Health Updates: Covid-19 and Meningitis

The latest updates on the Wuhan coronavirus, which the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is calling by its new name, Covid-19 are available at their website here. They link to the latest CDC update on February 13th which still describes the risk to those in the general American public without relevant contact as low (emphasis added):

The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 virus is high, both globally and to the United States. The fact that this virus has caused illness, including illness resulting in death, and sustained person-to-person spread in China is concerning. These factors meet two of the criteria of a pandemic. It’s unclear how the situation will unfold, but risk is dependent on exposure. At this time, some people will have an increased risk of infection, for example healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 and other close contacts of patients with COVID-19. For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low at this time.

More from the full CDC information page here. The last update on the WILL coronavirus information blog was also on February 13th and is no longer linked on their main page. I'm not sure what that means for future updates.

There were unconfirmed stories about a potential coronavirus case a little over a week ago suggesting a child was under observation. Those stories were never confirmed and so far the only hard update I have on that is from WCCU quoting local health officials that there are no confirmed cases locally.


Bacterial Meningitis Case:

The McKinley Health Center on campus had an update on a meningitis case that stated that those possibly exposed have already been contacted:

A student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been diagnosed with a case of bacterial meningitis, as confirmed by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (C-UPHD). The student, a resident of off-campus housing, has been isolated at an area hospital for treatment, and authorities have identified and treated anyone in who may have had close contact with the student – including hospital staff.

As a result of those efforts, there is no longer believed to be a risk of the illness spreading.

Bacterial meningitis is a serious illness that spreads to other people through sharing personal items, kissing or prolonged close exposure such as residing in the same household. There is low risk to other people in the general community.

When the university learns of incidents like this, it acts to limit the potential spread within campus and into the broader community. The university works with state and local health officials, and McKinley Health Center to contact the students, staff, faculty members or others in the community who may have been exposed during that period. At this time, C-UPHD or McKinley has contacted all those identified at risk.

That news release available here. There was also coverage in the News-Gazette and WCIA. From the News-Gazette article:

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District’s public health administrator, Julie Pryde, said that since meningitis requires close contact to spread, it’s relatively easy to contain compared to diseases like measles.

“It’s been a busy day” tracking down the student’s associates and giving them antibiotics, Pryde said, but “there’s no risk to the community.”

That full article here. More general information on bacterial meningitis is available at the CDC here.


Other Health Updates:

WILL reported earlier this week that OSF Healthcare is promoting an app to help connect people who need emergency CPR response with people who know CPR:

OSF Healthcare is encouraging people to install an app on their phone that will alert them when people nearby are in need of life-saving CPR. The PulsePoint app launched a couple years ago in Peoria and Champaign counties and recently expanded to Vermilion county. The American Heart Association says the survival rate for people experiencing cardiac arrest is less than 12 percent but CPR can double or triple the chances of survival. OSF Healthcare reports that since PulsePoint launched in Champaign county in 2017, more than 7000 people have subscribed to the app. Formal CPR training is encouraged but not required.

From WILL's "News Around Illinois" update here. More on PulsePoint from the OSF news release including several informational videos here.

There was also a happier story from Smile Politely about how the local Champaign County Humane Society brings animals to visit nursing home residents who could benefit. A little more background is available from the CCHS on the Queenie Mills memorial dedication page:

Dr. Mills established the Pet-a-Pet program in 1978, through which volunteers took pets on weekly visits to residents of Champaign-Urbana nursing homes.  She knew that interacting with animals made people feel better, and made it part of her life’s work to provide that experience to those who could benefit the most; children and the elderly or infirm.

More on Queenie Mills here. More on the CCHA at their main website here.