nurse

Jefferson County Health Department is hiring for a contractual Public Health Nurse.  Must have current RN license and valid driver's license.  Working between 16-24 hours per week.  Rate of pay is $20 per hour.  Will train for specific duties.  Need resumes by 5-19-16.  EOE.  Mail or hand deliver to Becky Brooks, #1 Doctors Park Rd, Suite F, Mt. Vernon, IL  62864.

An Ounce of Prevention: Long-Term Health Benefits of Exclusive Breastfeeding

An Ounce of Prevention: Long-Term Health Benefits of Exclusive Breastfeeding

Information Page Regarding Zika Virus Available

The Illinois Department of Public Health has set up a page with information regarding the Zika Virus: http://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/zika and developed a basic Q & A based largely on CDC information. The CDC has created a micro-site with specific information regarding Zika and can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/zika/.