State Public Health Lab Selected as Level I Lab by USDA
Our Arizona State Public Health Laboratory has been selected as a Level 1 Laboratory in the USDA's Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) Cooperative Agreement Program. FERN currently comprises federal, state, and local government regulatory laboratories with varying capacities to perform threat agent testing. The FERN Program enhances the nation's ability to detect microbiological, radiological and chemical threat agents and to improve laboratory capacity [...]
Changes in Screening and Monitoring of Travelers Returning from Liberia
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia on May 9, 2015, when 42 days (two incubation periods) passed since the last Ebola patient was buried. However, the WHO recommended that Liberia maintain heightened surveillance for another 90 days (until August 7, 2015). This led to changes, that began last week, in airport screening [...]
Striving for Excellence in Arizona’s Dialysis Facilities
This year marked the third year that our Division of Licensing Services and Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Program partnered with the InterMountain ESRD Network and others to provide a day-long educational session for end-stage renal dialysis (ESRD) providers in Arizona. More than 200 participants attended this year’s ADVICE Collaborative to identify data-driven opportunities to improve dialysis services in Arizona and [...]
Very Low Risk of MERS Virus in Arizona
A new virus known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. More than 1,000 cases of the disease and more than 400 deaths have been reported by the World Health Organization. Cases have been reported from 25 different countries, all linked to nine countries within the Arabian Peninsula. The U.S. had two imported cases in [...]
First Ever Tribal and Urban Indian Diabetes Program Meetings Held
Our Arizona Diabetes Program hosted a first of its kind Tribal and Urban Indian Diabetes Programs meeting on June 10th. This meeting allowed our Diabetes Program and tribal partners to identify opportunities for partnership while assessing the current diabetes health infrastructure among tribal entities. It is the Arizona Diabetes Program's goal to provide technical assistance and resources to further the [...]
National Hepatitis Testing Day was a Success in AZ!
May was Hepatitis Awareness Month and our staff worked with several partners to promote awareness about hepatitis and hold testing events during the week of National Hepatitis Testing Day. The work paid off with our partners hosting 13 sites in Arizona, only one state in the country hosted more. More than 200 people were tested for hepatitis C in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties! An educational [...]