Outbreak

The widely reported threat of a possible avian flu pandemic has had one key benefit, according to Washington County health officials, who say publicity about avian flu has prompted county residents to think about getting flu shots. Officials are hoping to vaccinate as many as 8,000 at-risk residents at a large-scale flu clinic scheduled for Nov. 15 at several locations in the county. See Sunday's Herald-Mail for the full story.

HAGERSTOWN -- Washington County public health staff participated Wednesday in an exercise to test their responsiveness and preparation for a pandemic flu outbreak, something scientists say will occur. The training session at the Western Maryland Hospital Center was just one of many exercises organized by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and carried out this week, said Rod MacRae, a county health department spokesman. "Our main purpose is to test planning and response to an outbreak mainly focusing on distribution through our internal staff," Health Officer Earl Stoner said.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Those who enjoy their salads and sandwiches with sweet slices of summertime tomato might be disappointed in the wake of last week's U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory warning linking the fruit to salmonella. The red plum, red roma and round red varieties of tomatoes have been pulled from many local restaurants and grocery stores as a precaution, and fast-food chains like McDonald's, Quiznos, Taco Bell and Chipotle Mexican Grill across the country have stopped serving tomatoes and tomato products.

Firefighter hailed for effort to save a life Hagerstown man gets more than 12 years in drug case H1N1 outbreak notification policies vary by workplace Couple shaving heads for cancer center fundraiser Niki Marie Queen-Rhoderick, 57

Do you love scary movies? Do you like science fiction that makes you think? If you do, then this movie is perfect for you. "I Am Legend" is an adaptation of Richard Matheson's acclaimed 1954 vampire novel. The story is about Dr. Robert Neville, the last man living in New York City after a worldwide outbreak of a virus even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would fear. The movie is astounding, with traditional horror movie tricks and scenes that make even the most stoic person jump.

A blanket collection drive initiated by Cheryl Phillips of Cascade was a success, resulting in a small truckload of blankets for the animals at the Humane Society of Washington County. The collection took place on two consecutive weekends, from Oct. 13 through Oct. 21. "I am so happy to have been able to help," said Phillips, adding "I must admit I was a bit worried I wouldn't do well, but at the last minute, a wonderful man drove up with a huge number of blankets that he and his wife donated.

Lori Lushbaugh, a registered nurse who is in charge of Washington County Health Department's communicable disease program, is Washington County Health Department's Employee of the Month for July. She has worked with the health department since 1999. She began with the Healthy Start program working with women who have pregnancies at risk for unfavorable outcomes. She subsequently transferred to the communicable disease program and, in 2005, became the program supervisor. In that capacity she is responsible for the oversight of all surveillance and investigation of reportable diseases and the coordination and conduct of disease outbreak control activities.

Health officials in Berkeley and Morgan counties in the Eastern Panhandle and Hancock County in the state's Northern Panhandle are investigating outbreaks of whooping cough. Berkeley County Health Officer Diana Gaviria told the Berkeley County Council Thursday morning that they have documented 11 confirmed cases of pertussis among preschool and school-age children since November. "Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be showing any antibiotic resistance, it's easily treated," Gaviria said in an interview after the council meeting.

Berkeley County Animal Control's kennel remains closed due to an outbreak of canine parvovirus, but Sheriff Kenneth M. Lemaster said Friday he expects the facility to reopen next week. Lemaster said officials decided to continue the quarantine through the weekend at the kennel on South Queen Street to make sure it is clear of the disease. "We were hoping to have it cleaned up by Friday," Lemaster said. The facility was put under a voluntary quarantine Monday. Sheriff's Lt. Willie Johnson, who oversees day-to-day animal-control operations, said Tuesday that about a dozen dogs had been exposed to the disease in a buildingwide infection, but was unclear how many, if any, dogs would have to be euthanized.

Week of Aug. 26, 1958 The local Health Department has received the first of six kits to be shipped to it by the State Department of Health, in a campaign to search for any possible specimens indicating an outbreak of Asiatic influenza. Not a single case of the new flu has been reported here, and the kits are just a precautionary measure. The local Health Department still has not received any of the purported vaccine to treat Asiatic flu, and it is understood that the vaccine is still unobtainable here.

A Chambersburg-area farm involved in a bacteria outbreak last year is the subject of a new warning from the Pennsylvania departments of health and agriculture. Five people who consumed unpasteurized milk from The Family Cow, 3854 Olde Scotland Road, between April 30 and May 10 suffered illnesses confirmed to be related to Campylobacter bacteria, according to a news release from the state departments issued Wednesday. “Agriculture officials ordered the owners of the farm to stop the sale of all raw milk until further notice,” the news release stated.

A steroid linked to a deadly outbreak of fungal meningitis has not been used at area hospitals, officials said Monday. The number of deaths rose Monday by one to eight, with another fatality in Tennessee, according to The Associated Press. The number of people sickened by the meningitis outbreak rose Monday to 105, with reported cases in Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Indiana, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina and Ohio, according to health officials. Investigators suspect a steroid medication made by a specialty pharmacy might be to blame, the AP reported.

The number of people sickened by raw milk linked to a Franklin County farm has climbed to 77, possibly making it the largest outbreak in Pennsylvania history. Pennsylvania Department of Health officials said Thursday that the total number of cases continued to increase. The department has identified 67 cases in Pennsylvania, five in Maryland, two in New Jersey and three in West Virginia. Individuals suffered digestive issues associated with a Campylobacter jejuni bacterial infection.

Health officials in Berkeley and Morgan counties in the Eastern Panhandle and Hancock County in the state's Northern Panhandle are investigating outbreaks of whooping cough. Berkeley County Health Officer Diana Gaviria told the Berkeley County Council Thursday morning that they have documented 11 confirmed cases of pertussis among preschool and school-age children since November. "Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be showing any antibiotic resistance, it's easily treated," Gaviria said in an interview after the council meeting.

Berkeley County Animal Control's kennel remains closed due to an outbreak of canine parvovirus, but Sheriff Kenneth M. Lemaster said Friday he expects the facility to reopen next week. Lemaster said officials decided to continue the quarantine through the weekend at the kennel on South Queen Street to make sure it is clear of the disease. "We were hoping to have it cleaned up by Friday," Lemaster said. The facility was put under a voluntary quarantine Monday. Sheriff's Lt. Willie Johnson, who oversees day-to-day animal-control operations, said Tuesday that about a dozen dogs had been exposed to the disease in a buildingwide infection, but was unclear how many, if any, dogs would have to be euthanized.

In response to a local outbreak of canine parvovirus, the Humane Society of Washington County will help some pet owners pay to vaccinate their dogs against the deadly disease. Under the Animal Health Voucher program, vouchers for up to $50 will be issued to qualifying applicants to go toward the cost of a veterinarian visit for the vaccination that includes the parvovirus inoculation, according to a news release from the shelter. The program will begin Wednesday, but further details were not yet available, the release said.

The number of confirmed cases in an E coli outbreak linked to Cowans Gap State Park is now 13, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced Tuesday. In a statement, health department officials said 11 cases involve Pennsylvania residents - six from Franklin County, four from Lancaster County and one from Huntingdon County. Two cases were confirmed in Maryland residents, officials said. All swam in the lake at Cowans Gap State Park, although the source of the bacteria has not been found.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal investigators are looking at a farm in Yuma, Ariz., as a possible source of a widespread E. coli outbreak in romaine lettuce, according to the distributor. Freshway Foods of Sidney, Ohio, said Thursday it recalled lettuce sold in 23 states and the District of Columbia because of a possible link to an E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least 19 people -- three with life-threatening illness. College students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Ohio State in Columbus and Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y., are among those affected by the outbreak, according to health departments in those states.

Firefighter hailed for effort to save a life Hagerstown man gets more than 12 years in drug case H1N1 outbreak notification policies vary by workplace Couple shaving heads for cancer center fundraiser Niki Marie Queen-Rhoderick, 57

HAGERSTOWN -- Health professionals disagree on whether employers would be providing any benefit to staff members by notifying them if a co-worker is sick with H1N1, also known as swine flu. Col. Peter Weina, director of the Division of Viral Diseases at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Spring, Md., said he doesn't believe it is appropriate within a workplace to advertise the fact that someone has been diagnosed with H1N1....