Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced his proposal to increase the minimum salary for teachers across the state. The Governor’s proposed 2020 budget recommendation will include a pay raise for more than 101,000 teachers in Florida by raising the minimum salary to $47,500. “We are experiencing a teacher shortage inContinue Reading
By Robert Herriman @bactiman63 On this week’s Outbreak News This Week Radio Show in the Tampa Bay area, two important topics were covered concerning Florida and the Tampa Bay area in particular with two great guests. In the first half, Regional Epidemiologist & Laboratory Liason with the Bureau of Epidemiology at the FloridaContinue Reading
By Robert Herriman @bactiman63 Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic amoeba which is a single-celled living organism. It can cause a rare and devastating infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The amoeba is commonly found in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers, ponds and canals. Of the 140 or so documented cases in the US since 1962,Continue Reading
Naegleria fowleri, or the “brain-eating amoeba” is a parasite commonly found in warm freshwater (e.g. lakes, rivers, and hot springs) and of the 140 or so known cases in the US, 35 are from Florida alone. Associate Professor of Infectious Disease and International Medicine at USF Health in Tampa, Sandra Gompf, MD,Continue Reading
Florida is one of some 18 states experiencing a hepatitis A outbreak, reporting 1359 cases since 2018. The Tampa Bay area has been especially hard hit by the outbreak with five counties accounting for more than half the state total. Pinellas County has seen the most statewide with 300 cases,Continue Reading
Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A Hillsborough County health officials are encouraging patrons of the Sandpiper Grille on 1702 S Pebble Beach Blvd. in Sun City Center to get vaccinated for hepatitis A after a positive case of hepatitis A was identified in a food service worker. The vaccine is recommendedContinue Reading
Hillsborough County health officials have reported an unprecedented number of hepatitis A cases in 2018. Through Nov. 21, the Hillsborough County Health Department have reported 57 cases, this compares with 36 total cases reported from 2013-2017. Florida issues hepatitis A health advisory: Increases reported in Tampa and Orlando areas Florida healthContinue Reading
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group reported today that aerialist, Yann Arnaud, 38 had died from his injuries following a fall onto the stage during a Saturday evening performance of VOLTA at Tampa’s Under the Big Top, located by the Tampa Greyhound Track on Nebraska Avenue. Arnaud, a veteran of the performanceContinue Reading
The state of Florida saw 20 confirmed and probable pertussis, or whooping cough cases among 15 counties in January. Four of these cases were reported in Hillsborough County. There were no outbreaks of pertussis reported in January. For every pertussis case identified, there was an average of two exposed contacts who wereContinue Reading
At least seven people in the Plant City area were exposed to a rabid cat, prompting Hillsborough County health officials to issue a rabies alert. A rabies alert will remain in effect for 60 days in the areas surrounding Holly Bluff Ct. area near Plant City, including the following boundaries:Continue Reading
Hillsborough County health officials report today that the number of laboratory confirmed influenza cases reported by health practitioners remains high in the county. During this flu season, 30 outbreaks have been recorded including nine outbreaks of influenza were reported in child care facilities/school and two in long-term care facilities (LTCF). OneContinue Reading
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County received confirmation of a case of tuberculosis and is working with Pasco County Schools to identify anyone who may have been in close contact with the individual for extended periods of time. The health department is contacting all involved parties to makeContinue Reading
There were 1888 cases of chronic hepatitis C reported in Hillsborough County last year, easily the most reported disease in 2016, according to the Hillsborough County Health Department. The number of cases of chronic hepatitis C wee far greater than hepatitis B (344), according to health department data. There isContinue Reading
The investigational drug, at least partially credited for saving the life of 16-year-old Sebastian Deleon, the teen that was infected with the 97 percent lethal “brain-eating amoeba”, Naegleria fowleri, miltefosine is on the shelves at the Tampa VA hospital as part of a consignment program between the Orlando-based pharmaceutical company,Continue Reading
With the reports of five additional locally transmitted Zika virus infections in the state of Florida, including the first case in Pinellas County, US Representative for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, David Jolly had some things to say about calling on Congress to return to Washington, D.C. to pass a long-term Zika fundingContinue Reading
A non-travel related case of Zika virus has been reported in Pinellas County today, one of five new cases reported statewide (the other four were reported in the Wynwood area of Miami). This puts the number of locally acquired, or non-travel related cases in Florida to 42. The Florida Department of HealthContinue Reading
Local transmission of Zika virus is in Florida and today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Florida Department of Health puts the tally at 36 with five individuals connected to the Miami Beach area. In Tampa, experts from the University of South Florida (USF) along with Representatives Kathy Castor and David JollyContinue Reading
The number of sexually transmitted infections reported in Hillsborough County during the first six months of 2016 are being seen at increased numbers compared to the same period in 2015, according to newly published epidemiological data from the Hillsborough County Health Department (HCHD). Chlamydia is the most commonly reported bacterialContinue Reading
A September 2014 sewer line break in St. Petersburg, Florida dumped 500,000 gallons untreated wastewater into neighborhoods and into Boca Ciega Bay and a team of University of South Florida (USF) researchers went to sample the waters and what they found was a little concerning. The lead researcher of a study published in theContinue Reading
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious and vaccine preventable respiratory disease. It is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County has reported a near doubling of the number of pertussis cases during the first five months of 2016. AccordingContinue Reading
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported an additional Vibrio vulnificus case in the state Friday with the second case reported in Sarasota County this year. This brings the state total to 15–Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Duval (2), Manatee, Marion, Orange, Palm Beach, Santa Rosa, Sarasota (2), Volusia and WakullaContinue Reading
