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Chickasaw County reports one case each of tularemia and shigellosis; two dog bites in March
Summary
Chickasaw County Public Health reported in its April 10 meeting one case of tularemia and one case of shigellosis during March 2026 and two dog-bite incidents; environmental-health inspections and home-health service counts were also presented.
Administrator Lisa Welter told the Chickasaw County Board of Health on April 10, 2026, that the agency recorded two communicable-disease cases in March: one case of tularemia and one case of shigellosis. She also reported two dog-bite incidents during the month.
Why it matters: Tularemia is a relatively rare but potentially serious bacterial infection that can require public-health follow-up; shigellosis causes gastrointestinal illness and can prompt contact tracing and infection-control measures. The board received these reports as routine communicable-disease surveillance information that informs local response and preventive actions.
Environmental Health Specialist Derek Lechtenberg summarized March fieldwork and testing that support disease and exposure surveillance: two septic-site evaluations, one septic final evaluation, one well permit, four well-site evaluations, one time-of-transfer inspection, 30 water tests, one well plugging, one tattoo inspection and one illegal-dumping inspection. Those inspections and tests contribute to identifying potential environmental risks to public health.
The board also received a monthly home-health report from Welter showing a census of 64 patients (payer mix: Medicare 16, Medicare HMO 1, Medicaid 19, VA 14, Other 14), with 12 referrals, 9 admissions, 3 failed admissions, 18 discharges and visit totals of 157 nurse visits, 271 aide visits, 182 homemaker visits and 117 therapy visits. These service levels provide context for staffing and resource needs as the agency monitors communicable-disease activity.
No public comments were recorded at the meeting. The board received the reports for information; no new public-health orders or new policies were enacted at this meeting.
