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The Department of Health and Hospitals on Wednesday issued an emergency rule requiring that water systems in the state maintain a higher residual disinfectant level and increase their number of sampling sites by 25 percent. Most drinking water systems in Louisiana will be required to meet this new higher standard by February 1, 2014.
Despite the cooler temperatures, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) is reminding folks that West Nile virus is still a threat. This week, the state's health department confirmed three new cases of West Nile virus, bringing this year's total to 58 cases. This week's new infections are West Nile fever cases, with one each in Ascension, Lafayette and Ouachita parishes.
Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) Chief Compliance Officer William Root was honored yesterday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for his dedicated service with the Career Achievement Award. Root retired from HHS earlier in 2013 as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Investigations before joining DHH to head up the Louisiana Medicaid Program Integrity Office.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has confirmed the state's fourth West Nile virus death this year. The death is from Ouachita Parish, the second death from Ouachita Parish this year. The state's health department is also confirming four new West Nile virus cases this week, bringing this year's total to 55 cases. This week's new infections include two cases of neuroinvasive disease, one each in Acadia and Rapides parishes, and two cases of West Nile fever, with one each in Bossier and Caddo parishes.
The Department of Health and Hospitals announced today the appointment of two new interim assistant secretaries. Dr. Rochelle Head-Dunham will serve as Interim Assistant Secretary for the Office of Behavioral Health and Mark Thomas will assume the role of Interim Assistant Secretary for the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities. Searches will be conducted to fill both roles permanently by early 2014.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has confirmed the state's third West Nile virus death this year. The death is from Rapides Parish, and is the second death this year from Rapides Parish. In addition, the health department is also confirming three new West Nile virus cases this week, bringing this year's total number of cases to 51. This week's new infections include two cases of neuroinvasive disease in Lafayette Parish and one case of neuroinvasive in Ouachita Parish.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has confirmed three new West Nile virus cases this week, bringing this year's total number of cases to 48. This week's new infections include one case of neuroinvasive disease from Lafayette and two cases of West Nile fever from Ouachita and Morehouse parishes.
In Louisiana, approximately 80 babies die each year from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is the broad medical term for sudden, unexplained deaths of infants before they reach their first birthdays. This October, as part of SIDS Awareness Month, the Department of Health and Hospitals is encouraging families to create a safe sleeping space for their babies.
Today, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the presence of the rare Naegleria fowleri ameba in five locations in DeSoto Parish Waterworks District No. 1, which is one of 14 water systems in the parish. There are no known current cases of illness related to the ameba in DeSoto Parish or elsewhere in the state. The water system was sampled out of an abundance of caution by DHH officials, who then sent the samples to the CDC for testing. Beginning tomorrow, Waterworks District No. 1 will flush its system with additional chlorine to kill the ameba.
The Department of Health and Hospitals is cautioning residents who may be using generators due to power outages caused by Tropical Storm Karen to be mindful of the dangerous health risks that may result if not used properly.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has confirmed the state's second West Nile virus death this season. The death occured this week in Ouachita Parish. The state's first death was last month in Rapides Parish. DHH is reporting six new West Nile virus cases this week, bringing this year's total number of cases to 45. This week's new infections include four cases of neuroinvasive disease, with three cases from Ouachita Parish, and one case from Lafayette parish, and two cases of West Nile fever, with one case each from St. Landry and St. Martin parishes.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has confirmed five new West Nile virus cases this week, bringing this year's total number of cases to 39. This week's new infections include three cases of neuroinvasive disease, with one case each from Caldwell, Lafayette and Rapides parishes, one case of West Nile fever from Ouchita Parish and one asymptomatic case from Lafayette Parish.