Author: Jim

Synar Report Publication

Release

PHILADELPHIA–According to the recently released 2018 Synar report, sales of tobacco to youth in Philadelphia more than doubled in 2018, compared to 2017. Driven by illegal sales by tobacco retailers throughout the city, the overall rate of youth tobacco sales in Philadelphia in 2018 was more than twice the state rate. Violations, meaning illegal sales of tobacco to underage buyers, occurred across retailer types, consistent with data from what the Health Department finds during their own compliance check program. The state’s Synar report is developed using the results of a survey during which trained, supervised teens aged 15-17 attempt to buy tobacco at a sample of retail stores across the state.

https://www.phila.gov/2019-09-11-sales-of-tobacco-to-youth-in-philadelphia-skyrocketed-in-2018/

Inquirer

Illegal sales of cigarettes to young people in Philadelphia have more than doubled in the last year, reversing a two-year decline in the practice, the Philadelphia Public Health Department announced Tuesday.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/cigarettes-illegal-sales-youth-teens-philadelphia-pennsylvania-increase-20190910.html

By Mari Schaefer

Philly Voice

“These 2018 figures are unacceptable. After years of improvement, we were gratified to be making headway against illegal sales of tobacco to our city’s youth,” said Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, Philadelphia’s director of chronic disease and injury prevention.

https://www.phillyvoice.com/cigarettes-philadelphia-youth-sales-survey-retailers-teen-smoking-vaping/

By Michael Tanenbaum

KYW

Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, director of chronic disease and injury prevention at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health says the city is taking action.

“We are doing education with retailers in multiple languages in multiple formats, some of it’s face-to-face, some of it is email fliers that are designed and stress that this is against the law,” she said. “We’ve also increased the number of compliance checks that we do so people who are selling to youth are getting ticketed more often and each ticket is $250, so those are real penalties.”

https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/news/concern-grows-more-philly-teens-are-buying-tobacco

By Lynne Adkins

E.Coli Update

Inquirer

“This a wide-ranging investigation that asks very sick people to list every single thing that they’ve eaten or drank, at the level of every individual ingredient, during the period when they were exposed to the bug,” Garrow said. “This generates a massive list of possible items and locations that may have been the culprit.”

https://www.inquirer.com/health/philadelphia-e-coli-outbreak-20190909.html

By Rita Giordano

Gregory Eells Death

NBC Nightly News

His death was ruled a suicide by the medical examiner’s office, according to James Garrow, a spokesman for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/head-mental-health-services-university-pennsylvania-dies-suicide-n1052156

By Janelle Griffith

Cornell Daily Sun

James Garrow, the director of communications for the City of Philadelphia’s Public Health Department, confirmed reports by student paper The Daily Pennsylvanian that the city’s medical examiner had ruled the death a suicide.

https://cornellsun.com/2019/09/10/transformational-former-director-of-cornell-caps-gregory-eells-dies-in-pennsylvania/

By Sarah Skinner

Daily Pennsylvanian

His death was ruled a suicide by the Medical Examiner’s Office, spokesperson James Garrow confirmed to The Daily Pennsylvanian, and reports indicate he jumped from a building in Center City Philadelphia.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2019/09/caps-director-gregory-eells-dies-penn

By Manlu Liu and Max Cohen

Inquirer

His death occurred about 6:40 a.m. along the 100 block of South Broad Street, where Eells had been living. It was ruled a suicide by the medical examiner’s office, said James Garrow, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/unviersity-of-pennsylvania-death-psychological-services-20190909.html

By Susan Snyder, Mike Newall and Mensah M. Dean

CBS Evening News

The head of the University of Pennsylvania’s psychological and counseling services department died by suicide, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Dr. Gregory Eells, 52, died on Monday morning due to multiple blunt impact injuries, according to the Philadelphia Department of Health, and the University of Pennsylvania confirmed his death to CBS News.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gregory-eells-death-director-university-of-pennsylvania-mental-health-services-dies-by-suicide-in-philadelphia/

By Brian Pascus

People

Dr. Gregory Eells, the executive director of counseling and psychological services at the University of Pennsylvania, died by suicide, a spokesperson with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health confirms to PEOPLE.

https://people.com/health/university-of-pennsylvania-mental-health-services-head-suicide/

By Helen Murphy

E.coli Outbreak

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health on Thursday announced an outbreak of E. coli infections that has sickened 14 people so far.

In a statement, city health officials said their investigation “has identified a few shared restaurant exposures.” It did not name the restaurants.

https://www.inquirer.com/health/e-coli-outbreak-philadelphia-diarrhea-kidney-failure-food-20190905.html

By Rita Giordano

Philly Naked Bike Ride

When asked if the city believes there are any health issues connected with sitting on a bicycle after it has been used by a naked individual, Ritz said the Health Department recommends using a barrier between the rider and seat.

“For example, underwear, a towel, pants, etc., are all good options,” he wrote. “For riders concerned about using bicycles any time following events such as the Naked Bike Ride, clothing is always recommended and would be a sufficient barrier.”

https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/philly-naked-bike-ride-indego-bike-share-anonymous-letter-20190903.html

By Stephanie Farr

Naloxone Giveaway Days

The City of Philadelphia, in response to an emergency that has taken the lives of thousands of Philadelphians, disrupted the lives of tens of thousands more, and affected the lives of each and every one of us, recognizes International Overdose Awareness Day. In honor of this day, and to save as many lives as possible, the Health Department will be holding a series of naloxone giveaway days in September. International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held on August 31st every year that aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death.

https://www.phila.gov/2019-08-30-philadelphia-announces-free-naloxone-giveaway-days/

Mumps Update

While there are no reported cases of students contracting mumps during the summer, students should continue to practice good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, Perella added.

“A good lesson learned is keeping an eye out for travel-associated illnesses, especially at the start of the semester,” Perella said. “There’s also the distinct possibility that individuals can be infected from different sources. The virus is circulating abroad.”

https://temple-news.com/lessons-learned-temple-reflects-on-mumps-outbreak/

By Issalina Sagad

Maurice Willoughby Death

Inquirer

The investigation into Willoughby’s death is still pending, according to the city Department of Public Health. Police haven’t responded to a request for details.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/maurice-willoughby-died-by-suicide-after-viral-video-defending-transgender-girlfriend-20190822.html

By Anna Orso

Philadelphia Gay News

A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, which oversees the Medical Examiner’s Office, said “Willoughby’s cause of death is still pending investigation at this time.”

http://www.epgn.com/news/local/15127-philly-man-dating-trans-woman-allegedly-dies-by-suicide-after-struggling-with-addiction-bullying

By Laura Smythe

Washington Post

Willoughby’s girlfriend said on an Instagram live stream last month that he had died. James Garrow, spokesman for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, said the medical examiner has not issued a final ruling on the cause of death.

https://beta.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/09/07/actor-malik-yoba-wanted-support-an-upcoming-transgender-march-an-accusation-followed/

By Lateshia Beachum