Extreme heat, communicable diseases topics for health board

The Auglaize County Health Department board members were focused on heat and communicable diseases during their Tuesday meeting.

County Medical Director Dr. Juan Torres was concerned about

children being left in cars and dying of heatstroke. Deaths occur

most when temperatures are above 90 degrees. Often deaths

occur when children are left in vehicle in a residence or home,

parking lot or at a childcare facility.

Statistics from kidsandcars.org show there were 244 instances since 1990 where children gained access to a vehicle on their own at a house and it resulted in a hot car death.

Deaths most often occur when children are left in a vehicle in the morning or early afternoon as opposed to other times of the day.

For those who unknowingly leave their child in a vehicle, 44

percent of hot car deaths did not result in legal charges. A total of 8 percent were charged and not

convicted and 31 percent were convicted.

The conviction rate is much higher for those who knowingly left their kid in a vehicle at 69 percent of cases.

Nonetheless, the message is to check and double check for children in vehicles, especially when the weather is dangerously hot.

Nursing Director Jessica Wuebker explained their communicable

diseases program and their reporting requirements are broken down into classes; however, circumstances for those disease can

be unique. She said latent TB wouldn’t be considered a reportable disease, while an active TB case would. Wuebker also reported that COVID-19 case numbers have risen among long-term care facilities.

Accordingly, board members approved an updated epidemiology agreement with Allen County for a back-up epidemiologist and

tabled updating an agreement with Mercer County pending paperwork.

A recent Ohio Department of Health Food Survey results noted

an update clarify- ing that only sanitarians can issue a cease-use embargo for food equipment. Environmental Health Director Curt Anderson said the Ohio Department of Health never notified them about changes and waited until the survey to make suggestions. Procedural changes were then corrected.

A seven-day order for Lisa Lemaster of Wapakoneta to show proof of a current rabies vaccination for a dog was also ordered, as is procedure after the report of a dog bite.

Ohio’s health director, Dr. Vanderhoff, had reported one possible case of monkeypox in Ohio as of Tuesday in an adult male. There are currently 49 cases in the United States. The virus symptoms generally start similar to the flu and may progress into a blistering rash.

Wuebker said it is not easily spread and generally requires close or intimate contact.

Board members also have accepted the retirement later this month of Laura Freewalt from the WIC Department and have received more than 87 resumes for a related position.

Health Commissioner Oliver Fisher said resources have been available through Walmart and ODH to help people find infant formula amid the nationwide shortage.