Tag: Campbell County

Central Virginia Health District Reports Rabies Confirmation in Campbell County

October 4, 2024
Media Contact: Kim Foster, Population Health Manger/PIO, kimberlee.foster@vdh.virginia.gov

Central Virginia Health District Reports Rabies Confirmation in Campbell County

LYNCHBURG, VA. – The Campbell County Health Department has received confirmation that a dog, a coon hound about 10 years of age, has tested positive for rabies.  The dog was in the vicinity of Booker Road and Lynchburg Avenue in Brookneal. Anyone who may have been exposed to a dog or other animal, by a bite, scratch or contact with saliva, in that area should consult with their physician and contact the Campbell County Health Department at (434) 332-9550.  You may also contact the health department by email at AskCVHD@vdh.virginia.gov.

This incident is a reminder that rabies is present in Virginia and sometimes infects domestic animals like dogs and cats.  Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system and is lethal if proper medical care is not given following an exposure to the virus. The most common source of exposure to rabies is a bite by a rabid animal.  Rabies may also be transmitted by saliva from a rabid animal coming into contact with open wounds, the mouth, eyes or nose.

Everyone should take commonsense measures to protect themselves and their domestic animals from rabies.  Pet owners should keep their pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Virginia law requires that all dogs and cats four months of age and older be vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and that vaccinations be kept current.  It is important to avoid contact with wild or stray animals, and parents should be sure that their children are taught to not touch, pet or otherwise handle unknown animals.

Additional steps that can be taken to prevent rabies in people and pets include:

    • Do not feed stray animals. Avoid wild animals, especially raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks. Feed your pets indoors and do not let them wander.
    • Teach children to avoid contact with wild animals and pets they are not familiar with.
    • Do not handle sick, injured or dead animals. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabber if you have concerns about sick or injured wildlife.
    • Keep wild animals out of homes by capping chimneys with screens and blocking openings in attics, cellars and porches. Ensure trash cans have tight fitting lids.
    • Do not try to trap or handle stray and wild animals. If a bat is found indoors and may have had contact with someone, do not release it. Call your local animal control officer or health department to determine if the animal should be picked up and tested for rabies.
    • Report all bites to people to the local health department for investigation.

If you are bitten by a wild or stray animal do not panic. Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact animal control, your doctor or the health department for further recommendations. For more information, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/animal-contact-human-health/rabies-control/.

October 4, 2024
Media Contact: Kim Foster, Population Health Manger/PIO, kimberlee.foster@vdh.virginia.gov

Central Virginia Health District Reports Rabies Confirmation in Campbell County

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Campbell County Health Department has received confirmation that a dog, a coon hound about 10 years of age, has tested positive for rabies. The dog was in the vicinity of Booker Road and Lynchburg Avenue in Brookneal. Anyone who may have been exposed to a dog or other animal, by a bite, scratch or contact with saliva, in that area should consult with their physician and contact the Campbell County Health Department at (434) 332-9550.  You may also contact the health department by email at AskCVHD@vdh.virginia.gov.

This incident is a reminder that rabies is present in Virginia and sometimes infects domestic animals like dogs and cats.  Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system and is lethal if proper medical care is not given following an exposure to the virus. The most common source of exposure to rabies is a bite by a rabid animal.  Rabies may also be transmitted by saliva from a rabid animal coming into contact with open wounds, the mouth, eyes or nose.

Everyone should take commonsense measures to protect themselves and their domestic animals from rabies.  Pet owners should keep their pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Virginia law requires that all dogs and cats four months of age and older be vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and that vaccinations be kept current.  It is important to avoid contact with wild or stray animals, and parents should be sure that their children are taught to not touch, pet or otherwise handle unknown animals.

Additional steps that can be taken to prevent rabies in people and pets include:

  • Do not feed stray animals. Avoid wild animals, especially raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks. Feed your pets indoors and do not let them wander.
  • Teach children to avoid contact with wild animals and pets they are not familiar with.
  • Do not handle sick, injured or dead animals. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabber if you have concerns about sick or injured wildlife.
  • Keep wild animals out of homes by capping chimneys with screens and blocking openings in attics, cellars and porches. Ensure trash cans have tight fitting lids.
  • Do not try to trap or handle stray and wild animals. If a bat is found indoors and may have had contact with someone, do not release it. Call your local animal control officer or health department to determine if the animal should be picked up and tested for rabies.
  • Report all bites to people to the local health department for investigation.

If you are bitten by a wild or stray animal do not panic. Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact animal control, your doctor or the health department for further recommendations. For more information, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/animal-contact-human-health/rabies-control/.

Central Virginia Health District Reports Rabies Confirmation in Campbell County

May 17, 2024
Media Contact: Kim Foster, MHA, kimberlee.foster@vdh.virginia.gov

Central Virginia Health District Reports Rabies Confirmation in Campbell County

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Campbell County Health Department has received confirmation that a stray kitten, about 8 weeks of age, has tested positive for rabies. The kitten was found in the vicinity of Park Street and Lola Avenue in Altavista. Anyone who may have been exposed to a stray cat or other animal, by a bite, scratch or contact with saliva, in that area should consult with their physician and contact the Campbell County Health Department at (434) 332-9550. You may also contact the health department by email at AskCVHD@vdh.virginia.gov.

This incident is a reminder that rabies is present in Virginia. Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system and is lethal if proper medical care is not given following an exposure to the virus. The most common source of exposure to rabies is a bite by a rabid animal. Rabies may also be transmitted by saliva from a rabid animal coming into contact with open wounds, the mouth, eyes, or nose.

Everyone should take commonsense measures to protect themselves and their domestic animals from rabies. Pet owners should keep their pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Virginia law requires that all dogs and cats four months of age and older be vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and that vaccinations be kept current. It is important to avoid contact with wild or stray animals, and parents should be sure that their children are taught to not touch, pet, or otherwise handle unknown animals.

Additional steps that can be taken to prevent rabies in people and pets include:

• Do not feed stray animals. Avoid wild animals, especially raccoons, bats, foxes, and skunks. Feed your pets indoors and do not let them wander.
• Teach children to avoid contact with wild animals and pets they are not familiar with.
• Do not handle sick, injured, or dead animals. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabber if you have concerns about sick or injured wildlife.
• Keep wild animals out of homes by capping chimneys with screens and blocking openings in attics, cellars, and porches. Ensure trash cans have tight fitting lids.
• Do not try to trap or handle stray and wild animals. If a bat is found indoors and may have had contact with someone, do not release it. Call your local animal control officer or health department to determine if the animal should be picked up and tested for rabies.
• Report all bites to people to the local health department for investigation.

If you are bitten by a wild or stray animal do not panic. Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact animal control, your doctor, or the health department for further recommendations.

Central Virginia Health District Conducting Long COVID Study

October 4, 2023

Media Contact: Kim Foster, MHA, kimberlee.foster@vdh.virginia.gov

Central Virginia Health District Conducting Long COVID Study

LYNCHBURG, Va. –  The Central Virginia Health District is conducting research about Long COVID and its impact on our community. Long COVID is when a person is still sick many months after getting COVID-19. Symptoms can include trouble breathing, a cough, feeling weak and tired, and problems with certain organs, such as their heart or kidneys. We want to learn about any long-term effects that people might have two or more months after a COVID-19 infection. You do not have to have a diagnosis of Long COVID to participate.

To participate in the study, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. Reside in Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, or Campbell County, or the City of Lynchburg
  2. Had COVID-19 at least once
  3. Experienced symptoms lasting at least two months after a COVID infection

If you qualify, click on this link https://redcap.vdh.virginia.gov/redcap/surveys/?s=KRNJYX8DNM or call 804-664-4520. A member from our team will reach out, review consent, and complete a phone interview. You will then be asked to participate in a follow up interview in three and six months after the initial interview.

The purpose of the study is to improve our understanding of Long COVID including our ability to recognize potential symptoms or conditions associated with the disease. At the conclusion of the study, results will be posted on our website and will be submitted to the scientific community for future publication and presentations.

 

 

Central Virginia Health District to Host National Health Survey

August 8, 2022

Media Contact: Kim Foster, MHA, kimberlee.foster@vdh.virginia.gov

Central Virginia Health District to Host National Health Survey 

The Central Virginia Health District (CVHD) announces that the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is coming to Campbell County and Lynchburg, VA, beginning on August 20, 2022.

NHANES is the most comprehensive survey of the health and nutritional status of the U.S. population.

Why Campbell County and Lynchburg? All counties and cities in the United States have a chance to be selected for the NHANES and, this year, portions of Campbell County and Lynchburg were picked as one of 15 areas selected to be part of this initiative. Each year, only 5,000 residents nationwide are chosen to participate in NHANES, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“We gladly encourage selected residents to participate in the NHANES process,” said Dr. Kerry Gateley, Health Director, CVHD. “NHANES provides us in public health with valuable information for creating, directing and improving programs that serve our communities.”

Since 1960, NHANES has had a prominent role in improving the health of all people living in the U.S. NHANES data address critical health concerns, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.  Public health officials, legislators, and physicians use this information to develop sound health policies, direct and design health programs and services, and expand the health knowledge of the nation. NHANES data also help produce national references and standardized growth charts used by pediatricians across the country.

NHANES collects a broad range of data that affect the lives of everyone in the country, regardless of age, addressing everything from air quality to vaccinations and the low-fat and “light” foods found in grocery stores. Now more than ever, collecting timely information on the status of the nation’s health is critical.  An NHANES team of health professionals, nutritionists, and health technicians is heading to Campbell County and the City of Lynchburg and urges everyone who has been selected for the survey to participate.

Residents will have an invitation-only opportunity to participate in NHANES. Addresses are randomly sampled within the area selected. By selecting participants this way, when combining data from all counties visited this year, NHANES data can more accurately represent the U.S. population.

Households will be sent one or more letters inviting them to be part of NHANES by completing a brief online questionnaire to see if anyone in their home is eligible to take part. Those eligible will be contacted by an NHANES representative to set up a telephone health interview at a convenient time, followed by a health examination that takes place in the NHANES mobile examination center.  While no medical care is provided directly in the mobile examination center, a report on physical findings is given to each participant, along with an explanation of those findings from survey medical staff. Participants will be provided local referral sources, if needed, in order to follow-up on findings. All information collected in the survey is kept confidential and individual privacy is protected by law.

NHANES provides important national data on critical public health issues. “NHANES serves as the nation’s ‘health check-up’ by going into communities throughout the country to collect health information,” said Brian C. Moyer, PhD, Director of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). “The survey provides a wealth of important data about many of the major health and nutritional issues affecting the country.”

NHANES is taking all precautions needed, as recommended by the CDC, to keep survey participants and staff safe by following guidelines on social distancing, use of personal protective equipment, handwashing, and sanitation of the mobile examination center and all equipment.

National Health Survey Open House/Media Day to be Held September 9

September 6, 2022

Media Contact: Kim Foster, MHA, kimberlee.foster@vdh.virginia.gov

National Health Survey Open House/Media Day to be Held September 9

NHANES, the nation’s mobile health survey, has been traveling across the country learning about the health of the U.S. population since 1960.

The Central Virginia Health District (CVHD) previously announced that the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is coming to Campbell County and Lynchburg, VA. NHANES is the most comprehensive survey of the health and nutritional status of the U.S. population. As a reminder, all counties and cities in the United States have a chance to be selected for the NHANES and, this year, portions of Campbell County and Lynchburg were picked as one of 15 areas selected to be part of this initiative. Each year, only 5,000 residents nationwide are chosen to participate in NHANES, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A representative from the CDC has been attempting to contact chosen households via letters and/or stopping at their residence to explain the process.

On Friday, September 9, NHANES will be hosting an open house/media day from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Local media, city/county officials and community members are welcome to stop by for a tour. This is the only day that cameras are allowed into the examination trailers to see the examination process.  The NHANES trailers are located in the parking lot of the Lynchburg Health Department at 307 Alleghany Ave.

We encourage selected residents to participate in the NHANES process as it provides us in public health with valuable information for creating, directing and improving programs that serve our communities.