FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Adams County Bat Tests Positive for Rabies; Health Officials Urge Caution Around All Bats

 CALDWELL, IDAHO – A bat found in Adams County has tested positive for rabies, making it the first rabid bat discovered in the Southwest District Health (SWDH) jurisdiction this season. The bat was found inside of an Adams County home where it had contact with a cat. The cat has been vaccinated against rabies in the past and boostered following the encounter. Those who were staying at the home are being assessed for potential exposure.

Without timely medical intervention, rabies infection is virtually 100 percent fatal in people and animals. Medical therapy given to people soon after a possible rabies exposure is extremely effective in preventing rabies. People should call their healthcare providers promptly if they believe they may have been bitten or scratched by a bat. In Idaho, rabid bats are typically reported between March and November. Last year, 14 bats tested positive for rabies statewide.

Bites are considered the primary way rabies is transmitted, but waking up in a room with a bat, without having a clear idea of the bat’s behavior during the night can also put people and pets at risk for rabies infection. Whenever possible, a bat found in an area (inside or outside) where people or pets may have been exposed should be captured and submitted for rabies testing. Bats are the only natural hosts for the virus in Idaho and should always be avoided. No area of the state is considered rabies-free.

The most common ways people may encounter a bat is when a pet finds a bat in the yard, brings one into the home or a bat enters a home through a small opening or open windows or doors. People may also wake up to find a bat in the room and cannot be sure they were bitten or not while they slept. Whenever possible, a bat found in an area (inside or outside) where people or pets may have been exposed should be captured and submitted for rabies testing. Specific steps for collecting a bat for testing can be found outlined in a video produced by The Idaho Department of Fish and Game: https://idfg.idaho.gov/blog/2017/06/i-found-bat-my-home-what-do-i-do

To protect yourself and your pets, SWDH offers the following tips:

• Never touch a bat with your bare hands;
• If you have had an encounter with a bat, seek medical attention;
• Call your local public health district about testing a bat for rabies. If it is determined that you or your pet may be at risk of rabies, the bat can be tested for free through the state public health laboratory;
• If you come in contact with a bat, save the bat in a container without touching it and contact your district health department to arrange testing for rabies. Whenever possible, the bat should be tested to rule out an exposure to rabies;
• Always vaccinate your pets for rabies, including horses. Pets may encounter bats outdoors or in the home;
• and Bat-proof your home or cabin by plugging all holes in the siding and maintaining tight-fitting screens on windows.

For more information on bats and rabies, visit www.cdc.gov/rabies. To track the number of rabid bats in Idaho, visit: http://www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Health/DiseasesConditions/RabiesInformation/tabid/176/Default.aspx

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Media Contacts:

Ashley Anderson    Ashley.Anderson@phd3.idaho.gov

Katrina Williams     Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Canyon County Monkeypox Disease Investigation Concluded 

CALDWELL, IDAHO – The epidemiologic disease investigation has been concluded for the probable case of monkeypox originally announced by Southwest District Health (SWDH) on July 29, 2022. Due to a laboratory error at the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories (IBL), results for the Non Variola Orthopox (“monkeypox”) virus assay have been amended. Lab results have confirmed that, to date, there are zero (0) confirmed cases of monkeypox in the Southwest District Health region. The region Southwest District Health serves includes Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, and Washington Counties, respectively. 

Southwest District Health urges the community to stay current on monkeypox trends in our area and to take steps to prevent monkeypox from taking hold in our community. Through informed decision making, individuals and families can reduce the risk of contracting and spreading monkeypox.  

SWDH encourages anyone who is experiencing an unexplained skin rash with or without a fever to contact their healthcare provider and avoid contact with others. If possible, call ahead before going to a healthcare facility. If you are not able to call ahead, tell a staff member as soon as you arrive that you are concerned about monkeypox. Tell your doctor if in the month before developing symptoms: 

• You had contact with a person who might have had monkeypox. 
• You were in an area where monkeypox has been reported (currently, Europe, North America, South America, Australia) or in an area where monkeypox is more commonly found (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan). 

Anyone who is ill with these symptoms is encouraged to follow SWDH and their healthcare provider’s advice to help prevent the spread to others. 

For more information on monkeypox please visit https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html.

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Southwest District Health Media Contacts:

Ashley Anderson    Ashley.Anderson@phd3.idaho.gov

Katrina Williams     Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CALDWELL, IDAHO – Southwest District Health (SWDH) is announcing the first case of monkeypox in its jurisdiction of an Idaho resident. The case was detected in Canyon County.

The investigation is ongoing. Local and state public health officials are working with the patient’s healthcare providers to ensure the patient is treated and any potential close contacts are identified and notified of exposure risk.

Testing for initial identification was performed at the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories, and samples are being sent to CDC for confirmation of the monkeypox virus; results from CDC are expected in the next week.

Monkeypox usually causes a mild illness, and most people recover on their own. Antivirals are available for patients who might have severe disease or develop complications. Southwest District Health recommends vaccination for people who have been exposed to monkeypox to reduce symptoms and prevent further spread in our community. Individuals with monkeypox should self-isolate until their lesions have fully healed with new skin where the lesions used to be.

How is monkeypox spread?

Monkeypox can spread to anyone through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact, including:

• Direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids from a person with monkeypox. We believe this is currently the most common way that monkeypox is spreading in the U.S.
• Touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
• Contact with respiratory secretions.

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

Close contacts should be monitored for symptoms for 21 days after their last exposure. Symptoms* of concern include:

• Fever ≥100.4°F (38°C)
• Chills
• Swelling of the lymph nodes
• New skin rash – Rash may look like pimples or blisters.

*Fever and rash occur in nearly all people infected with monkeypox virus.

If symptoms develop, contacts should immediately self-isolate and call Southwest District Health for further guidance. Contacts who remain asymptomatic can continue routine daily activities.

How to prevent monkeypox?

Take the following steps to prevent monkeypox:

• Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
  • Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with monkeypox.
  • Do not kiss, hug, cuddle or have sex with someone with monkeypox.
  • Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with monkeypox.
• Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

What to do if you have symptoms of monkeypox?

SWDH encourages anyone who is experiencing an unexplained skin rash with or without a fever to contact their healthcare provider and avoid contact with others. If possible, call ahead before going to a healthcare facility. If you are not able to call ahead, tell a staff member as soon as you arrive that you are concerned about monkeypox. Tell your doctor if in the month before developing symptoms:

• You had contact with a person who might have had monkeypox.
• You were in an area where monkeypox has been reported (currently, Europe, North America, South America, Australia) or in an area where monkeypox is more commonly found (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan).

Anyone who is ill with these symptoms is encouraged to follow SWDH and their healthcare provider’s advice to help prevent the spread to others.

For more information on monkeypox please visit https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html.

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Southwest District Health Media Contacts:

Ashley Anderson    Ashley.Anderson@phd3.idaho.gov

Katrina Williams     Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Availability of monoclonal antibody treatment expands to North Nampa; vaccines continue to be best defense against COVID-19

CALDWELL, IDAHO – Starting December 1, 2021, a Saltzer Health urgent care clinic in Nampa will begin offering COVID-19 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment. The treatment is available by appointment only, seven days a week at the Saltzer North Nampa clinic, 9850 W. St. Luke’s Drive. Patients must be referred by a health care provider. Treatments are given at no cost to the patient, and health insurance isn’t required.

While the vaccine continues to be the most effective method for preventing hospitalizations from COVID-19, monoclonal antibody (mAB) treatment could benefit Idahoans who have tested positive for the virus and are at risk for developing serious illness. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment has been shown to significantly reduce hospitalization and death from COVID-19 if administered within 10 days of symptom onset to those who are considered at high risk for developing severe illness. The treatment is given as an IV infusion over 20 minutes, followed by a 1-hour observation period.

Monoclonal antibody treatment is recommended for people age 12 years and older who are at risk of progressing to severe disease or hospitalization due to COVID-19. Risk factors may include age (64 years or older), obesity; pregnancy; chronic kidney disease; diabetes; chronic lung disease; immunosuppressive disease; cardiovascular disease.

“While this treatment is not meant to replace vaccinations to prevent COVID, it has been proven as an effective treatment for COVID-infected patients to decrease hospitalization and death,” said Dr. John Kaiser, chief medical officer at Saltzer Health, an Intermountain Healthcare company.

The treatment is authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration. Clinical trials showed monoclonal antibodies could reduce hospitalizations and deaths by 70%.

“Monoclonal antibody treatment will allow us to help people avoid hospitalization and reduce the disease burden in our community,” he said. “Saltzer Health is pleased to be able to minimize the impact of COVID on vulnerable patients and their families.”

The Saltzer Health mAb treatment center is operated under a contract with the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. A provider referral is required to receive treatment. Those without a primary care provider can contact Saltzer Health for an appointment at 208-463-3000.

For those interested in getting vaccinated against COVID-19, please note that only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for emergency use (EUA) for those ages 5-16 and fully licensed for ages 16 and older. The Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines are both authorized for emergency use in those 18-years and older. The CDC recommends all people 5 years and older get vaccinated against COVID-19, with booster shots recommended for eligible adults age 18 and older.

Making a COVID-19 vaccine appointment

Whether it’s your first dose, second dose, or booster dose, if you would like to be vaccinated against COVID-19, please call the Southwest District Health COVID-19 Call Center at 208-455-5411. To find a pediatric vaccination location near you, contact your child’s pediatrician, your family doctor, Southwest District Health, or visit Vaccines.gov.

Inquiries about the SWDH mobile vaccination team available free of charge to businesses or events within SWDH’s jurisdiction can be directed to the SWDH COVID-19 Call Center at 208-455-5411 Monday through Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM (MST) except for observed holidays.

COVID-19 Vaccine Information Resources

• For more information about pediatric COVID-19 vaccination, speak with your child’s pediatrician or visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html
• COVID-19 Vaccine Locator https://vaccines.gov
• SWDH COVID-19 Vaccine Webpage https://swdh.id.gov/covid19/#Vaccine

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Southwest District Health Media Contacts:

Ashley Anderson    Ashley.Anderson@phd3.idaho.gov

Katrina Williams     Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov

Saltzer Health Media Contact:

Amy Stahl   ABStahl@SaltzerHealth.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Idaho public health officials confirm first COVID-19 child death

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) and Southwest District Health (SWDH) have confirmed the first death of an Idaho child due to COVID-19. The child was an infant and died in October.

To protect the privacy of the child’s grieving family, no further details will be released to the public.

“Our hearts go out to the family of this child,” said Elke Shaw-Tulloch, administrator for the Idaho Division of Public Health. “Infection with the virus can have devastating impacts on families, and this situation highlights the seriousness of COVID-19.”

Nearly 900 COVID-19-related deaths have been reported among children in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic.

“We were saddened to hear of the loss of one of our newest community members. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family during this difficult time,” said Nikole Zogg, SWDH director.

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for parents and prospective parents, including pregnant women, who may also receive a COVID-19 vaccine

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for pregnant women, who may also receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect parents and prospective parents from severe illness from COVID-19, which can help protect babies and children who are too young to be vaccinated.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

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Media Contacts: 

DHW Media Contact: Greg Stahl
Public Information Officer
208-334-0668

SWDH Media Contact: Ashley Anderson
Public Information Officer
Southwest District Health
Ashley.Anderson@phd3.idaho.gov