Author: Jim

Hep A Update

The number of confirmed cases this year stood at 196 as of last Friday, said Dr. Steven Alles, Philadelphia’s director of disease control. Typically, the city sees two to six cases per year. Several more possible cases are being investigated.

There is not one particular hot spot of infection in Philly. “We are seeing cases presented from all over the city,” Alles told Metro. Most of the cases are in people who report using drugs or being homeless. But in a third of the infections, risk factors are unknown.

https://www.metro.us/news/local-news/philadelphia/no-end-sight-hepatitis-emergency-philadelphia

By Michael Martin

Hep A Clinic at McPherson

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is dealing with a case of hepatitis A in Kensington, and the agency is offering free vaccines this week.

People and some beat cops lined up to get their shots at a table the health department set up at the edge of McPherson Park Tuesday. Some said they were reluctant.

https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/news/hepatitis-case-prompts-health-dept-urge-vaccination

By Paul Kurtz

Hep A in a Food Handler in Kensington

Release

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has recently confirmed that a person who works at the Imperial Kitchen, located at 3164 Frankford Avenue has acute Hepatitis A. While the risk of Hepatitis A infection is very low, the Health Department recommends that people who purchased food from Imperial Kitchen between Sunday, July 21st and Tuesday, August 6th, 2019 receive Hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible. People who have previously received two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine OR have had Hepatitis A in the past do not need to be vaccinated.

https://www.phila.gov/2019-08-16-health-department-warns-of-potential-hepatitis-a-exposure-in-kensington/

Inquirer

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health on Friday said a worker at Imperial Kitchen, located at 3164 Frankford Ave., near E. Allegheny Avenue, was confirmed to have hepatitis A. The liver infection is spread through oral contact with infected feces — usually when an infected person does not thoroughly wash their hands after using the bathroom and then prepares food.

By Sarah Gantz

https://www.inquirer.com/health/hepatitis-a-outbreak-kensington-imperial-kitchen-20190816.html

Philly Voice

Health officials urged patrons of Imperial Kitchen, located at 3164 Frankford Ave., to receive a Hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible. They recently confirmed a food worker there has acute Hepatitis A, a liver virus that is be transmitted through contaminated food or water.

https://www.phillyvoice.com/hepatitis-a-expsoure-philadelphia-kensington-imperial-kitchen/

By Jon Kopp

CBS3

The health department is now recommending people who purchased food from Imperial Kitchen between Sunday, July 21 and Tuesday, Aug. 6 to get vaccinated. People who have previously received two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine or have had Hepatitis A in the past do not need to be vaccinated.

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/08/16/philadelphia-health-officials-warn-of-possible-hepatitis-a-exposure-at-kensington-chinese-takeout-restaurant/

By Staff

Opioid Epidemic and Infections

“People are injecting more often, they need more syringes, and they don’t necessarily have enough, and because of that they’re reusing syringes, which increases their risk,” said Lia Pizzicato, a substance-use epidemiologist for the city health department. “And then because they’re injecting so much, it’s difficult to find a vein, and they’re more likely to miss. It’s a cycle.”

https://www.inquirer.com/health/opioid-crisis-infections-strep-a-endocarditis-drug-use-philadelphia-20190809.html

By Aubrey Whelan

Queen Village Rats

James Garrow, a spokesperson for the city’s Health Department, said Vector Control is working to abate the Queen Village infestation. He said construction in the area seems to have exacerbated the problem. The city is also continuing to treat Lawncrest, where Garrow said treatment is “working and [Vector Control] will continue to follow up until the problem is solved.”

Garrow said removing trash and potential rodent shelters (think: tall grasses, creeping vines) are the two biggest steps communities can take to reduce a rat problem. Gardens with crops are another food source, he said — so be sure to pick your vegetables as soon as they’re ripe.

“If you can get rid of the food and lack of shelter, [rats will] generally move,” Garrow said.

https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/08/09/queen-village-rat-infestation/

By Claire Sasko

Close to Home Report

Release

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health and Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University released the first report to detail health measures at the neighborhood level in Philadelphia. While other reports show health indicators for cities and counties across the nation, Close to Home: The Health of Philadelphia’s Neighborhoods is the first project to do something similar for Philadelphia’s 46 neighborhoods. The report shows that while national ranking reports find Philadelphia lagging other large cities in health, these poor health indicators are not evenly found within Philadelphia. Just a few miles in the city can change a person’s life expectancy by nearly twenty years. The report can be found on the Health Department’s website, and in a specially designed website.

https://mailchi.mp/phila.gov/health-department-releases-first-ever-report-on-the-health-of-philadelphias-46-neighborhoods

WHYY

The big takeaway: Residents in low-income zip codes aren’t as healthy as residents of wealthier ones. They don’t live as long and have higher rates of diabetes, cancer, and asthma.

“It’s pretty dramatic,” said Raynard Washington, chief epidemiologist with Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health, which authored the study with help from researchers at Drexel University.

https://whyy.org/articles/philly-health-gap-varies-by-neighborhood-health-department-finds/

By Aaron Moselle

CBS3

“The Close to Home report puts into stark relief something that we’ve known for a while: there are too many neighborhoods in Philadelphia that make good health difficult to achieve,” Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said.

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/08/02/philadelphia-health-department-releases-first-of-its-kind-report-on-health-of-city-neighborhoods/

By Staff

PhillyVoice

These facts spurred the Philadelphia Department of Health and Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University to compile a report — the first ever — to outline the health of Philadelphia on the neighborhood level, dubbed “Close to Home: The Health of Philadelphia’s Neighborhoods.” These findings provide key insights into community health and serve as a helpful tool in monitoring and improving health.

https://www.phillyvoice.com/philadelphia-health-department-neighborhood-ranking/

By Bailey King

KYW

Philadelphia’s health significantly lags behind other major cities, according to its Close to Home report, which evaluated each of city’s 46 neighborhoods.

“Neighborhoods in Center City of course were at the top of the list, and then other neighborhoods in areas like Kensington and parts of North Philly like Nicetown and Tioga, outcomes were not as good,” explained Dr. Raynard Washington with Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health.

https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/news/report-your-health-varies-depending-where-you-live-philadelphia

By Justin Udo

Technically Philly

Washington said a large portion of time was dedicated to drawing neighborhood boundaries in order to evaluate the data.

“A lot of this was really the recognition that people think [of Philadelphia] in terms of neighborhoods,” Washington said. “So having our health reporting be able to align with neighborhoods makes sense.”

https://technical.ly/philly/2019/08/05/drexel-department-public-health-interactive-report-philadelphia-neighborhoods/

By Michaela Althouse

South Philly Mice Follow-up

CBS3

The inspection found “visible physical evidence of rodent and insect activity.”

That includes mouse droppings and live roaches.

The report states the restaurant must take corrective action to eliminate the violations. As of now, the restaurant remains opens.

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/08/02/reinspection-of-south-philly-popeyes-finds-live-roaches-mouse-droppings-health-department-says/

By Staff

6ABC

The health department returned Friday to Popeyes restaurant and found multiple violations.

Our cameras captured mice running around inside the restaurant.

https://6abc.com/food/more-violations-found-against-popeyes-in-south-philadelphia-/5438451/

By Staff

Fountain Swimming

While it may be fun, swimming in a public fountain presents a health risk, the city’s Public Health Department said. The water undergoes vigorous treatment, the same as drinking water, but once in the fountain, “it’s essentially like a pool, but without all of the treatment chemicals to make it safe.” The department discourages swimming in fountains.

Cryptosporidium and giardia are two main illnesses of concern, according to Health Department spokesperson James Garrow, as they are the “most common causes of recreational water illness” in the country. Both are spread by swallowing contaminated water and cause diarrhea.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/curious-philly-swann-memorial-fountain-logan-square-swimming-20190801.html

By TyLisa C. Johnson and Lucia Geng