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Features

Illinois receives additional
funding to fight West Nile virus

[AUG. 29, 2002]  CHICAGO — Gov. George Ryan announced Wednesday that Illinois will receive $400,506 from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assist in the control of West Nile virus.

"Illinois welcomes these additional dollars," Ryan said. "Along with state dollars, this funding will help us sustain our continuing efforts to manage West Nile virus in Illinois." Illinois plans to use the additional funds for laboratory enhancements, increased public awareness and local surveillance of conditions that result in the spread of the virus.

The state’s West Nile Virus Task Force was organized by the governor last fall after the virus was detected in two birds in the Chicago metropolitan area. The group, which began regular sessions last fall, meets regularly with Ryan to update him on West Nile virus activity and prevention measures throughout the state.

State Public Health Director Dr. John R. Lumpkin, who leads the West Nile Virus Task Force, said the state is doing all it can to monitor West Nile virus activity. The Chicago laboratory for the Department of Public Health has been working seven days a week to assist hospitals and doctors with the testing of human samples. The funding will support increased staffing, equipment and supplies.

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Human cases of West Nile virus have been identified in Chicago and 10 Illinois counties: Chicago, 12 cases; suburban Cook County, 40; DuPage County, four; Ford County, one; Jackson, one; Madison County, three; Montgomery County, one; Sangamon County, two; Shelby County, one; St. Clair County, one; and Will County, five.

The average age of people who have contracted the virus in Illinois is 52.5 years. There have now been a total of four deaths due to West Nile virus illness.

A total of 439 birds, 236 mosquito batches and 62 horses in 92 Illinois counties have tested positive this year for West Nile since surveillance for the mosquito-transmitted virus began May 1.

A complete listing of the positive birds, mosquito batches, horses and humans identified so far in Illinois, by county, is available on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s site at http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/
wnvsurveillance_data02.htm.

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

[For links to more information on the West Nile virus, click here.]

Hopedale needs blood donors

[AUG. 26, 2002]  Mark Rossi, chief operating officer and spokesman for Hopedale Medical Complex, announced that effective June 28 the hospital began receiving their blood supply from Central Illinois Community Blood Center, a licensed, nonprofit blood center headquartered in Springfield. "The medical complex looks forward to the new affiliation and partnership," he said.

 According to Dr. Alfred N. Rossi, laboratory director for Hopedale Medical Complex, the change was made to improve product availability, service and cost containment.

Central Illinois Community Blood Center has provided a safe and adequate blood supply to hospitals in Springfield and the surrounding area for over 31 years. Each unit of blood is fully tested as mandated by the FDA of all licensed blood centers.

According to David Parsons, chief executive officer, this is a natural partnership. He is proud of the blood center’s record of supply and states there has never been a surgery postponed or delayed due to a shortage of blood in the CICBC service area. Furthermore, CICBC is one of only a handful of blood centers in the country to have never issued an emergency appeal for donations in order to prevent a shortage.

Central Illinois Community Blood Center is licensed by the FDA, is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks, and is a member of America’s Blood Centers and Blood Centers of America.

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America’s Blood Centers, or ABC, is an association of 75 independent community blood centers that provide about half of the nation’s volunteer donor blood supply. This association provides a national affiliation that allows community blood centers to share any excess blood collections throughout the United States through a resource-sharing network.

The Central Illinois Community Blood Center is nonprofit and is governed by a local volunteer board of directors who serve without compensation and with the well-being of area patients in mind. Because CICBC is community-based and free of bureaucracy, it can provide other services to local hospitals, such as free delivery, no restocking fees, 24-hour access, a local full-time medical director certified in transfusion medicine and a reference lab in a more cost-effective manner. In order to continue this tradition of a safe, reliable and cost-effective blood supply, CICBC needs the communities that it serves to support the local blood supply with blood donations.

Central Illinois Community Blood Center provides all of the blood and blood products for 12 local hospitals, including those in Hopedale, Lincoln, Springfield, Jacksonville, Taylorville, Pana, Hillsboro, Carlinville, Carrollton and Pittsfield.

[Press release]

[AUG. 30, 2002]  The Logan County "Badges for Life" competition is culminating at a blood drive at the courthouse today (Friday) from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Community members may donate at this blood drive and designate their donation to support their favorite first responder group. The groups involved are ESDA, Lincoln City Police Department, Lincoln Fire Department, Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District, Logan County Sheriff’s Department and the Logan County Paramedics.

Blood collected at this drive by the Central Illinois Community Blood Center will be used to help save lives of patients in Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital as well as 11 other central Illinois hospitals, including those in Springfield. These patients are your friends, neighbors and family members.

Please support your community’s blood supply and your first responders at this blood drive.

If you have never donated blood, please consider it. You can truly save a life.

If you are already a multigallon donor or approaching a gallon mark, please tell us at the blood drive. We will be happy to honor any previous donations you may have with any other blood collection organization and give you our token of appreciation for your respective gallon level.

For more information, call Terry Bell at 753-1530 (Springfield).

Health Matters

A monthly feature from  Logan County Health Department

August is World Breastfeeding Month

[AUG. 2, 2002]  When a woman learns that she is pregnant, she begins to think about all kinds of things. She may worry about a variety of health issues. Will my baby be healthy? What if the baby is born with a problem? One issue that many women are concerned about is how to feed their baby. "Should I breast-feed or should I formula-feed my baby?" or "Which is best, breast or formula?" These are questions often asked.

Formula feeding is OK, but breast-feeding is best for baby, and for you. There are many benefits to breast-feeding. A few are listed below.

Benefits for baby

1. Breast milk has the right balance of nutrients and changes as the baby grows.

2. Breast milk provides immunities that help protect from certain diseases.

3. Breast milk is easier to digest; constipation and colic are less common.

4. Breast-feeding helps with baby’s development: mouth structure, jaw and facial muscles, and tooth position.

Benefits for mom

1. Breast-feeding helps the uterus return to pre-pregnant size sooner.

2. Breast-feeding burns extra calories, helps mom lose weight.

3. Breast-feeding is easier. No bottles to sterilize or formula to prepare. Also, it is always available and at the right temperature.

4. Breast-feeding costs less. No formula or bottles to buy.

For more information on breast-feeding and WIC services, contact Logan County Health Department at (217) 735-2317.

[News release]

Red Cross

September Red Cross classes

[AUG. 22, 2002]  The American Red Cross will offer CPR and first-aid classes Sept. 10, 11 and 12 at their office at 125 S. Kickapoo St. in Lincoln.

Adult CPR will be on the 10th, first aid on the 11th, and infant and child CPR on the 12th. All classes will be from 5:30 until 9:30 p.m.

To register for any of the classes or for further information, call 732-2134. Office hours are from noon until 4 p.m. weekdays.

West Nile Virus

West Nile virus links

LDN articles

• Local authorities watching WNV

Federal websites

• CDC WNV home page

State websites

• State WNV website

• Protect your home against mosquitoes
• State surveillance site
• Logan County surveillance site

Honors & Awards

Announcements

The Rural Health Partnership has announced the schedule for its mobile health unit for 2002.

For more information on the mobile health unit schedule and services, contact Dayle Eldredge at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 409.

Community resource list

This family resource list to save and use is provided by the Healthy Communities Partnership and the Healthy Families Task Force, 732-2161, Ext. 409.         

(updated 2-15-02)

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