Dunn County public health warns low MMR coverage, updates on avian influenza and federal grant work; officials facing large open-records request

Katie (last name not provided), Public Health Director for Dunn County, presented the department’s February report and briefed the board on several public-health issues: measles vaccination coverage, seasonal respiratory illnesses, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in animals, a federal grant application for rural health equity work and a broad open-records request from the state Legislature.

Measles and vaccines: Katie said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has moved its outbreak reporting to weekly updates; the current U.S. outbreak accounted for more than 130 cases, mostly among unvaccinated people. She showed county-level data indicating that 76.9% of Dunn County children were up to date on MMR at 24 months, below the ~95% coverage commonly cited to prevent measles spread. She noted that the CDC has reported hospitalizations and at least one child death in the recent outbreak. “It is one of the most infectious diseases that we have,” she said, adding that the county is not seeing herd immunity levels and is monitoring closely.

Respiratory season and flu vaccines: The county’s respiratory report shows high circulation of influenza and RSV and a markedly high hospitalization season, which local physicians and staff have described as straining hospital capacity. Katie summarized interim national estimates that show this season’s flu vaccine retains meaningful effectiveness—especially for preventing hospitalization among older adults—even as uptake remains low. She said the county’s influenza vaccination rate is about 24% and statewide roughly one in three, and she urged vaccination to protect health-care capacity.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza: Katie said Dunn County previously had confirmed HPAI in both commercial and backyard flocks, though no recent positives were reported as of the packet. She said Wisconsin’s animal-health authority (DATCP) and USDA publish outbreak information; the county’s public-health staff coordinate with those agencies. Dr. Hall noted that Wisconsin is not participating in a national milk-testing program for HPAI and warned that raw milk consumption carries risks; Dr. Hall added that pasteurization mitigates that risk.

Local policy and personnel matters: The health director said HR reviewed a proposed “infants at work” pilot for the health department and did not approve it citing county liability concerns. Katie said the department submitted a federal rural health equity grant (described in the packet as planning for community health workers) and expects feedback; she said first-time grants are often not funded but help refine proposals.

Open-records request: Katie alerted the board to a broad open-records request from Representative Shay Sortwell stemming from the Committee on Government Operations, Accountability and Transparency (the “GOAT” Committee). The request seeks any grants, contracts, policies, trainings or salaries that reference “DEI” or have equity-related content. She said the county’s legal counsel and the Wisconsin Counties Association were engaged and that compiling the requested records will be time-consuming; staff will estimate the time and cost to comply and proceed in consultation with counsel.

Public health ARPA funds: Katie said the department has an unspent ARPA public-health balance (reported in the meeting as about $52,000) and asked permission to expend those funds on previously outlined public-health work; the board approved a budget adjustment related to those funds during the meeting.

The board received the report; Katie said the department will continue to monitor vaccine-preventable disease risk, HPAI developments and the open-records request and will report back as details are available.