Monsoon Food Safety
With the monsoon comes an increase in foodborne illnesses in Arizona. While outdoor pool parties, barbeques, and family gatherings are cool, it’s important to remember some tips for handling food safely to protect your family and guests from a nasty bout of foodborne illnesses. According to the CDC, reducing foodborne illness by just 10% would keep 5 million Americans from getting sick each year. [...]
Mankind’s Nemesis- the Mosquito
Summer’s here, and we know what that means…West Nile virus season. West Nile virus is most commonly spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. However, not every mosquito can carry West Nile virus. There are 40 different species of mosquitoes in Arizona, but only 2 transmit West Nile virus (WNV) to humans effectively, Culex tarsalis and Culex quinquefasciatus (try saying that 3 times [...]
Summertime is Salmonella Season in AZ
Usually when you hear about Salmonella, you think about food poisoning.. but salmonellosis is also a zoonotic disease - one spread between animals and humans. Salmonella (which gets its name from the Daniel Salmon head of the USDA in 1885) is a bacteria that causes fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, usually within 3 days of eating or getting the germs into their [...]
FDA Extends E-cigarette Regulation Comment Period
In April the FDA released proposed regulations for electronic cigarettes and asked for your input. Last week it extended the comment period by 30 days. The proposed rule focuses on FDA's regulatory approach to electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products, proposed options for the regulation of cigars, pathways to market for proposed deemed tobacco products, and compliance dates for certain [...]
Interactive Map of Arizona Licensed Facilities
Navigating the vast number, type, and location of licensed facilities just got easier. Our GIS team developed a terrific interactive website that can help you find information about a specific facility or facility type in the State. The ADHS Licensed Facilities application features Long Term Care Facilities, Hospitals, group homes for folks with developmental disabilities, Residential, Medical, Childcare, and even Pharmacies. A simple zoom [...]
Reducing the Painkiller Body-Count
Across the country prescription painkillers take out way more people than heroin and cocaine combined... and the story is the same in Arizona. Last year more than one person died almost every day in our state from prescription opioids... and more people died from painkiller overdoses than car crashes. In January, I blogged about how we've joined the Association of State and Territorial Health [...]