Health Information Line
A Health Information Line is frequently used when specific immediate actions are required of the public to safeguard their health or to provide general information such as locations of flu clinics.
Health Information Line: 585 753-5600
Bird Flu and Pandemic Flu
Before H1N1, Monroe County worked closely with state and federal health officials to develop a “commmunity plan” for how to deal with such a health threat. Numerous stakeholders in our community played a role in developing this plan.
Visit the Pandemic Flu Resource Page
Factual, Unbiased Information
Staying current on this issue is very important. Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for more information. This site is kept very current and is the best source for factual, unbiased information on this subject.
We understand that this issue can be very alarming. Being informed and prepared are key to dealing with this potential health threat.
Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Wind Chill Index
During the winter months in Rochester, the combined effect of wind and temperature—known as the Wind Chill Index (WCI)—can be very dangerous. The method used to calculate the WCI was revised in 2001 after many decades. We have posted links below to several credible Web sites with charts and other useful information on this subject and a 2004 letter to school superintendents.
Download the Superintendent Letter On Cold Weather (89k PDF).
West Nile Virus
West Nile virus (WNV) is an illness transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. The illness is most serious for older people; healthy children and younger adults are at very low-risk for serious WNV infection.
Download the Larvicides Brochure (23k PDF).
More Information on West Nile Virus
WNV: Dead Crow Reporting
The Monroe County Department of Public Health uses reports of dead crows as one tool to track the spread of West Nile Virus (WNV) in our community and to gauge the risk of this illness to humans.
While many bird species are affected by WNV, crows seem to be particularly susceptible. For this reason, only crows should be reported at this time. Crows are very large birds, usually over a foot and a half in length. They are considerably larger than blackbirds or starlings, which are often mistaken for crows. Crows are completely black in color, including their beak and feet.
To report dead crows:
- Call 585 753-5171 during business hours (8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday).
Because it is assumed that WNV will re-emerge this year, only a small number of crows will be submitted for testing (several each week will be selected from calls made to staff during the work day).
Be sure to wear gloves or use a shovel to avoid direct hand contact with the bird, double bag it and dispose of it in the trash. Although birds cannot transmit WNV to humans, we still recommend such precautions as an extra measure of safety.
Again, even though most birds will not need to be tested this year, reports of dead crows are still very important to us. We plot the locations of dead crows reported to us on a map and compare such patterns to prior years. Doing so enables us to get a sense for how much WNV activity there is in a particular area and to determine if other measures should be taken.
Thank you for assisting in our efforts to track WNV and in protecting the public’s health.
Hot Weather Prevention Tips
Extreme heat causes approximately 200 deaths each year in the U.S. and many more hospitalizations. The combination of heat and humidity produce something called the Heat Index (analogous to the Wind Chill factor in the winter). The Heat Index is often referred to as the “feels like” temperature, when relative humidity is taken into account.
The National Weather Service issues advisories when the Heat Index is expected to exceed 105 degrees. Older people and the very young are most susceptible to extreme heat.
During periods of prolonged hot weather it is wise to be careful. Attached are materials with useful heat-safety information.
- Heat Wave—National Weather Service (274k PDF)
- Heat Index Chart
- Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness
Ozone Advisory
Ozone is created when sunlight reacts with chemicals from gasoline vapors, car exhaust, and industrial smoke stacks. It is usually worst in the latter part of the day during summer months. People who work outside and those with breathing problems such as asthma are advised to limit their outdoor activities when ozone levels are high.
See Ozone Warnings for more detail.
Bioterrorism
Anthrax spread through the U.S. Mail System and the threat of Smallpox being used as a biological weapon have caused us to become familiar with a new word: Bioterrorism. The Public Health system—federal, state, and local—works jointly with numerous other organizations to prepare for such threats.
See Related Links for a thorough explanation of biological and chemical agents that criminals/ terrorists may try to use as weapons.
Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cover Your Cough
To help prevent transmission of respiratory infections within medical practices and in the community, we are promoting the concept of “Cover Your Cough.” The attached materials describe various practices—including frequent hand washing—that will reduce the spread of various illnesses like flu and the common cold.
We encourage you to share this information with your patients and staff.
Cover Your Cough Promotional Materials
- Download the Cover Your Cough Poster (96k PDF).
- Download the Cover Your Cough Brochure (168k PDF).
Learn more from the CDC Hand Hygiene Guidelines Fact Sheet.
