Temperatures in Arizona during the summer soar, and heat-related illnesses are common. Anyone can be susceptible to heat-related illness, but those at greatest risk are children under age four, adults over age 65, homeless people, outdoor workers, people who are overweight, and people who are ill or on certain medications. Following some simple safety tips [...]
Summer is here, and that means a new set of seasonal fruit to enjoy. Summertime also means an increased risk for foodborne illnesses, as bacteria multiply faster in warmer temperatures. The last thing you want on a vacation, road trip, or at a backyard barbecue are sick kids. Thankfully, washing fruits thoroughly can keep them [...]
Parents, are you ready for the new school year? Meeting teachers, organizing backpacks, and packing lunches are some of the many things you are prepared for, but what about your child’s vaccination status? As the first day of school approaches, take a quick second to review Arizona’s state mandated immunization requirements for children entering child [...]
The Douglas City Council voted July 12 to increase the age to purchase tobacco and vaping products from 18 years of age to 21 years of age, which is an initiative known as Tobacco 21 or T21. It is now the second community in Arizona and the first border community within Arizona to do so. [...]
With three weeks of real time data reported to us, there has been 661 possible opioid overdoses in Arizona, with 8 percent of those resulting in death. This is cumulative data since Governor Ducey’s executive order for enhanced surveillance went into effect on June 15. The report for June 15 to July 6 shows that the highest [...]
Temperatures in many areas of the state won’t be dwindling down anytime soon, so practicing good sun safety is important. Wearing sunscreen every day is the one of the best ways to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays. Even on cloudy days, the sun’s rays can damage your skin. Wear sunscreen with an SPF [...]
Each summer, free healthy meals are available to children ages 18 and younger at approved sites across Arizona as part of the Summer Lunch Buddies program. Sites are operated by schools, nonprofit agencies or local governments and are located in low-income neighborhoods where many children receive free or reduced price school breakfast and lunch during [...]
One of the important cogs in the public health wheel is a skilled communicable disease investigator (CDI). These are dedicated professionals from various educational backgrounds, including nursing, environmental health, life or behavioral sciences, and public health/epidemiology. Enteric disease investigators are CDIs that specialize in diseases that affect the intestines, usually causing symptoms like diarrhea and [...]
This week marks our second week of posting a report of real time data reported to us from healthcare providers, first responders, law enforcement agencies, and pharmacists in our coordinated response to the alarming increase in opioid deaths in Arizona. The data is cumulative since June 15, with a total of 444 suspected opioid overdoses, 36 [...]
While summer may be in full swing, the influenza season is lingering longer than usual here in Arizona. In June, we typically see around 200 laboratory confirmed influenza cases. This year there were nearly 1,300 confirmed influenza cases in June . Our ADHS disease detectives and county health departments monitor influenza activity all year. In [...]
