Latest news with #AlexiaHarrist
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Rabies outbreak feared as hundreds exposed at US vacation spot
Advertisement Health officials are tracking down hundreds of visitors to Wyoming 's Grand Teton National Park after discovering a 'suspected' bat colony inside a lodge. Since June 2, Grand Teton Lodge Company has received eight reports of overnight guests who may have been exposed to bats in those rooms while staying at the Jackson Jake Lodge. Dr Alexia Harrist, Wyoming's state health officer, said bats may have been in the rooms since the season started in May, which has seen more than 200 guests since. The National Park Service (NPS) said: 'As a precaution, the affected rooms are closed while public health professionals conduct further assessments and provide recommendations for mitigation.' Overnight exposure to bats is concerning because infected bats can transmit rabies through bites or scratches, which are often too small to notice. People who cannot communicate potential exposure, like children or deep sleepers, would be considered at-risk. While rabies can be prevented with post-exposure vaccines, it is always fatal once symptoms develop. Although healthy bats rarely bite humans, those infected with rabies often exhibit abnormal behavior, Harrist said. Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming sees over three million visitors annually. 'A suspected bat colony was recently discovered in an attic space above guest rooms 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, 526, 528 and 530 at the Jackson Lake Lodge,' the NPS alert stated. 'There is no immediate threat to the public.' Bat exposure to rabies is defined as a bite or scratch from a bat to a human, contact of bat saliva with an open cut or mucous membrane, or any direct physical contact with a bat. Exposure to bats raises particular concern because their teeth are small, and bites often do not bleed, cause pain, or leave visible marks. As a result, a person may be unaware that they have been exposed or may mistakenly believe that a minor bite or scratch does not require medical attention. 'State public health officials are reaching out to these guests directly to assess if they had exposure to a bat while staying in any of these rooms and determine if they meet the risk criteria for receiving rabies preventive treatment. 'Individuals who meet the risk criteria for a rabies exposure will be connected with the appropriate provider in their home state for preventive treatment.' Recently, a woman visiting the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Arizona shared her scary encounter with a bat. Erica Kahn was spending her vacation photographing the night sky last year when a bat flew right into her mouth. Her father, a doctor, insisted she get vaccinated for rabies, which can spread through an animal's saliva and is fatal almost 100 percent of the time unless treated before symptoms appear. But she didn't have health insurance. A generally healthy person, Kahn believed that after losing her job last summer, she could avoid paying hundreds to stay on her former employer's insurance plan before finding another job and getting insurance through work again. But knowing she now needed to get treatment as soon as possible, Kahn, 33, found a private health insurance policy outside of the Affordable Care Act marketplace, believing that she would be covered for the five shots she would need to get over the next two weeks. But last fall, she began receiving medical bills that said she owed $21,000. Believing she'd be covered as long as she got insurance before going to the hospital, Kahn said she purchased a policy online the day after the bat encounter, according to the Washington Post.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Deadly rabies outbreak feared as hundreds exposed to infected bats at US vacation spot
Health officials are tracking down hundreds of visitors to Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park after discovering a 'suspected' bat colony inside a lodge. Since June 2, Grand Teton Lodge Company has received eight reports of overnight guests who may have been exposed to bats in those rooms while staying at the Jackson Jake Lodge. Dr Alexia Harrist, Wyoming's state health officer, said bats may have been in the rooms since the season started in May, which has seen more than 200 guests since. The National Park Service (NPS) said: 'As a precaution, the affected rooms are closed while public health professionals conduct further assessments and provide recommendations for mitigation.' Overnight exposure to bats is concerning because infected bats can transmit rabies through bites or scratches, which are often too small to notice. People who cannot communicate potential exposure, like children or deep sleepers, would be considered at-risk. While rabies can be prevented with post-exposure vaccines, it is always fatal once symptoms develop. Although healthy bats rarely bite humans, those infected with rabies often exhibit abnormal behavior, Harrist said. More than 200 people may have been infected with rabies after spending the night at the Jackson Jake Lodge in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming sees over three million visitors annually. 'A suspected bat colony was recently discovered in an attic space above guest rooms 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, 526, 528 and 530 at the Jackson Lake Lodge,' the NPS alert stated. 'There is no immediate threat to the public.' Bat exposure to rabies is defined as a bite or scratch from a bat to a human, contact of bat saliva with an open cut or mucous membrane, or any direct physical contact with a bat. Exposure to bats raises particular concern because their teeth are small, and bites often do not bleed, cause pain, or leave visible marks. As a result, a person may be unaware that they have been exposed or may mistakenly believe that a minor bite or scratch does not require medical attention. The most common species found in the Grand Teton National Park are little brown bats, followed by big brown, silver-haired, hoary, Yuma, long-legged, and long-eared bats. California myotis and western small-footed bats have also been identified in the park. In a prepared statement, the park said it is working with the National Park Service, the Lodge Company and state and federal health officials to address potential guest exposures. While rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms such as confusion, agitation, hallucinations, or difficulty swallowing appear, the regimen of vaccinations has lowered yearly deaths to fewer than 10 'Wyoming Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are leading the effort to coordinate with the affected guests' local public health officials, who will conduct rabies risk assessments,' the NPS said. 'State public health officials are reaching out to these guests directly to assess if they had exposure to a bat while staying in any of these rooms and determine if they meet the risk criteria for receiving rabies preventive treatment. 'Individuals who meet the risk criteria for a rabies exposure will be connected with the appropriate provider in their home state for preventive treatment.' Recently, a woman visiting the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Arizona shared her scary encounter with a bat. Erica Kahn was spending her vacation photographing the night sky last year when a bat flew right into her mouth. Her father, a doctor, insisted she get vaccinated for rabies, which can spread through an animal's saliva and is fatal almost 100 percent of the time unless treated before symptoms appear. But she didn't have health insurance. A generally healthy person, Kahn believed that after losing her job last summer, she could avoid paying hundreds to stay on her former employer's insurance plan before finding another job and getting insurance through work again. But knowing she now needed to get treatment as soon as possible, Kahn, 33, found a private health insurance policy outside of the Affordable Care Act marketplace, believing that she would be covered for the five shots she would need to get over the next two weeks. But last fall, she began receiving medical bills that said she owed $21,000. Believing she'd be covered as long as she got insurance before going to the hospital, Kahn said she purchased a policy online the day after the bat encounter, according to the Washington Post. She said she called the insurer beforehand and was told that care related to an accident or a 'life-threatening' emergency would be included. So Kahn, a Massachusetts resident, went to a hospital in Arizona for the requisite immunoglobulin shot needed to build antibodies against the virus. Over the following two weeks, she got the remaining four rabies shots at clinics in Arizona and Massachusetts, as well as at a hospital in Colorado.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Wyoming confirms 1st measles case in 15 years as infections near 30-year high in US
Wyoming is reporting its first measles case in 15 years as the infectious disease continues to spread across the United States. The state's Department of Health said on Tuesday that it had confirmed a case in an unvaccinated child in Natrona County, which is located in the central part of the state and includes the town of Casper. The pediatric case is the first reported in Wyoming since 2010, according to the WDH. MORE: US measles cases nearing 30-year high It's unclear how the child became sick, and no other identifying details were provided including name, age or sex. A release from the WDH said the child was infectious while in the emergency department waiting room at Banner Wyoming Medical Center in Casper on Thursday, June 24, from 11 a.m. MT to 1 p.m. MT and on Friday, June 25, from 12:55 p.m. MT to 2:55 p.m. MT. The WDH said it is working with Banner Wyoming Medical Center to notify individuals who may have been exposed to measles during those times. "We are asking individuals who were potentially exposed to self-monitor for measles symptoms for 21 days past the exposure date and consider avoiding crowded public places or high-risk settings such as daycare centers," Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer with the WDH, said in the release. Wyoming is the 37th state to confirm a case of measles this year as infections near a 30-year high in the U.S. As of Wednesday morning, a total of 1,227 cases have been confirmed, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The U.S. is currently on track to surpass the 1,274 cases seen in 2019 and is expected to see the highest number of cases since 1992. MORE: Amid growing Texas outbreak, how contagious is measles? There have been three confirmed deaths so far this year, two among unvaccinated children in Texas and one among an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico. Among the nationally confirmed cases, the CDC says 95% are among people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Meanwhile, 2% of cases are among those who have received one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and 3% of cases are among those who received the recommended two doses, according to the CDC. "Measles is one of the most contagious diseases we know, but it is preventable," Harrist said in the release. "The MMR vaccine is safe and highly effective, providing long-lasting protection. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective in preventing measles, and we recommend that all Wyoming residents ensure they and their children are up to date on MMR vaccinations." As of 2023, the latest year for which data is available, at least 93% of kindergartners in Wyoming had received at least one MMR dose, including 96% of kindergartners in Natrona County, where the new case was confirmed, according to the WDH.
02-07-2025
- Health
Wyoming confirms 1st case of measles in 15 years as infections near 30-year high in US
Wyoming is reporting its first measles case in 15 years as the infectious disease continues to spread across the United States. The state's Department of Health said on Tuesday that it had confirmed a case in an unvaccinated child in Natrona County, which is located in the central part of the state and includes the town of Casper. The pediatric case is the first reported in Wyoming since 2010, according to the WDH. It's unclear how the child became sick, and no other identifying details were provided including name, age or sex. A release from the WDH said the child was infectious while in the emergency department waiting room at Banner Wyoming Medical Center in Casper on Thursday, June 24, from 11 a.m. MT to 1 p.m. MT and on Friday, June 25, from 12:55 p.m. MT to 2:55 p.m. MT. The WDH said it is working with Banner Wyoming Medical Center to notify individuals who may have been exposed to measles during those times. "We are asking individuals who were potentially exposed to self-monitor for measles symptoms for 21 days past the exposure date and consider avoiding crowded public places or high-risk settings such as daycare centers," Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer with the WDH, said in the release. Wyoming is the 37th state to confirm a case of measles this year as infections near a 30-year high in the U.S. As of Wednesday morning, a total of 1,227 cases have been confirmed, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The U.S. is currently on track to surpass the 1,274 cases seen in 2019 and is expected to see the highest number of cases since 1992. There have been three confirmed deaths so far this year, two among unvaccinated children in Texas and one among an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico. Among the nationally confirmed cases, the CDC says 95% are among people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Meanwhile, 2% of cases are among those who have received one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and 3% of cases are among those who received the recommended two doses, according to the CDC. "Measles is one of the most contagious diseases we know, but it is preventable," Harrist said in the release. "The MMR vaccine is safe and highly effective, providing long-lasting protection. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective in preventing measles, and we recommend that all Wyoming residents ensure they and their children are up to date on MMR vaccinations." As of 2023, the latest year for which data is available, at least 93% of kindergartners in Wyoming had received at least one MMR dose, including 96% of kindergartners in Natrona County, where the new case was confirmed, according to the WDH.
USA Today
26-02-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Where has bird flu been reported in the US? See map of 70 cases
Where has bird flu been reported in the US? See map of 70 cases The number of H5 bird flu cases among people in the U.S. is now at 70, with the most cases being in California, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the cases in California, 36 of them stemmed from exposure to dairy herds or cattle, while the cause of two of them are unknown. Other states with reported cases include Washington state, Oregon, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, Texas and Louisiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC. So far, one person has died due to the bird flu, and there have been no cases where the bird flu spread from person-to-person, the CDC said. The agency added that "the current public health risk is low," as of Tuesday. Bird flu case map The map below shows bird flu reported since 2024, per CDC data. Wyoming woman with prior conditions becomes 3rd US hospitalization Among the more recent cases around the country, a woman in southeast Wyoming was documented as the first human case of the bird flu in the state and became the third confirmed hospitalization in the U.S., reported the Wyoming Department of Health. A CDC laboratory confirmed the woman's test result on Feb. 14. She is hospitalized in another state and has prior health conditions that could've made her more vulnerable to illness, Wyoming health officials said. 'She was likely exposed to the virus through direct contact with an infected poultry flock at her home,' the Wyoming Department of Health said in its news release. A person in Ohio was recently discharged after being hospitalized with a bird flu infection, the CDC said. Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health, said in the news release that the case is 'not something we believe requires a high level of concern among most Wyoming residents.' According to Harrist, the bird flu has been infecting wild birds in Wyoming for a while now, and infections among dairy cattle have also been reported in the past. Most of those confirmed cases in the U.S. involve those who work closely with poultry or cattle. Once they became sick, they experienced mild symptoms, Harrist said. 'Unfortunately, this patient's experience has been much more serious,' Harrist said in the release. Symptoms of the bird flu in birds and humans Bird flu has caused outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC. Most wild birds infected with bird flu viruses are asymptomatic, meaning they do not show signs or symptoms, the CDC said. Bird flu symptoms in humans include: Mild symptoms - Eye redness and irritation, mild fever, cough and fatigue. Moderate to severe disease symptoms - High fever, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing and seizures. Complications - Bird flu can lead to complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, acute kidney injury, multi-organ failure (respiratory and kidney failure), sepsis or septic shock. How can I protect myself and my family? Harrist, from the Wyoming Department of Health, offered some tips to keep yourself safe amid concerns about contracting the bird flu. Tips include: Avoid eating uncooked or undercooked food. Cook poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked food. Avoid direct contact with wild birds. Avoid contact with wild or domestic birds that appear ill or have died. If contact with the sick or dead birds is necessary, use personal protection clothing and items. Avoid unprotected direct physical contact or close exposure with cattle and materials potentially infected or confirmed to be infected with bird flu. Do not eat or drink raw milk or products made with raw milk. Health officials in Wyoming said those who notice symptoms in birds can contact a veterinarian or report the cases to the Wyoming Livestock Board at 307-777-8270. Sick or dead wild birds can also be reported to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department at 307-745-5865 or online at Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@
