Georgia Coastal Health District

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If you’re an expecting mom or a family with children under age 5, you’re invited to the Chatham County Health Department’s Super Community Baby Shower. This special event is happening Saturday, July 26 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the Savannah Tech Auditorium on White Bluff Road.

“We’ve held several baby showers at our health department in the past,” said organizer and public health educator Katee Sykes, “but this one is going to be our biggest yet. We’re holding it on a Saturday to make it easier for working families to attend and using the auditorium at Savannah Tech so there’s plenty of room for a crowd.”

The Super Community Baby Shower will bring together organizations and resources from around the Savannah area that support families with young children, featuring:

• Free diapers and baby items (while supplies last)
• Raffle prizes
• Dozens of local organizations offering resources for families
• Information on safe sleep, breastfeeding, nutrition, car seat safety, and more
• Sign-ups for infant safe sleep classes (with a free pack-n-play for eligible participants)

The community baby shower is free and open to pregnant women as well as families with children up to age 5. No registration is required, and children do not need to be present to attend.

“We’re so thankful to the many sponsors who are supporting this event by sharing resources and giveaways,” Sykes added. “This is a great opportunity for families to learn, connect, and walk away with both knowledge and helpful items.”

Participating organizations include:

• Chatham County Health Department
• Women, Infants & Children Nutrition Program
• WIC Breastfeeding Support
• Over the Moon Diaper Bank
• Step Up Savannah
• Savannah Care Center
• University of Georgia Extension
• SafeKids Savannah
• Savannah Speech and Hearing Center
• Georgia Primary Care Association
• American Red Cross
• Coastal Children’s Advocacy Center
• Parent University
• Mary’s Place
• Thiesha the Doula
• Planned Parenthood
• Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care, Inc.
• Babies Can’t Wait
• Coastal Coalition for Children
• Live Oak Public Libraries
• Healthy Savannah
• Coastal Community Health
• Grow Initiative GA
• Safe Shelter
• H&R Block
• Division of Child Support Services

If you needed one more reason to be diligent about bug spray this summer, here it is: a mosquito sample collected by Chatham County Mosquito Control has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV).

Mosquito Control regularly traps and tests mosquitoes throughout Chatham County to monitor for viruses that can spread to people. The information is used to direct insecticide efforts and to warn residents to take precautions.

The positive sample was collected from the midtown Savannah area. This is the first positive WNV test in the Chatham County mosquito population this year. Mosquito Control is treating the area with insecticide.

Mosquito bites are more than just an itchy nuisance. WNV is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes. Many people who are infected with the virus have no symptoms. Some may have mild to moderate symptoms including fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Severe cases can lead to serious, sometimes fatal, illness.

There is no vaccine or cure for WNV, so prevention is key. All residents should take steps to avoid mosquito bites and eliminate standing water. You can reduce your risk of infection by following the 5Ds of mosquito bite prevention:

• Dusk/Dawn – Avoid dusk and dawn activities during the summer when mosquitoes are most active.
• Dress – Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants to reduce the amount of exposed skin.
• DEET – Cover exposed skin with an insect repellent containing DEET, which is the most effective repellent against mosquito bites.
• Drain – Empty containers holding standing water – buckets, barrels, flowerpots, tarps – because they are breeding grounds for virus-carrying mosquitoes.
• Doors – Make sure doors and windows are in good repair and fit tightly, and fix torn or damaged screens to keep mosquitoes out of the house.

For more information on mosquito bite prevention, visit cdc.gov/mosquitoes.

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The Chatham County Health Department is hosting an Emergency and Hurricane Preparedness Event on Friday, May 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the green space behind the health department building at 1395 Eisenhower Drive in Savannah. The event is free and open to the public.

This event will highlight important emergency preparedness information, including the Coastal Health District’s Hurricane Registry. The Registry is a list of homebound residents in coastal Georgia who cannot safely evacuate without support. Individuals on the Registry have certain medical conditions or functional challenges that make general evacuation difficult, and they have no other reliable transportation to evacuate.

“Preparedness is key to staying safe during a hurricane, especially for our most vulnerable residents,” said Dr. Chris Rustin, Director of the Chatham County Health Department. “This event is a great opportunity for the community to learn about local resources, get connected, and make sure everyone has a plan, including those who may need extra help evacuating.”

Individuals must apply in advance to be on the Hurricane Registry and receive evacuation assistance. Anyone interested in learning about the Registry and beginning the application process is encouraged to come out to the event and learn more.

In addition to information on the Hurricane Registry, there will be:

• Door prizes for the first 100 attendees
• Raffle prizes
• Emergency kit demonstrations
• Evacuation plan guides
• Local resource directories
• Information booths

Participants in the event include Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), Healthy Savannah, GROW Initiative GA, the Red Cross, and Safe Kids Savannah.

A dead bat found under a bed in a Savannah home has tested positive for rabies. The bat was discovered on May 16 in a house near the East Duffy Street. If a rabid bat is discovered inside a room where individuals have been sleeping, it is considered a potential rabies exposure. Bats have very small teeth, and a sleeping person may have been bitten without being aware of the contact. The individuals who were staying in the room are contacting their medical providers regarding rabies post-exposure treatment.

Rabies is a deadly virus that is primarily spread by infected animals. This is an important reminder that rabies can circulate in several species of wild animals in coastal Georgia, including raccoons, foxes, and bats. Residents are urged not to feed wild animals or attempt to domesticate feral animals, and pet owners are reminded to ensure their animals get regular rabies shots.

The Chatham County Health Department’s Environmental Health office has these tips to protect you and your family from rabies:

• Avoid contact with animals you don’t know.
• Make sure your pets receive the proper immunizations. Dogs and cats should get rabies vaccines after 12 weeks of age, followed by a booster shot within one year and vaccination every 1-3 years depending on veterinary recommendation and vaccine used.
• Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or by leaving pet food out at night.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or a properly licensed animal rescue agency for assistance.
• Teach children to never handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly. “Love your own, leave other animals alone” is a good principle for children to learn.

Symptoms of rabies in animals include a change in behavior, biting, aggression, showing no fear of natural enemies (such as humans), foaming at the mouth, and paralysis. If an animal ever bites you, seek medical care immediately and contact Chatham County Animal Services at 912- 652-6575 and the Chatham County Environmental Health office at 912-356-2160.