Doctor Genewine presented the department's December communicable-disease report and highlighted several data points: 22 chlamydia cases, 8 pertussis, 5 gonorrhea, 3 hepatitis C (two perinatal, one chronic), 2 Legionella, 2 salmonella and 2 syphilis. Genewine said countywide case counts and hospitalizations for respiratory illness are higher than typical annual averages and noted an increase over the past two years.

The director of nursing told the board the department is in the second half of its Public Health Emergency Preparedness grant and will complete added deliverables such as plan updates and a forthcoming administrative tabletop exercise. Staff described one Legionella case that appears temporally linked to a hospital stay; the hospital system and state health officials are working with the department to review the hospital's water-management plan and testing results, which are pending.

Board members and staff also discussed influenza activity: one local hospital reported an atrium census at 100% (the first such report since the COVID period), and staff said a majority of hospitalized influenza A patients were unvaccinated. Members discussed vaccination outreach and antiviral therapy (Tamiflu) for high-risk patients and asked staff about public education for symptom management and testing options (rapid at pharmacies that test for flu, RSV and COVID in one swab).

No new policy or regulatory action was taken at the meeting; staff said vaccination clinics and public education remain active tools for addressing the season.