COCA Email Updates: September 10 - 24, 2012

COCA News and Announcements

Recent COCA Call/Webinar:

Influenza Prevention and Control for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
Date: Thursday, September 27, 2012

Learn about subspecialist and primary care pediatrician collaborations regarding influenza prevention and control strategies for improving care for high-risk children.

Additional archived COCA Conference Calls
Free CE credit/contact hours (CME, CNE, ACPE, CEU, CECH, and AAVSB/RACE) are available for most COCA calls.

CDC News and Announcements

NEW: CDC Features: Older Adults are actively aging! – September 24 (CDC)
As an older adult, regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can lower your risk for many health problems that may come with getting older. Many materials are available to help people plan physical activity into their week. Get involved!

Did You Know?
“Did You Know?” is a weekly feature from the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support to highlight prevention activities. The series features research and program activity from CDC. Please access, use, and share this information broadly with your colleagues and partners.

CDC Science Clips: Volume 4, Issue 37 – September 4 (CDC)
Each week, to enhance awareness of emerging scientific knowledge, selected science clips will be posted for the public health community. The focus is applied public health research and prevention science that has the capacity to improve health now.

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Public Health Preparedness

NEW: CDC Features: September is National Preparedness Month - (CDC)
September 2012 marks the ninth annual National Preparedness Month, sponsored by FEMA. The goal is to educate the public about how to prepare for emergencies, including natural disasters, mass casualties, biological and chemical threats, radiation emergencies, and terrorist attacks. Preparedness Month is supported by a coalition of public, private and non-profit organizations that help spread the preparedness message. Here are some preparedness resources for healthcare providers:

Homeland Security Information Network-and Healthcare and Public Health Portal - (HSIN-HPH)
The HSIN-HPH Web portal is a public/private collaboration to protect critical infrastructure. It is the primary means by which the Department of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services share sensitive but unclassified information with partners. HSIN-HPH users can access information about threats and recovery activities affecting the healthcare and public health communities, report suspicious events, and collaborate with peers in research and strategy. HSIN-HPH is available to qualified members of the HPH community.

To request access

Email for questions

Emergency Preparedness and Response - (CDC)
Find resources for All Hazards and Specific Hazards preparedness.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Resources for Clinicians - (CDC)
Find online and in-person training centers and resources.

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Natural Disasters and Severe Weather

Health and Safety Concerns for All Disasters – (CDC)

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Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) Journal

EID is prepared by the CDC. EID Home Page
Volume 18, Number 10 – October 2012
Highlights in this issue include

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

MMWR publications are prepared by the CDC. To electronically subscribe, go to http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html.

September 21, 2012 / Vol. 61 / No. 37 Download .pdf document of this issue

August 24, 2012 / Vol. 61 / No. 36 Download .pdf document of this issue

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Infectious, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

Influenza

Weekly Flu View - (CDC)
This is a weekly influenza surveillance report prepared by CDC Influenza Division. All data are preliminary and may change as CDC receives more reports.

Update: Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus Outbreaks – September 21 (CDC)
To date, the total number of H3N2v infections since July 2012 in the United States is 296 across 10 states. Investigations into H3N2v cases indicate that the main risk factor for infection is exposure to pigs, mostly in fair settings; however, CDC also is reporting three instances of likely human-to-human spread of this virus during the current outbreaks.

Vector-Borne

West Nile Virus: Information and Guidance for Clinicians - (CDC)
Resources for clinicians related to West Nile Virus epidemiology, clinical description, treatment, and prevention.

CDC Fact Sheet – West Nile Virus (WNV) Infection: Information for Clinicians - (CDC)
WNV is a potentially serious illness. Experts believe WNV is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall. This fact sheet contains important information that can help you recognize and prevent WNV.

Update: West Nile Virus (WNV) Human Infections Reported to ArboNET, by State, United States, 2012 – September 18 (CDC)

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Travel Safety

Current Travel Warnings – September 24 (US Department of State)
Travel Warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.

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Food, Drug and Device Safety

NEW: Multistate Outbreak of Human Salmonella Typhimurium Infections Linked to Hedgehogs – September 6 (CDC)
A total of 14 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 6 states. No deaths have been reported.

MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program – (HHS/USFDA)
Your FDA gateway for clinically important safety information and reporting serious problems with human medical products.

FoodSafety.gov Reports FDA and USDA Food Recalls, Alerts, Reporting & Resources – August 27 (HHS/UDSA/FDA/CDC/NIH)
For recalls and alerts by both FDA and USDA, or to report a problem or make inquiries.

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The CDC and HHS logos are the exclusive property of the Department of Health and Human Services and may not be used for any purpose without prior express written permission. Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organizations.