COCA Email Updates:March 28 – April 04, 2011

COCA News and Announcements

Upcoming COCA Webinar: State Level Pediatric Emergency Preparedness
Date: April 20, 2011
Time: 4:00 - 5:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Children are extremely vulnerable during disaster situations. States play a critical role in the recovery of pediatric health following a disaster, and should have appropriate “All- Hazards” emergency preparedness plans that address the unique needs of pediatrics. During this COCA conference call subject matter experts will discuss gaps in pediatric preparedness and national recommendations aimed to improve pediatric emergency preparedness at the state level.

Upcoming COCA Webinar: Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals
Date: April 21, 2011
Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Call Number: 888-989-3090
Passcode: 4443385
The convergence of people, animals, and our environment has created a new dynamic in which the health of each group is inextricably interconnected. Disease outbreaks associated with animals in public settings have been increasingly reported in recent years. Join us for this COCA call where subject matter experts will discuss the importance of public health reporting of clusters of illness associated with animals in public settings, review CDC and National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians recommendations to minimize associated disease and injury risks related to animals contact.

COCA Conference Call Resources
Archived COCA Conference Calls are available on the COCA website. Free CE credit/contact hours (CME, CNE, ACPE, CEU, and CECH) are available for most COCA calls. Download the slides and follow along with the audio file, both of which are posted on the COCA website after a call.

COCA Home Page

Current CDC Emergency Response

Radiation Air Monitoring - EPA (April 2)

Radiation Safety – FDA (April 2)
Questions about Food Safety

Frequently Asked Questions About Iodine-131 Found in Surface Water – CDC (Apr 1)
Several states have reported finding Iodine-131 in surface water (e.g., lakes, rivers, and reservoirs) and rain water. Implications for public health are discussed.

Japan 2011 Earthquake/Tsunami – US Government Sources (Mar 30)

Population Monitoring After a Release of Radioactive Material – CDC (Mar 29)
The CDC has prepared this fact sheet to help people understand how public health officials would monitor people following a radiological incident, and how this monitoring could be used to protect people’s health.

Shelter-in-Place in a Radiation Emergency – CDC (Mar 29)
What Is Radiation? How Can Exposure Occur? What Happens When People Are Exposed to Radiation? In the event of a radiation emergency, such as a nuclear power plant accident or the explosion of a dirty bomb, you may be asked to stay home and take shelter rather than try to evacuate.

Frequently Asked Questions about a Radiation Emergency – CDC (Mar 29)
What Is Radiation? How Can Exposure Occur? What Happens When People Are Exposed to Radiation? What Types of Terrorist Events Might Involve Radiation? What Preparations Can I Make for a Radiation Emergency? How Can I Protect Myself During a Radiation Emergency? Should I Take Potassium Iodide During a Radiation Emergency? and more.

Mar 21 COCA Call Resources Now Available
Audio and Transcript for the March 21, 2011 COCA Call, 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: Interim Guidance for Clinicians Caring for Travelers are available for download.

2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (CDC)
A 9.0-magnitude earthquake in Japan preceded a series of tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean on March 11, causing massive loss of life and damage in Japan and claiming 5 lives on the US Pacific coast. This page provides information on public health issues related to tsunamis as well as information specific to the ongoing response to the earthquake, tsunami, and radiation emergency in Japan.

Tsunami-Related Information for Healthcare Professionals (CDC)
Resources for healthcare professionals addressing disease and health information, mental health, travel advice, and guidance for evaluating travelers returning from tsunami-affected areas.

Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID)

Vol. 17 / No. 4 April 2011 Current Issue

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

MMWR series is prepared by the CDC. The following emergency preparedness and response-related articles of interest were recently published:
April 1, 2011 / Vol. 60 / No. 12 Download .pdf document of this issue

To electronically subscribe to the MMWR, go to MMWR Subscriptions and enter your email address in the box entitled Get email updates.

Infectious, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

Summary of Weekly Flu View – CDC (Apr 1)
Influenza-like-illness (ILI) activity has been decreasing in the United States in recent weeks, however, influenza viruses continue to circulate and cause illness nationwide.

Seasonal Flu: International Situation Update – CDC (Mar 30)
This report is a summary of key influenza-related updates created from regional World Health Organization (WHO) reports, country reports, CDC field staff updates, and other sources. Updates are listed by region.

Travelers’ Health

Travel Warning: Syria – US Department of State (Apr 3)
The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the potential for ongoing political and civil unrest in Syria.

Travel Warning: Japan – US Department of State (Mar 30)
This Travel Warning replaces the travel warning dated March 21, 2011, in response to the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Department of Energy, and other technical experts in the US Government have reviewed the scientific and technical information they have collected from assets in country, as well as what the Government of Japan has disseminated.

Travel Warning: Egypt – US Department of State (Mar 29)
This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning dated February 18, 2011, to update information on the ongoing security and political situation in Egypt, including the return to Egypt of most non-emergency US Embassy personnel.

Food & Drug Safety

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Panama Infections Linked to Cantaloupe – CDC (Mar 29)
As of March 29, 13 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Panama have been reported from Oregon (5 cases), Washington (4 cases), California (2 cases), Colorado (1 case) and Maryland (1 case).

Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alert – FDA (Apr 1)
For information on recent FDA recalls, market recalls, and safety alerts.

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.

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