Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Infectious Disease topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Polk County health officials report pertussis, Lyme and other infections; urge testing and vaccinations
Summary
Public health staff told the Polk County committee there were 2 pertussis cases, 10 Lyme disease cases, 4 chlamydia cases and 4 COVID hospitalizations in October; officials urged testing for persistent coughs and recommended flu shots and COVID boosters for at‑risk people.
Polk County public health staff reported a rise in several communicable diseases during the committee meeting, urging clinicians, schools and families to be alert.
For October the county reported 4 chlamydia cases, 4 hospitalizations due to COVID, 10 Lyme disease cases and 2 confirmed pertussis (whooping cough) cases in Polk County, a proxy for the county health department told the committee. Staff emphasized that pertussis is a Category 1 disease requiring isolation for confirmed cases and encouraged medical providers and parents to test people with persistent coughs.
Doctor Lagos, speaking to the committee, urged vaccinations as a precaution heading into winter. "Now that we're in November, we probably should start thinking about getting a flu shot if we haven't gotten it up to this time," Lagos said, adding that it takes roughly two weeks to build immunity. Lagos also noted an updated COVID booster is being recommended for seniors and those who are immunocompromised.
Public health staff said they have notified clinics, hospitals and schools and distributed guidance to families. The committee was advised to encourage testing when a cough or illness does not resolve after repeated visits and to follow isolation requirements for pertussis cases.
Next steps: the health department will continue surveillance and partner outreach; no new county action was taken at the meeting.
