Latest news with #WinnebagoCountyHealthDepartment
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How do I avoid ticks and mosquitoes this summer?
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The mild winter season was great for drivers, but residents can expect an influx of insects this summer as a result. The Winnebago County Health Department recently mosquitoes containing West Nile Virus, but it came earlier than expected. 'We've seen West Nile in our area for over 25 years,' Environmental Health Supervisor Ryan Kerch said. 'This is a bit earlier than we normally see it, so we're just sending out the reminder to everybody that mosquitoes can carry this disease.' Kerch is encouraging homeowners to limit areas of water around the house. 'The mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile virus like to lay their eggs in areas of stagnant water around the home; anything that can hold rainwater,' Kerch said. 'So, getting rid of those things will do a lot to get rid of bad mosquitoes.' Tick season is also underway, and experts from the Boone County Conservation District are extending warnings to those looking to hit the trails this summer. 'Wear long sleeves, long pants, and tuck your pants into your socks,' Executive Director Josh Sage said. 'Any type of bug repellent also helps.' Ticks like to hide in the hairline, behind the ears, behind the kneecaps, and on the backs of the arms, according to Sage. He encouraged hikers to check themselves and their backpacks for ticks. 'As long as you are diligent about doing tick checks after you come in from being outside, you'll be fine,' Sage said. 'One other thing you can do when you're out hiking is walk down the middle of the trail and try and avoid the tall grass or the trees overhead.' Both Sage and Kerch said they aren't trying to stray people away from going outside. 'We're not telling people not to enjoy the outdoors again,' Kerch said. 'Just take those precautions, use those protective measures to try and avoid it, too, in the first place.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How Winnebago County plans to address high pregnancy deaths among Black women
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Winnebago County Health Department will launch a program to address high mortality rates among Black women during pregnancy. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Wednesday that Winnebago County will receive $300,000 in grant funding, a portion of $4.5 million in funding to be distributed through Gov. JB Pritzker's 2024 Birth Equity Initiative to 12 groups across the state. The Winnebago County Health Department was one of the recipients of the program, which will use the funding to launch the 'Winning Start Winnebago, Welcoming Babies, and Connecting Families' program. 'The program will integrate a universal newborn system of support, a development program, and CredibleMinds, a mental health platform to address behavioral health and substance use,' according to a press release. The IDPH said the Birth Equity grants were the outcome of years of study that found Black women in Illinois were twice as likely to die from any pregnancy-related condition and three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions as white women. That rate is , when Black women were six times more likely to die from pregnancy, according to a March of Dimes report card. The most recent report, from 2023, said an average of 88 pregnancy-related deaths occurred in Illinois during the three-year study period. The report found that the leading cause of pregnancy-related death was drug abuse, which comprised 32% of pregnancy-related deaths. A different, Associated Press attributed the causes to inadequate access to medical care, and distrust among African Americans toward health care institutions. 'Illinois has one of the most robust birth equity initiatives in the entire nation and today's announcement brings us closer to a state where every mother – no matter her race, economic status, or ZIP code – is afforded the right to a safe and healthy pregnancy,' said Pritzker. 'We're grateful to our community-based grantees who are assisting pregnant women and families to drive healthier births, improve long-term health outcomes, and create more culturally responsive care infrastructure.' The grants, aimed at eliminating racial disparities and avoiding preventable deaths, were awarded by IDPH's Office of Women's Health & Family Services. The law, which was , also invests $15 million in a tax credit for impoverished families, funding for community birth centers, and a diaper pilot program. Ten million was allocated for funding to identify and address gaps in other funding programs that work to reduce 'adverse maternal health outcomes.' An unspecified amount is reserved for Illinois abortion clinics that have seen an influx of patients from other states following the Supreme Court's decision reversing Roe v Wade. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
