michigan department of community health

Michigan's West Nile Virus season off to an early start

Steve Carmody — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 10:21:00 +0000

Michigan’s West Nile Virus season is getting off to an earlier than normal start.

State health officials report a wild turkey in Gratiot County tested positive for the mosquito-borne illness last month.

Angela Minicuci is with the Michigan Department of Community Health. She says the first signs of West Nile don’t usually appear in Michigan until the end of June or the beginning of July.

Physical hazards remain in copper mining region of Michigan's Upper Peninsula

The Associated Press — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:47:01 +0000

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A state report says physical hazards remain in the former copper mining region of Michigan's western Upper Peninsula.

The Michigan Department of Community Health says Tuesday it has finished two reports about public health conditions in and around the Torch Lake Superfund site in Houghton County and Keweenaw County.

The site was polluted with waste rock during mining operations from the 1890s to 1960s.The reports include responses to questions raised during a public comment period last year.

One describes physical hazards remaining from mining activities and recommends removing them or restricting access.

The other deals with potential chemical exposure from municipal and private drinking water. It says municipal water is safe and meets applicable standards and regulations, but there isn't enough information about chemical levels in some private wells.

Michigan aims to identify health risk behaviors

Associated Press — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:27:16 +0000

Michigan is rolling out new guidelines designed to help health providers better identify teens with high-risk behaviors.

The statewide guidelines recommend that adolescents be assessed for health-risk behaviors, such as violence, at least once a year. They also recommend that health care providers use one of four screening tools to ensure adolescents are consistently screened statewide.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says high-risk behaviors are the primary cause of the death or serious injury of about three-quarters of teens.

3 new infections, 1 death in Michigan from tainted steroid injections

The Associated Press — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 20:33:19 +0000

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan health officials have reported three more infections and one more death linked to contaminated steroids supplied by a Massachusetts pharmaceutical company.

The Michigan Department of Community Health says at least 249 people have been infected with illnesses including fungal meningitis that are part of a national disease outbreak. The steroids are used in injections to treat neck and back pain.

The department reports that at least 16 people have died in the outbreak.

3 new infections in Michigan from bad steroids

Associated Press — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 22:44:39 +0000

Michigan health officials have reported three more infections in the past week linked to contaminated steroids supplied by a Massachusetts pharmaceutical company.

The Michigan Department of Community Health says at least 244 people have been infected with illnesses including fungal meningitis that are part of a national disease outbreak. The steroids are used in injections to treat neck and back pain.

Michigan cases tied to meningitis outbreak hit 197

Kyle Norris — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 23:26:18 +0000

Michigan health officials say the number of state residents infected during a national outbreak of fungal meningitis has risen by nine to 197, with 13 deaths.

The Michigan Department of Community Health says that as of Friday, there have been 68 meningitis cases, 116 epidural abscesses, one stroke and 13 joint infections. The total of 197 infections is up from 188 in Wednesday's count.

Meningitis outbreak cases continue to grow in Michigan

Steve Carmody — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 00:12:11 +0000

The number of Michiganders affected by the national meningitis outbreak continues to rise.

The Centers for Disease Control now lists 82 patients in Michigan infected by tainted steroid injections intended to relieve back pain. Six people from Michigan have died.

Angela Minicuci is with the Michigan Department of Community Health. She expects the number will continue to rise, as some patients are still waiting to see symptoms develop.

Washtenaw Co. death is Michigan's 5th in meningitis outbreak

The Associated Press — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:53:19 +0000

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Authorities are reporting a fifth Michigan death in a national outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to contaminated steroids.

The Michigan Department of Community Health said Thursday that its death count has risen by one in the last day. Mlive.com says the latest victim was a 62-year-old Washtenaw County man.

The state agency now reports 45 Michigan cases of fungal meningitis, plus four non-meningitis infection cases related to the same contaminated steroids.

More Michigan cases reported in meningitis outbreak

The Associated Press — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 21:04:30 +0000

Update Monday, October 8, 5:04 p.m.

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) now reports 22 confirmed cases of fungal meningitis in Michigan.

From the MDCH:

2 Michigan deaths reported in meningitis outbreak

The Associated Press — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 21:26:37 +0000

Officials say there are at least eight confirmed cases of meningitis in Michigan, including two deaths.

The Michigan Department of Community Health said Saturday it won't be able to release any details about the deaths until after the weekend.

The meningitis outbreak has been linked to a steroid produced by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts. The steroid has been recalled, and officials have been scrambling to notify anyone who may have been injected with it.

New legislation attempts to curtail concussions

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 18:19:10 +0000

Michigan's legislators have moved to protect student athletes from concussions. The AP has more:

The Senate on Tuesday passed measures requiring the Michigan Department of Community Health to develop educational materials and training for athletes, parents and coaches on concussion-related injuries and treatments.
The materials would identify the nature and risk of concussions and criteria for removing athletes from activity when they're suspected of having a concussion.

Update: West Nile virus reaches epidemic level in Michigan

Mark Brush — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:30:19 +0000

Update Aug. 30, 10:30 a.m.

Michigan health officials say an 87-year-old woman from Kent County is the fifth person to die from the West Nile virus in the state this year.

State Department of Community Health spokeswoman Angela Minicuci confirmed the death this morning.

She had no other details on the woman.

Aug. 29, 2012

Reports of West Nile virus cases keep coming in, and now Michigan health officials say the illness has reached epidemic proportions in the state.

Michigan State University entomologist Ned Walker recently told Michigan Radio's Rina Miller that the intensity of the virus is very alarming. "I haven't seen anything that is this intense in my career," said Walker.

Officials said today an 86-year-old woman from Wayne County is the fourth person to die from the West Nile virus in the state this year.

Michigan's State Community Health director Dazzo resigns

The Associated Press — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:56:33 +0000

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The director of Michigan's Department of Community Health has stepped down.

Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday accepted Olga Dazzo's resignation and appointed former department director James Haveman Jr. as her replacement.

Snyder's office says in a release that Dazzo has decided to return to the private sector. Snyder appointed her to the post in December 2010.

Snyder says Dazzo "wants to more directly work with the health care system to bring about positive change."

In taking the job, Haveman resigned from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Board of Directors. His appointment is subject to Senate approval. He is scheduled to start Sept. 1.

Haveman served from 1996 to 2003 as Community Health director and from 1991 to 1996 as head of the state Department of Mental Health.

Improving Michigan's infant mortality rate

Steve Carmody — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 17:24:47 +0000

The Snyder Administration has outlined its plan to reduce infant mortality in Michigan, but some say the plan needs more state funding to work.

State says it’s okay to eat fish from stretch of Kalamazoo River affected by oil spill

Lindsey Smith — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 01:06:34 +0000

It’s another sign things are starting to get back to normal… two years after the spill. Earlier this month the state opened up the river to swimmers and boaters for the first time since the spill.

The Michigan Department of Community Health says it’s now safe to eat fish from a thirty-mile stretch of the Kalamazoo River affected by a massive oil spill.

Gov. Snyder order creates Michigan Autism Council

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 21:21:00 +0000

Today, Gov. Rick Snyder signed an order creating an Autism Council in Michigan's Department of Community Health.

The governor's office said the order is a step to implement Michigan's Autism Spectrum Disorders State Plan. According to a 2009 issue paper concerning the plan, autism diagnoses have dramatically increased amongst children over the past several decades.

The AP reports:

The council will have 12 gubernatorial appointees.

Snyder and Lt. Gov. Brian Calley pushed hard to win passage of a mandate for insurance coverage for autism treatment for children. Insurers are reimbursed through a $15 million autism coverage incentive fund.

Calley's daughter Reagan has been diagnosed with autism.

Michigan's upcoming budget also provides for Medicaid coverage of autism treatment for children through the age of 18.

-Elaine Ezekiel, Michigan Radio Newsroom

MDCH unveils a new plan to combat obesity in the state

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 17:15:17 +0000

The Michigan Department of Community Health has a new plan to reduce the number of obese people in Michigan. The Department announced a new 5-year statewide program called "4 x 4" on Monday at the Recreation Park in Ypsilanti.

The program wants to encourage Michigan residents to eat a healthy diet, exercise, get check-ups, and avoid tobacco. The program will involve local governments, businesses and trade associations across the state.

It's time to get your flu shot (and your kid's too)

Steve Carmody — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:25:51 +0000

Michigan health officials say it’s time to get your flu shot. And they want your children vaccinated too.

You might think flu season is still months away. But you’d be wrong. State health officials say there have already been two confirmed influenza cases in Michigan this year.

State adds "bubble boy disease" to newborn screening panel

Sarah Hulett — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:10:26 +0000

The state of Michigan is now screening newborn babies for a deadly disorder that affects the immune system.

Severe Combined Immunodeficiency – or SCID – is often called “bubble boy disease.” It became widely known after a Texas boy lived with the illness for 12 years, most of it in a sterile bubble to avoid infections.

The disorder affects one in every 50,000 children. If it’s left untreated, the disease usually kills children before their first birthday. But bone marrow transplants in the early months of life can allow children to live into their 20s and sometimes much longer.

The Michigan Department of Community Health says six other states already screen for the disorder.

State agency says submerged oil in Kalamazoo River not a health threat

Mark Brush — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:33:00 +0000

The Michigan Department of Community Health released the report this afternoon.

In a press release agency officials say:

The MDCH has concluded that contact with the submerged oil will not cause people to have long-term health effects or have a higher than normal risk of cancer. Although long-term health effects will not result from contact with the submerged oil, contact with the oil may cause short-term effects, such as skin irritation.

The stretch of river addressed in the report runs from Talmadge Creek to Morrow Lake.

MDCH officials point out that their assessment "only discusses direct contact with the submerged oil. It does not evaluate breathing in chemicals from the remaining oil or any public safety concerns posed by the on-going cleanup of oil in the river."

In the report, the MDCH explained how they reached their conclusion of no long term health effects from contact with the submerged oil:

Non-cancer risk (hazard quotient) was calculated for the chemicals measured in the sediment. If the non-cancer risk (hazard quotient) values are less than 1.0, people are not expected to have long-term health effects from exposure to the chemicals. All risk values were lower than 1.0.

The state agency says their assessment does not change current restrictions regarding use of the river from the the Calhoun County Public Health Department and the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department.