Ridgewood NJ, its that time of the year again for all gardeners when you may find a little poison ivy growing in your garden , So we posted from the CDC away to identify these poisonous plants.
POISONOUS PLANTS (lead photo)
Plant Identification
The old saying “Leaves of three, Let it be!” is a helpful reminder for identifying poison ivy and oak, but not poison sumac which usually has clusters of 7-13 leaves. Even poison ivy and poison oak may have more than three leaves and their form may vary greatly depending upon the exact species encountered, the local environment, and the season. Being able to identify local varieties of these poisonous plants throughout the seasons and differentiating them from common nonpoisonous look-a-likes are the major keys to avoiding exposure.
Poison Ivy
Eastern poison ivy is typically a hairy, ropelike vine with three shiny green (or red in the fall) leaves budding from one small stem
Western poison ivy is typically a low shrub with three leaves that does not form a climbing vine
May have yellow or green flowers and white to green-yellow or amber berries
Poison Oak
Photos courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture
Typically a shrub with leaves of three, similar to poison ivy
Pacific poison oak may be vine-like
May have yellow or green flowers and clusters of green-yellow or white berries
Poison Sumac
Photos courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture
Woody shrub that has stems that contain 7-13 leaves arranged in pairs
May have glossy, pale yellow, or cream-colored berries
Ridgewood NJ, the CDC offers some helpful tip to deal with the heat in the summer.
Stay Cool
Wear Appropriate Clothing: Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
Stay Cool Indoors: Stay in an air-conditioned place as much as possible. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library—even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
Keep in mind: Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, they will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off. Use your stove and oven less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home.
Schedule Outdoor Activities Carefully: Try to limit your outdoor activity to when it’s coolest, like morning and evening hours. Rest often in shady areas so that your body has a chance to recover.
Pace Yourself: Cut down on exercise during the heat. If you’re not accustomed to working or exercising in a hot environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Get into a cool area or into the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint.
Wear Sunscreen: Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool down and can make you dehydrated. If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior to going out. Continue to reapply it according to the package directions.
Tip: Look for sunscreens that say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels- these products work best.
Do Not Leave Children in Cars: Cars can quickly heat up to dangerous temperatures, even with a window cracked open. While anyone left in a parked car is at risk, children are especially at risk of getting a heat stroke or dying. When traveling with children, remember to do the following:
Never leave infants, children or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.
To remind yourself that a child is in the car, keep a stuffed animal in the car seat. When the child is buckled in, place the stuffed animal in the front with the driver.
When leaving your car, check to be sure everyone is out of the car. Do not overlook any children who have fallen asleep in the car.
Avoid Hot and Heavy Meals: They add heat to your body!
Stay Hydrated
Drink Plenty of Fluids: Drink more fluids, regardless of how active you are. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
Warning: If your doctor limits the amount you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
Stay away from very sugary or alcoholic drinks—these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
Replace Salt and Minerals: Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body that need to be replaced. A sports drink can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat.
If you are on a low-salt diet, have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other chronic conditions, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets.
Keep Your Pets Hydrated: Provide plenty of fresh water for your pets, and leave the water in a shady area.
Stay Informed
Check for Updates: Check your local news for extreme heat alerts and safety tips and to learn about any cooling shelters in your area.
Know the Signs: Learn the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses and how to treat them.
Use a Buddy System: When working in the heat, monitor the condition of your co-workers and have someone do the same for you. Heat-induced illness can cause a person to become confused or lose consciousness. If you are 65 years of age or older, have a friend or relative call to check on you twice a day during a heat wave. If you know someone in this age group, check on them at least twice a day.
Monitor Those at High Risk: Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others:
Infants and young children
People 65 years of age or older
People who are overweight
People who overexert during work or exercise
People who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation
Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.
Washington DC, The New Jersey Department of Health is working with the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and several other states on an outbreak of Salmonella Mbandaka associated with Kellogg’s Honey Smacks Cereal.
As of June 14, 2018; 73 people have been infected from 31 states. NJ currently has three confirmed cases associated with this outbreak, one each in Bergen, Mercer and Gloucester. Thirty (77%) of 39 people interviewed reported eating cold cereal and 14 people specifically reported eating Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal. New Jersey cases interviewed so far did not report consuming the product. Additional details on this outbreak can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/Mbandaka-06-18/index.html
On June 14, 2018, the Kellogg Company recalled 15.3 oz. and 23 oz. packages of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal that have a “best if used by” date from June 14, 2018 through June 14, 2019. The recalled products were distributed across the United States as well as in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, the Caribbean, Guam, Tahiti and Saipan. Consumers are being advised to not eat any of the recalled Honey Smacks cereal even if no one got sick and to throw the rest away or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Any containers that the cereal was stored in should be washed with warm, soapy water before re-using. Additional details on the recall can be found at: https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm610815.htm
Ridgewood NJ, according to the CDC while it is a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks year-round, be extra cautious in warmer months (April-September) when ticks are most active and know which ticks are most common in your area. Avoid Direct Contact with Ticks
Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
Walk in the center of trails. Repel Ticks on Skin and Clothing
Use repellent that contains 20 percent or more DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours.
Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.
Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and may be protective longer.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has an online tool to help you select the repellent that is best for you and your family. Find and Remove Ticks from Your Body
Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.
Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.
Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and day packs.
Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors.
If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed.
If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks effectively. If the clothes cannot be washed in hot water, tumble dry on low heat for 90 minutes or high heat for 60 minutes. The clothes should be warm and completely dry.
Ridgewood NJ, according to the NJ Health Department ,the number of Lyme disease cases increased by 17 percent from 2016 to 2017 and they’ve more than doubled since 2006, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,432 cases in New Jersey. Last year, there were 5,091!
It seems every year we get dire warning of tick bits and Lyme disease, so what is a resident to do if you still want to enjoy the great outdoors during the summer months ?
The CDC has put out a Create a Tick-Safe Zone Through Landscaping. So if you can make your yard less attractive to ticks depending on how you landscape. Here are some simple landscaping techniques that can help reduce tick populations:
Clear tall grasses and brush around homes and at the edge of lawns.
Place a 3-ft wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas and around patios and play equipment. This will restrict tick migration into recreational areas.
Mow the lawn frequently and keep leaves raked.
Stack wood neatly and in a dry area (discourages rodents that ticks feed on).
Keep playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and trees and place them in a sunny location, if possible.
Remove any old furniture, mattresses, or trash from the yard that may give ticks a place to hide.
Refer to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station’s Tick Management Handbook[PDF – 8.53 MB] for a comprehensive guide to preventing ticks and their bites through landscaping.
Apply Pesticides Outdoors to Control Ticks
Use of acaricides (tick pesticides) can reduce the number of ticks in treated areas of your yard. However, you should not rely on spraying to reduce your risk of infection.
If you have concerns about applying acaricides:
Check with local health officials about the best time to apply acaricide in your area.
Identify rules and regulations related to pesticide application on residential properties (Environmental Protection Agency and your state determine the availability of pesticides).
Consider using a professional pesticide company to apply pesticides at your home.
Ridgewood NJ, With warm weather here and spending more time outdoors, the Ridgewood Health Department and the CDC would like you to be careful when you step outside. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. UV damage can also cause wrinkles and blotches or spots on your skin. The good news is that skin cancer can be prevented, and it can almost always be cured when it’s found and treated early.
Take simple steps today to protect your skin:
• Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. Put on sunscreen every 2 hours and after you swim or sweat.
• Cover up with long sleeves and a hat.
• Check your skin regularly for changes.
Skin cancer risk factors
Certain factors may increase your skin cancer risks. By reducing those factors under your control, you may be able to decrease your risk of developing melanoma. For those that can’t be controlled, regular skin examination can increase the chance of catching a developing skin cancer early, when it is most curable.
The primary risk factor for skin cancer, including melanoma and non-melanoma cancers, is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, including sunlight and tanning beds. The risk of developing skin cancers increases with greater exposure to these sources of UV radiation. People who live in areas with year-round bright sunlight, or those who spend a lot of time outdoors without protective clothing or sunscreen, are at greater risk. Early exposure, particularly frequent sunburns as a child, can also increase your skin cancer risks.
Children and teenagers who get a bad sunburn (blistering) double their chances of getting melanoma later in life Over the past 15 years, the number of teenagers who get serious sunburns has NOT decreased.
Skin cancer prevention
Avoiding a serious sunburn is as simple as remembering to Apply Cover Enjoy. Practice healthy sun protective behavior: Apply sunscreen, Cover Up, and then once protected, Enjoy yourself!
Decreasing your exposure to UV light by avoiding direct sunlight and tanning beds is the most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. When you do go out in the sun, make sure to wear protective clothing, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen.
Regular, thorough skin examinations are also important, especially if you have a large number of moles or other risk factors. While this will not prevent skin cancer from developing, it may help to catch it early, when it can be treated more easily. Tell your doctor if you see any new, unusual or changing moles or growths on your skin.
Washington DC, according to the CDC ,about 1 in 59 eight -year-old children in 11 communities across the United States were identified as having autism in 2014, according to a report published today in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Surveillance Summary.
The data in this report come from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network – a tracking system that provides estimates of the prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder among more than 300,000 8-year-old children. ADDM is the largest population-based program to monitor autism and the only autism tracking system that examines health and education records.
The latest estimate of 1.7 percent (1 in 59) is higher than the previous ADDM estimate released in 2016, which found a prevalence of 1.5 percent or 1 in 68 children. Some of the change in prevalence could be due to improved autism identification in minority populations – although autism is still more likely to be identified in white children than in black or Hispanic children. This identification is important, because children identified early with autism and connected to services are more likely to reach their fullest potential.
“Autism prevalence among black and Hispanic children is approaching that of white children,” said Stuart Shapira, M.D., Ph.D., associate director for science at CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. “The higher number of black and Hispanic children now being identified with autism could be due to more effective outreach in minority communities and increased efforts to have all children screened for autism so they can get the services they need.”
The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network estimates are combined from 11 communities within Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. The 11 communities surveyed in this report represent about 8 percent of 8-year-old children in the United States.
Estimates of autism varied widely among the 11 communities in this report, although five reported similar estimates of 1.3 percent to 1.4 percent. The highest prevalence estimate of 2.9 percent came from a community in New Jersey. Some of the regional differences in autism prevalence estimates among the 11 communities might be due to differences in how autism is being diagnosed and documented.
More work needed to identify autism early in life
The data demonstrate that more work needs to be done to identify children with autism at a younger age and refer them to early intervention:
Fewer than half of the children identified in the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network received their first autism diagnosis by the time they were 4 years old.
Although 85 percent of children with autism had concerns about their development noted in their health records by the time they were 3 years old, only 42 percent received a developmental evaluation by that age.
This lag between first concern and first evaluation may affect when children with autism can begin getting the services they need.
“Parents can track their child’s development and act early if there is a concern. Healthcare providers can acknowledge and help parents act on those concerns. And those who work with or on behalf of children can join forces to ensure that all children with autism get identified and connected to the services they need as early as possible,” said Dr. Shapira. “Together we can improve a child’s future.”
CDC’s efforts to track autism and promote early identification
The next ADDM report will add data for children who were 8 years old in 2016 and help us better understand whether autism prevalence is changing and whether improvements are being made in early identification of autism. The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network is not a representative sample of the United States, but is a detailed look at autism in these specific communities. For more information about CDC’s autism activities visit www.cdc.gov/Autism.
CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early program provides parents, childcare professionals, and healthcare providers free resources, in English and Spanish, for monitoring children’s development. The program offers parent-friendly, research-based milestone checklists for children as young as 2 months of age. CDC’s Milestone Tracker Mobile App can help parents track their child’s development and share the information with their healthcare providers. For more information visit www.cdc.gov/ActEarly.
Ridgewood NJ, ATTENTION: The CDC is investigating a multistate outbreak of EColi 0157:H7 that has sickened 35 people from 11 states including New Jersey..At this time, no common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand has been identified.
The CDC has provided the following advisory for Consumers, Restaurants and Retailers:
. CDC’s Advice to Consumers(https://www.cdc.gov/…/20…/o157h7-04-18/advice-consumers.html):
o Consumers anywhere in the U.S. who have store-bought chopped romaine lettuce at home, including salads and salad mixes containing chopped romaine lettuce, should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick. If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine, do not eat it and throw it away.
o Before purchasing romaine lettuce at a grocery store or eating it at a restaurant, consumers should confirm with the store or restaurant that it is not chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region. If you cannot confirm the source of the romaine lettuce, do not buy it or eat it.
The point is that the ordinances for high density housing cannot be repealed. The court will stand up for the developers. That was what the lawsuit was about when Aronsohn was mayor. The grassroots group tried to stop the development on legal grounds.
Residents have to accept it is a done deal. To blame current govt. or ask them to repeal is impossible. The current council can do nothing.
Ridgewood NJ, its flu season and the CDC recommends some everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people. While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way. Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.
In New Jersey, the Department of Health stated that the influenza activity has been high, over 1,300 cases reported. There has also been 18 outbreaks this flu season at long-term care facilities.
Influenza-like illness (ILI) is defined as fever (> 100°F [37.8°C], oral or equivalent) and cough and/or sore throat (in the absence of a known cause other than influenza). For long term care facilities, fever is defined as 2°F above baseline temperature
Ridgewood NJ, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and their partners remind people that even though the holiday season has arrived, it is not too late to get your flu vaccine.
According to new estimates published today, between 291,000 and 646,000 people worldwide die from seasonal influenza-related respiratory illnesses each year, higher than a previous estimate of 250,000 to 500,000 and based on a robust, multinational survey.
“These findings remind us of the seriousness of flu and that flu prevention should really be a global priority,” says Joe Bresee, M.D., associate director for global health in CDC’s Influenza Division and a study co-author.
So far the ten counties in New Jersey have been reporting high levels of flu activity this month: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Ocean, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset and Union.
The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older. Certain people are at greater risk for serious complications from the flu. Those at high risk include:
* Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
* People 65 years of age and older
* Pregnant women and women up to 2 weeks after end of pregnancy
* American Indians and Alaskan Natives
* People who have medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and diabetes
Flu vaccination should also be a priority for those persons who live with or care for persons at higher risk for influenza-related complications. This includes healthcare personnel and household contacts of children less than six months of age, since these children are too young to receive the flu vaccine.
For the 2017-2018 season, the CDC is recommending only injectable flu shots be used. The nasal spray flu vaccine (live attenuated influenza vaccine or LAIV) should not be used based on concerns about its effectiveness.
NIVW provides an opportunity for public health and health care professionals, health advocates, communities and families across the country to work together to promote flu vaccination. Consider conducting some of the following activities in your community:
* Distribute flu educational materials at local community events
* Share flu prevention messages through social media outlets
* Work with your local health department, clinics, and hospitals to promote neighborhood clinics
* Expand the flu clinic hours to reduce wait times and to eliminate access barriers
* Encourage educational institutions, businesses, and organizations/community partners to
participate in the New Jersey Influenza Honor Roll,
https://www.nj.gov/heal…/…/documents/vpdp/ihr_application.pdf
Flu vaccines are safe and effective and are offered in many locations including doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments, urgent care centers, and pharmacies. For general flu information and to find a flu shot near you, please visit the Department’s website at https://nj.gov/health/cd/topics/flu.shtml.
For additional information and resources to promote NIVW, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/nivw/.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Health Department reminds you that influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others. Over a period of 31 seasons between 1976 and 2007 the CDC states that in the United States range from a low of a…bout 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people. During recent flu seasons, between 80% and 90% of flu related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older. “Flu season” in the United States can begin as early as October and last as late as May. During this time, flu viruses are circulating at higher levels in the U.S. population. An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to reduce the chances that you will get seasonal flu and spread it to others. When more people get vaccinated against the flu, less flu can spread through that community.
Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine.
The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. Traditional flu vaccines (called “trivalent” vaccines) are made to protect against three flu viruses. There are also flu vaccines made to protect against four flu viruses (called “quadrivalent” vaccines). These vaccines protect against the same viruses as the trivalent vaccine and an additional B virus.
The CDC recommends for the 2017–18 season, quadrivalent and trivalent influenza vaccines will be available. Inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) will be available in trivalent (IIV3) and quadrivalent (IIV4) formulations. Recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV) will be available in trivalent (RIV3) and quadrivalent (RIV4) formulations. Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4) is not recommended for use during the 2017–18 season due to concerns about its effectiveness against (H1N1)pdm09 viruses during the 2013–14 and 2015–16 seasons. Recommendations for different vaccine types and specific populations are discussed. No preferential recommendation is made for one influenza vaccine product over another for persons for whom more than one licensed, recommended product is available.
Ridgewood will hold its Annual Flu Clinic on Thursday, October 26, 2017 in the Anne Zusy Youth Center in Village Hall located at 131 N. Maple Ave., between 10:00am and 12:00pm. You Must Call For an Appointment. Please call Valley Community Health at 201-291-6090 to make your appointment.
For those 65 Years and Over the Flu Shot will be Free with Medicare Part B –No HMO Medicare Accepted. For those 6 Months – 64 Years the Flu Vaccine will cost $27.00 (Cash Or Check Only)
It may shock you to learn the suicide rate among middle school students is on the rise.
Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows between 2007 and 2014, there were 50 reported suicides among middle school students in New Jersey.
This is a growing problem, according to experts, because of cyber-bullying, social and academic pressures and fear and uncertainty about the dangerous world we live in.
“The belief in the past has always been that young people just didn’t struggle with mental health issues and that belief is starting to change” said Tricia Baker, the co-founder and program director of Attitudes in Reverse, a group that talks to Jersey kids in middle and high school about suicide.
“Fifty percent of mental health disorders present before age 14, and that’s why it’s so important we talk to young people about what mental health disorder are.”
Baker’s son Kenny took his own life in 2009 when he was 19 after struggling with mental health issues from the time he was a young child.
Ridgewood NJ, the CDC and multiple states are investigating a multistate outbreak of human Salmonella infections linked to contact with pet turtles.
Thirty-seven people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Agbeni have been reported from 13 states.
Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 1, 2017 to August 3, 2017 Of 33 people with available information, 16 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Twelve (32%) ill people are children 5 years of age or younger.
Epidemiologic and laboratory findings link the outbreak of human Salmonella Agbeni infections to contact with turtles or their environments, such as water from a turtle habitat.
In interviews, ill people answered questions about contact with animals during the week before becoming ill. Fifteen (45%) of the 33 people interviewed reported contact with turtles or their environments, such as water from a turtle habitat, before getting sick.
In interviews with 9 ill people about where their turtles came from, 6 reported buying a turtle from a flea market or street vendor, or receiving the turtle as a gift.
In 2015, state and local health officials collected samples from turtles at a street vendor. Whole genome sequencing(https://www.cdc.gov/pulsenet/pathogens/wgs.html) showed that the Salmonella Agbeni isolated from ill people in this outbreak is closely related genetically to the Salmonella Agbeni isolates from turtles. This close genetic relationship means that people in this outbreak are more likely to share a common source of infection.
Do not buy small turtles as pets or give them as gifts.
Since 1975, the FDA has banned selling and distributing turtles with shells less than 4 inches long as pets because they are often linked to Salmonella infections, especially in young children.
All turtles, regardless of size, can carry Salmonella bacteria even if they look healthy and clean. These outbreaks are a reminder to follow simple steps(https://www.cdc.gov/Features/salmonellafrogturtle/) to enjoy pet reptiles and keep your family healthy.
This outbreak is expected to continue since consumers might be unaware of the risk of Salmonella infection from small turtles. If properly cared for, turtles have a long life expectancy.
(CNN)Experts say the United States is in the throes of an opioid abuse epidemic, causing 91 overdose deaths each day. Yet the total number of opioid-related deaths may still be underestimated, suggests new research from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“In early spring, the Minnesota Department of Health was notified of an unexplained death: a middle-aged man who died suddenly at home,” said Dr. Victoria Hall, a CDC field officer based in Minnesota. He’d been on long-term opioid therapy for back pain, and his family had worried he might be abusing his medication. The medical examiner assigned to the autopsy tested for and diagnosed both pneumonia and a toxic level of opioids.
![Don-Quixote-Windmill[1]](https://theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Don-Quixote-Windmill1-1.jpg "Reader says Residents have to accept it is a done deal")
