Georgia Coastal Health District

December 8, 2014 – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed the flu-related deaths of two elderly females in the Coastal Health District – one from Chatham County and one from Effingham County. These are the first confirmed flu-related deaths in the Coastal Health District; however, there have been five additional confirmed flu-related deaths statewide. The Coastal Health District is made up of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh counties.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone six months and older get vaccinated against the flu. The influenza virus is very contagious and is spread mainly by droplets from infected people when they cough, sneeze, or talk. While the flu vaccine may not protect against every strain of flu it is still the best protection against the flu. Antiviral medications such as Tamiflu® or Relenza® are an important second line of defense against the flu. Treatment with antiviral drugs is especially important for people at high risk of serious flu complications or people who are very sick with flu. Antiviral drugs work best when started within two days of coming down with the flu, so it is important to call your doctor as soon as the first symptoms appear.
There are also several simple, everyday precautions people can take to avoid getting and spreading the flu including:
• Cover your cough (try to cough into the crook of your elbow, not your hand).
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. If soap and water is not available use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Clean common surfaces like countertops and desks.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth because germs spread this way.
• Stay home from work or school and away from others when you’re sick.
Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. According to the CDC, symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body which means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

November 19, 2014 – New information from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) shows fewer young people are using tobacco in the state. In fact, the rates are falling steadily and significantly.

Over the past decade, rates of youth who have used any form of tobacco have dropped from 26.1 percent in 2003 to 19.4 percent in 2013. The percentage of high school students who smoked cigarettes on at least one day during the 30 days before the survey, declined from 20.9 percent to 12.8 percent.

Adult smoking rates are also falling, down from 21.2 percent in 2011 to 18.8 percent in 2013. That’s a prevalence rate slightly lower than the U.S. average of 19.0 percent.

More than 1.5 million Georgians aged 18 and older smoke cigarettes. Another 315,000 adults in Georgia use some form of smokeless tobacco like chewing tobacco, snuff, or snus.

“Each year, 11,000 Georgians die from tobacco-related diseases – that’s more than alcohol, cocaine and heroin, AIDS, murders, suicides, auto accidents and fires combined,” said Jean O’Connor, JD, DrPH, chronic disease prevention director, Georgia Department of Public Health. “Tobacco users die on average 10 years earlier than non-tobacco users, so keeping youth from starting to use tobacco is one of the best ways to protect them from tobacco-related illness.”

Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in Georgia. Annually, tobacco-related illness costs more than $5 billion dollars in direct healthcare costs and indirect costs, such as lost wages.

More than half of Georgians who use tobacco want to quit. Quitting is the most important step current tobacco users can take to protect their health and the health of their families. Tobacco use and secondhand smoke cause heart disease, lung disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. The benefits of quitting start immediately. Within 20 minutes of quitting, a tobacco user’s heart rate decreases.

The Georgia Department of Public Health and its partners have set goals to decrease youth smoking to less than 10 percent and adult smoking to less than 15 percent of the population by 2020. To achieve these goals, DPH and its partners are encouraging businesses, schools, and government agencies to create tobacco-free environments and to support tobacco users who want to quit.

Tobacco users across Georgia can work toward meeting those goals with a quit attempt during the Great American Smokeout, Thursday, Nov. 20. The day encourages smokers to quit or to use the day to make a quit plan. Help is available. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line. The Quitline is currently offering free nicotine replacement therapy to Medicaid participants, the uninsured, and certain other groups that qualify.

English: 1-877-270-STOP (877-270-7867)
Spanish: 1-877-2NO-FUME (877-266-3863)
Hearing Impaired: 1-877-777-6534

The Georgia Tobacco Quitline is a free, confidential and effective service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (including holidays) to help Georgians quit smoking or using any forms of tobacco, including electronic cigarettes or other electronic nicotine delivery devices.

The following statement is from Diane Z. Weems, M.D.
District Health Director, Coastal Health District
Today, public health was contacted regarding an individual complaining of flu-like symptoms who had recently returned from Nigeria. In an overabundance of caution, the individual was transported to a local hospital. After further investigation of the individual’s travel history, it was determined that this person does not meet the criteria for being at risk from Ebola based on the travel dates to that country. The World Health Organization declared Nigeria Ebola-free on October 20.*
*According to WHO recommendations, the end of an Ebola virus disease outbreak in a country can be declared once 42 days have passed and no new cases have been detected. The 42 days represents twice the maximum incubation period for Ebola (21 days). This 42-day period starts from the last day that any person in the country had contact with a confirmed or probable Ebola case.
For credible information on Ebola:
www.cdc.gov/ebola
www.dph.ga.gov/ebola