Health Alerts

An inflammation of the throat (pharynx) that causes sore throat, pain with swallowing, and fever. The cause can be an infective organism or other types of irritants. This alert reflects elevated diagnosis rates above expected seasonal levels.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common and contagious viral illness caused by enteroviruses, most often affecting young children. Symptoms include fever, mouth sores, and a skin rash on the hands and feet. This alert reflects elevated diagnosis rates above expected seasonal levels.

Heat illness is a group of acute conditions that occur when the body's heat gain exceeds its ability to cool itself. It ranges from heat cramps, heat syncope (fainting), and heat exhaustion to heatstroke, a life-threatening medical emergency. Symptoms can include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea, headache, and, in severe cases, confusion or loss of consciousness. This alert reflects an elevated rate of visits for heat-related illness in the affected area, more visits than would typically be expected for this location and time of year.

Toxic effect of smoke is an acute injury caused by unintentionally breathing smoke from fires or burning materials. Presentations can range from cough, throat or eye irritation, and shortness of breath to more serious breathing difficulty. This Health Alert reflects an elevated rate of visits for accidental smoke inhalation in the affected area, more visits than would typically be expected for this region and time of year. Specific source or cause are not known.

Viral gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by a viral infection. Good hand hygiene, particularly thorough handwashing with soap and water, is the most effective measure to prevent the spread of viral gastroenteritis. Norovirus is the most common cause in adults, while rotavirus is more common in young children; a rotavirus vaccine is available for infants. Viral gastroenteritis spreads through the fecal-oral route, including contact with an infected person, contaminated food or water, or contaminated surfaces. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and low-grade fever, and typically resolve within one to three days.