Latest news with #MaggiePark
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Farm workers avoiding bird flu testing because of deportation threat, officials fear
US dairy workers at risk of catching bird flu are avoiding tests because of worries they will be deported amid Donald Trump's migration crackdown, public health officials believe. Seventy human cases of H5N1 bird flu have been reported in the United States since April 2024, 41 of them associated with exposure to sick dairy cows, according to the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC). But as the virus sweeps the country, so have federal crackdowns on farms where undocumented workers often find casual employment, leaving the individuals most vulnerable to the disease fearful to get tested. 'For symptomatic employees, we worry about some of them coming forward because of the current political milieu and fear of whatever their immigration status is,' San Joaquin County Public Health Officer Dr Maggie Park told local news outlet, The Merced Focus. 'We really want to reassure people who work on farms that public health agencies are here to help them. We are not here to check on their immigration status,' Dr Park added. More than 79 per cent of the milk produced in the US comes from farms that employ migrant workers, including many who are undocumented. Reports suggest that the threat of immigration raids has struck fear into farm workers, with some immigrants reluctant to engage with government agencies out of fear of harassment, and epidemiologists concerned that cases may be being missed. 'The fear among undocumented workers – especially in the current climate – is real and can significantly impact public health efforts' said Dr Krutika Kuppalli, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern. 'If people don't feel safe coming forward for testing or care, we risk missing early signs of spread, especially in high-risk populations like dairy farm workers,' she added. When the bird flu strain currently circulating among US cattle infects a person, symptoms include eye redness or irritation, a temperature, cough, sore throat, breathing difficulty, headaches, runny or stuffy nose, aches, or diarrhoea. 'In humans it causes really quite minor symptoms,' said David Heymann, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, but he warned that 'might be passed off as conjunctivitis, a viral infection of some type or another flu type virus'. Although the strain circulating in the US is mild, H5N1 has infected almost 900 people since it first emerged in the late 1990s, all of which have caught the virus directly from animals. Roughly half of those who have caught the virus have died. El Concilio, a non-profit organisation, provides healthcare support for Hispanic communities in the San Joaquin Valley including bird flu testing and flu vaccinations. They say they have seen a drop in requests for their services. 'There have been less people coming out, but one of the things that we're trying to do is create a sense of normalcy and let people know that our events are safe and secure,' said Jose Rodriguez, president and CEO of El Concilio. Since the election, they have also faced harassment, 'it started right after Trump got elected, in terms of harassing calls,' Mr Rodriguez said. 'We had somebody drop off a Trump manifesto to us. We get harassing phone calls. We get harassing messages on Facebook. It's just the climate. There's an anti-immigrant climate and some people are taking it further than they should.' In February 2025, a CDC study reported that two separate dairy farmers in Michigan may have given bird flu to their pet cats but refused testing. Neither cat had known direct exposure to the farms and both farm workers had experienced symptoms. In one case, the worker had reported getting 'splashed in the face and eyes by unpasteurised milk,' a known vector of the disease. Despite their animals having tested positive for bird flu, neither of the dairy workers agreed to testing, with one saying they feared losing their job for implicating their dairy farm. As a result, the study's authors couldn't conclude whether they had passed the virus onto their pet cats. With cases continuing to rise – there are now 995 infected herds across 17 states – experts warn that tracking the transmission of the virus is vital. 'It's important to watch this virus,' said Prof Heymann, 'It's already changed, and it could change in other ways. The virus can mutate either to more virulent or less virulent, more transmissible or less transmissible in humans, so it must be watched.' Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
02-04-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Farm workers avoiding bird flu testing because of deportation threat, officials fear
US dairy workers at risk of catching bird flu are avoiding tests because of worries they will be deported amid Donald Trump's migration crackdown, public health officials believe. Seventy human cases of H5N1 bird flu have been reported in the United States since April 2024, 41 of them associated with exposure to sick dairy cows, according to the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC). But as the virus sweeps the country, so have federal crackdowns on farms where undocumented workers often find casual employment, leaving the individuals most vulnerable to the disease fearful to get tested. 'For symptomatic employees, we worry about some of them coming forward because of the current political milieu and fear of whatever their immigration status is,' San Joaquin County Public Health Officer Dr Maggie Park told local news outlet, The Merced Focus. 'We really want to reassure people who work on farms that public health agencies are here to help them. We are not here to check on their immigration status,' Dr Park added. More than 79 per cent of the milk produced in the US comes from farms that employ migrant workers, including many who are undocumented. Reports suggest that the threat of immigration raids has struck fear into farm workers, with some immigrants reluctant to engage with government agencies out of fear of harassment, and epidemiologists concerned that cases may be being missed. 'The fear among undocumented workers – especially in the current climate – is real and can significantly impact public health efforts' said Dr Krutika Kuppalli, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern. 'If people don't feel safe coming forward for testing or care, we risk missing early signs of spread, especially in high-risk populations like dairy farm workers,' she added. When the bird flu strain currently circulating among US cattle infects a person, symptoms include eye redness or irritation, a temperature, cough, sore throat, breathing difficulty, headaches, runny or stuffy nose, aches, or diarrhoea. 'In humans it causes really quite minor symptoms,' said David Heymann, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, but he warned that 'might be passed off as conjunctivitis, a viral infection of some type or another flu type virus'. Although the strain circulating in the US is mild, H5N1 has infected almost 900 people since it first emerged in the late 1990s, all of which have caught the virus directly from animals. Roughly half of those who have caught the virus have died. El Concilio, a non-profit organisation, provides healthcare support for Hispanic communities in the San Joaquin Valley including bird flu testing and flu vaccinations. They say they have seen a drop in requests for their services. 'There have been less people coming out, but one of the things that we're trying to do is create a sense of normalcy and let people know that our events are safe and secure,' said Jose Rodriguez, president and CEO of El Concilio. Since the election, they have also faced harassment, 'it started right after Trump got elected, in terms of harassing calls,' Mr Rodriguez said. 'We had somebody drop off a Trump manifesto to us. We get harassing phone calls. We get harassing messages on Facebook. It's just the climate. There's an anti-immigrant climate and some people are taking it further than they should.' In February 2025, a CDC study reported that two separate dairy farmers in Michigan may have given bird flu to their pet cats but refused testing. Neither cat had known direct exposure to the farms and both farm workers had experienced symptoms. In one case, the worker had reported getting 'splashed in the face and eyes by unpasteurised milk,' a known vector of the disease. Despite their animals having tested positive for bird flu, neither of the dairy workers agreed to testing, with one saying they feared losing their job for implicating their dairy farm. As a result, the study's authors couldn't conclude whether they had passed the virus onto their pet cats. With cases continuing to rise – there are now 995 infected herds across 17 states – experts warn that tracking the transmission of the virus is vital. 'It's important to watch this virus,' said Prof Heymann, 'It's already changed, and it could change in other ways. The virus can mutate either to more virulent or less virulent, more transmissible or less transmissible in humans, so it must be watched.'
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A killer in the spotlight: County offering free screenings of 'Fentanyl High' to raise awareness
Mar. 11—As part of its effort to raise awareness about fentanyl abuse, the county will be screening a documentary focusing on the drug this week. San Joaquin County Public Health Services, along with the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office, San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Services, San Joaquin County Office of Education, and the Reinvent South Stockton Coalition, are hosting free screenings of "Fentanyl High." The film will be shown at the Lodi Stadium 12, 109 S. School St., on Wednesday, March 12 at 6 p.m. Told from the perspectives of real high school students and their families in Northern California, the documentary explores how today's teenagers are dealing with their emotional pain in school and at home, and how they can get to the point of buying fake Adderall, OxyContin, Percocet, or Xanax from a stranger on social media. "We are hoping that this documentary opens the door for important conversations between parents and teens about mental health and drug use," Dr. Maggie Park, San Joaquin County Public Health Officer, said. This will be the third time the film will be screened in the county. County Public Health said the first two showings in Stockton and Manteca were very popular. Another screening will be held in Tracy on March 18. The movie will be followed by a panel discussion on mental health and substance use disorder treatment resources available locally. Free popcorn and drinks will be provided, and participants can take home a Narcan kit to reverse opioid overdose. Last year, the Lodi Police Department received 177 calls for drug overdoses, and officers used Narcan 21 times to assist with life-saving measures. However, four deaths were suspected to be related to overdose. The county established the Fentanyl Intervention and Response Safety Team, or FIRST unit, in 2023. The FIRST unit will operate under the purview of the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office and is comprised of 11 members. More than $2.2 million will be used to support the FIRST unit's three-pronged approach toward combating fentanyl. The first prong is community outreach efforts such as addressing schools at special events, creating advertisements and mailers, as well as a social media campaign. The second prong is focused on response and safety, and involves prosecutors investigating from where the drugs originated, as well as a dedicated crime analyst tasked with examining evidence and data recovered from electronic and digital devices. The analyst will also work to identify specific target-areas of overdose occurrences. The third prong will focus on cooperating with as many agencies as possible. during investigations. The unit will consist of three deputy district attorneys; two DA investigators; a paralegal; a crime analyst; a public information specialist; a victim witness advocate; and two legal technicians. "Fentanyl High" is appropriate for audiences 12 and older. There will also be a raffle for high school students. For free tickets, visit
