Monday, January 28, 2013
A new norovirus strain was detected last year in Australia and has reached the United States
Although the flu is on everyone’s minds this season, the winter vomiting bug, or the norovirus, is making its rounds. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the norovirus causes about 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths per year, mostly in young children and the elderly. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pains. The CDC points out that the norovirus is often referred to as the stomach flu, but it is unrelated to influenza. A new norovirus strain, GII.4 Sydney, was detected last year in Australia. The strain hit the U.K and sickened over a million people. It has now reached the United States and this new strain appears to be taking over. Of norovirus cases reported from …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Health Department reports high flu activity in RI, vaccination demand causing sporadic shortages.
The CDC reports an elevated number of flu cases in the US, with the RI Department of Health reporting widespread flu, but Cumberland and North Smithfield have vaccination clinics to keep you healthy. North Smithfield is offering a flu clinic today at North Smithfield Middle School, 1850 Providence Pike, from 4 to 7 p.m. for people six months and older. Cumberland is offering a flu clinic Friday at Cumberland High School, 2600 Mendon Road, from 4 to 7 p.m., for people six months and older. There is no cost for any vaccination and health insurance is not a requirement at public clinics. Anyone who is insured should bring his or her insurance card. In addition to flu vaccine, pertussis (whooping cough) and pneumonia vaccine will be …
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Patient hospitalized after contaminated steroid shot linked to national outbreak.
Woonsocket has the unenviable distinction of being the first spot in Rhode Island with a case of meningitis in the nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak from contaminated steroid injections made in Framingham, MA. The patient, a woman in her forties from Providence County, received a spinal injection at Ocean State Pain Management of Woonsocket on Sept. 22. She is hospitalized and receiving treatment, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health. Another Rhode Island facility, New England Anesthesiology, which has offices in Warwick and East Greenwich ― received medication from some of three lots recalled by New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Massachusetts. These lots have been linked to a multi-state outbreak of …
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Rhode Islanders asked to take precautions against mosquitoes.
Reports of West Nile Virus are moving closer to home for Woonsocket residents - the Rhode Island Department of Health reports a man in his 20s from Providence has been diagnosed with meningitis resulting from a West Nile Virus (WNV) infection. The man is now recovering. According to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), as of Sept. 11, 48 states have reported West Nile virus infections in mosquitos, birds, and people. West Nile Virus, unknown in the US until the late 1990s, is now detected throughout the nation in birds or mosquitos or in people or other animals every year. The CDC reports that about 20 percent of people who become infected with West Nile Virus develop West Nile Fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, and …
Rob Borkowski
8:59 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Thanks, Diana - I had the two closest public clinics listed, but I just added a link to the list of all the public ones in the state. more ›