Health/Fitness

SHERIFF WARNS PARENTS: BEWARE OF HALLOWEEN MARIJUANA CANDIES THAT CHILDREN CAN OVERDOSE ON

 

Source: San Diego Sheriff’s Department

October 27, 2014 (San Diego)--They look like chocolate bars, cookies, brownies and gummy or jelly candies. Children might mistake them for Halloween goodies, but these treats are not what they seem. Parents are advised to carefully check their children's trick‐or‐treat bags for candies infused with marijuana, Sheriff Bill Gore warns.


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MT. HELIX DEATH LINKED TO WEST NILE VIRUS

 

 

 

East County News Service

October 23, 2014 (Mt. Helix) – A Mt. Helix resident who died October 10th at Grossmont Hospital is believed to have died of West Nile Virus, 10 News reports. He may have been bitten by a mosquito in Eucalyptus Park in La Mesa, at the base of Mt. Helix, his daughter has said.


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MORE RABID BATS FOUND; CHILDREN EXPOSED TO DEADLY VIRUS SOUGHT

 

East County News Service

Photo: Bureau of Land Management

October 21, 2014 (San Diego) – Five bats have tested positive for rabies in North County, the County reports. County health officials are asking for public help to identify five children who found a bat on Saturday outside the Pizza Nova outlet on North Twin Oaks Valley Road in San Marcos. The bat later died and was confirmed to have rabies.


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GROSSMONT HOSPITAL SHARES EBOLA READINESS DETAILS

 

 

 

A joint report by East County Magazine and Reporting San Diego

By Miriam Raftery and Nadin Abbott

October 21, 2014 (La Mesa) – How prepared is East County's major hospital to handle an Ebola patient?

We contacted Grossmont Hospital to find out.  Although the risk of this occurring here is considered low by experts, errors in a Dallas hospital's handling of an Ebola patient pointed out the importance of proper planning.  Moreover, a survey published last week by National Nurses United revealed that 85 percent of hospitals had reportedly not provided any training for nurses on Ebola and most are short on equipment for handling a patient with the infectious disease that kills 70% of victims.

We sent a detailed list of questions to Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s director of marketing and communications, Bruce Hartman, on topics such as training and protective equipment for healthcare workers, whether patients are asked about their travel histories, and plans for sanitizing areas where an Ebola patient might have been waiting or treated. He responded with this detailed statement, followed by answers to our questions below.

The Hospital's responses include changes in procedures being made to reflect new guidelines just issued by the federal government, such as providing full protective suits with no skin exposed and training in how to safely remove such gear. Below is the full text of Hartman's response:


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SDSU STUDENT DECLARED BRAIN DEAD FROM BACTERIAL MENINGITIS; HUNDREDS POSSIBLIY EXPOSED

 

Correction:  An SDSU press release Friday incorrectly stated that Stelzer had died.  The university later clarified that she was brain dead and being kept on life support pending possible donation of her organs. She has since been removed from life support and her organs were donated to help save several lives.

East County News Service

October 17, 2014 (San Diego) – An 18-year-old freshman at San Diego State University has died of meningococcal meningitis.  Sara Stelzer from Moorpark, who was studying pre-communications, passed away at a local hospital after flu-like symptoms, SDSU announced today.

According to CBS News in Los Angeles, Stelzer was a member of a sorority at SDSU and had recently attended two fraternity parties and her sister’s 21st birthday party. She was also in Moorpark over the weekend for homecoming at Moorpark High School.  County health officials are seeking those who have been in close contact with Stelzer and may have been exposed.


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MENINGITIS AT SDSU

 

October 17, 2014 (San Diego) - A San Diego State Student has been diagnosed with meningitis, a potentially fatal bacterial infection that causes inflammation in the brain and spinal cord.


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CONSUMER WATCHDOG BLASTS NO-BID CONTRACTS BY COVERED CALIFORNIA

 

By Miriam Raftery

October 13, 2014 (Sacramento)--Why did Covered California award $184 million in no-bid contracts – including millions to consulting companies with ties to executives on the Covered California board?   For instance, $4.2 million went to the Tori Group, whose founder once worked with Covered California’s executive director, Peter Lee, and other contracts went to a subsidiary of a firm  that Lee once led.


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SECOND EBOLA TREATMENT IN TESTING FROM SAN DIEGO FIRM

 

East County News Service

October 14, 2014 (San Diego)--A blood filtration treatment made by a San Diego company has now joined the fight against Ebola.  Aethlon Medical announced Tuesday the first use its Hemopurifier therapy on a patient infected with Ebola virus, Times of San Diego reports.


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NURSES CALL FOR MANDATORY NATIONAL STANDARDS ON EBOLA, MORE PROTECTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS

 

National survey finds 80% of nurses say their hospital has not communicated any policy on Ebola: 2,200 RNs across U.S. say hospitals still lagging

Source: National Nurses Union

October 14, 2014 (Silver Springs, Maryland)--Following news Sunday that the first U.S. nurse has now tested positive for the deadly Ebola virus, National Nurses United called for all hospitals to have in place the highest standard of optimal protections, including Hazmat suits, and hands-on training to protect all RNs, other hospital personnel to confront Ebola.


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COUNTY SEEKS RUNNERS EXPOSED TO RABID BAT IN DEL MAR MUD RUN

 

Source: County News Service

October 12, 2014 (San Diego)--The County’s Health and Human Services Agency is asking for the public’s help to identify people who may have been exposed to rabies during the Del Mar Mud Run at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Saturday, Oct. 4.


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FREE TEEN HEART SCREENINGS NOV. 2 AND 9 AT STEELE CANYON HIGH SCHOOL

 

1 in 100 Teens Are At Risk for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Eric’s Foundation screens at his alma matter To mark 5th anniversary of student’s death

October 9, 2014 (Rancho San Diego)-- Five years ago, Eric Paredes joined the 7,000 U.S. kids who die every year when their heart unexpectedly stops beating due to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), a syndrome that happens without warning, as it did for Eric—a healthy student athlete. To mark the fifth anniversary of his passing, the Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation is hosting a free heart screening at Eric’s alma matter, Steele Canyon High School, on Sunday, November 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.


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SCIENCE AND HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS


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JUDGE RULES INTRUSIVE MEDICAL EXAMS BY COUNTY ON CHILDREN ARE ILLEGAL

 

October 6, 2014 (San Diego)--The County is violating constitutional rights of children and their parents by conducting intrusive medical exams on youngsters, federal judge Thomas Whelan has ruled.  The examinations have been routinely conducted on all children brought to the Polinsky Children’s Center,  the county’s emergency shelter by social workers, UT San Diego reports.  The tests include genital and anal exams, or what amounts to strip searches without parental notification or consent.


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DECEPTIVE ADS SEEK TO DUPE PUBLIC ON PROP 45

 

East County News Service

October 5, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) --The insurance industry is funding a 37 million dollar TV and radio ad campaign attacking Prop 45, a ballot measure that would stop health insurance rates from going up in California unless insurance companies can first convince the State Insurance Commissioner that a rate hike is necessary.


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WIND TURBINES DAMAGE EAR, SCIENTISTS FIND; LONG-TERM EXPOSURE MAY CAUSE DEAFNESS

 

By Miriam Raftery

October 4, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) The inner ears of people were “drastically” altered after exposure to low frequency noise. Living close to wind turbines may lead to severe hearing damage or even deafness. Those are the findings of scientists from the University of Munich, Germany, according to a study published in the Royal Society’s Open Science Journal on October 1st.


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DALLAS SENDS EMERGENCY MESSAGE WARNING TO 11,000 RESIDENTS REGARDING EBOLA CASE

 

Latest cases prompt clarification: Ebola can be spread by sneezing, coughing to people 3 to 6 feet away

(Photo: European Commission DG ECHO/Flickr/Creative Commons)

By Miriam Raftery

October 2, 2014 (Dallas)--The first case of Ebola diagnosed in the U.S. occurred this week in Texas, where the patient was initially sent home from a hospital.  A search is underway for about 100 people in the Dallas area who may have been exposed to the Ebola patient, who had traveled here from Liberia.  Dallas officials sent a reverse emergency call to 11,000 area residents to warn them about the situation, including parents at four schools  where several exposed children attended class. Four family members have now been placed in quarantine:  http://abcnews.go.com/Health/texas-Ebola-patients-contacts-now-reach-100/story?id=25912405   United Airlines has also contacted patients who were onboard the flight, though it is not believed the patient was contagious yet while on board.


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FOSTER FARMS RECALLS CONTAMINATED CHICKENS

 

East County News Service

September 30, 2014 (September 30, 2014) - Foster Farms, a major poultry company based in California, has recalled 40,000 pounds chicken due to Listeria contamination, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


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DEADLIEST FLU SEASON

 

County urges residents to get flu vaccine

Source: County News Service

September 28, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) - Last influenza season had the most deaths in San Diego since the County began tracking the disease. Seventy people died due to complications from the flu, the highest number ever recorded by the County Health and Human Services Agency.


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NEW APP SCANS TEXT, CONVERTS TO AUDIO FOR BLIND

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 24, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Imagine being blind and having a device that can take photos of text on ordinary items, such as menus, ballots, store signs or classroom materials – and then read them to you out loud.  It sounds like science fiction, but a brand new app for Apple’s iphones can now do just that.  It can also convert the text to Braille.


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SCIENCE AND HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS


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SQUIRRELS TEST POSITIVE FOR PLAGUE: PRECAUTIONS URGED FOR HIKERS, CAMPERS AND HUNTERS

 

East County News Service

September 23, 2014 (Palomar) -- County officials are reminding people to protect themselves when they hike and camp after two squirrels trapped in routine monitoring in the Palomar Mountain area tested positive for plague.


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LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST CALIFORNIA OVER DELAYS IN MEDI-CAL APPROVALS

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 23, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--A lawsuit has been filed in California, alleging that a huge backlog in processing Medicaid applications has caused suffering to low-income patients who are unable to get healthcare.


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NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY

 

September 22, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Saturday, September 27th is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. 

If you are looking to get rid of unwanted and expired prescription drugs, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department will collect and dispose of these medicines during the Drug Enforcement Agency’s ninth National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.  Old prescription drugs can pose hazards to others if they fall into the wrong hands.


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ENTEROVIRUS CONFIRMED AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

 

Source: County News Service

September 18, 2014 (San Diego)—Four children at Rady Children’s Hospital have been confirmed by state and county health officials as California’s first cases of Enterovirus D69.


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SAN DIEGO IS BECOMING A HUB FOR RARE DISEASE RESEARCH & TREATMENT, INCLUDING MESOTHELIOMA

 

By Nancy Werner

September 19, 2014 (San Diego)--Most people familiar with drug research think of Boston as the center for leading drug research, but San Diego leads in research and development into RNA therapies and treatments that bring hope for patients with rare diseases like mesothelioma.


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A CURE FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA?

 

September 14, 2014 (San Diego) – Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have found what appears to be a chemical basis for schizophrenia.


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BEAT THE HEAT

 

East County News Service

September 16, 2014 (San Diego)--If you’re sweltering in the extreme heat that’s hit our region, San Diego County health officials recommend these tips to help stay cool:


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SCIENCE AND HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS


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SEVERE VIRUS STRIKING CHILDREN; SAN DIEGO DOCTORS REPORT FIRST SUSPECTED CASES

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 13, 2014 (San Diego) – A virus suspected of sickening hundreds of children in the Midwest this summer is spreading across the nation, with 80 cases confirmed, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports.


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SUICIDES INCREASE 20% COUNTYWIDE

 

Source: County News Service

September 10, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Suicides are up 20% in San Diego County.  That’s one of the startling findings in the San Diego County Suicide Prevention Council’s Report to the Community.  The suicide rate steadily increased from 2008 to 2013. Last year, 14 suicides occurred for every 100,000 residents in San Diego County. That rate is also  20 percent higher than the average for the entire state of California.


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