This morning, we're visiting with Kim Miller, who is the public health officer for Fond du Lac County.
Good morning.
Good morning, Bob.
You know, I usually we do a little prep and I was going to ask you this because we've had a lot of hot days this summer.
Have you guys gotten any complaints about that from people that you deal with?
We haven't.
Um, per se, it's not a reportable, um, illness where we would get a report on how many people, you know, are utilizing urgent care or the ER, but it is definitely statistics that, you know, they hold and I'm sure they would say, you know, they're having an increase, you know, due to, you know, individuals experience, uh, heat exhaustion or heat stroke, um, from being out in the elements too long,
you know,
When I was a much healthier individual and younger individual, I used to run in this kind of weather.
I loved it.
But, you know, even back then, I knew enough to pace myself.
So, you know, that's what you got to do.
Yeah, and just making sure that you're staying hydrated no matter how
old
or young or how healthy you think you are If you're not taking care of your body at the same time you're doing something strenuous and your body isn't used to the heat as much You know you could quickly go to heat exhaustion that could turn into heat stroke very quickly so
Well, fortunately, we've got a little colder weather coming our way a cold snap.
It's still in the 80s, but a cold snap.
So yeah, anyway Kim one of the things we've been hearing a little bit about lately has been like Cyclosporiasis or cyclospora Yeah, is that
That's not normally a problem.
It's just something that normally happens, but it seems like we're hearing about a lot more cases recently
Yeah, you know it is something that you know on a lower scale we take care of just like we would with like salamonella or our E. Coli It is not a bacteria or virus.
It's a microscopic parasite And it infects the small intestines and causes an illness called cyclospolarosis
People become infected by eating contaminated fresh produce or drinking contaminated water.
So that's just in general terms.
This outbreak that we're kind of dealing with, I want to say since beginning of May, it's really gotten out of control.
More than 4,000 laboratory confirmed cases.
and they're evaluating close to 7,500 additional illnesses that could be or may be linked to the outbreak.
So a very large outbreak, this one's linked to shredded iceberg lettuce, particularly lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in several Midwestern states.
And the lettuce has been traced through supply chain to producers in like central Mexico.
And they're, you know, continue
continuing to investigate what this looks like.
But difficult to get a handle on it just due to how long the incubation period is.
It can be from like two days all the way to two weeks.
And how do people remember what they ate two weeks ago?
I mean, that can be really difficult.
And then also, this parasite is something that can't be
be laboratory grown, making laboratory confirmation and like source tracing much more challenging than other food borne outbreaks such as like salmonella or E. coli.
So is it just a type of illness that's going to make you uncomfortable or can it be fatal?
Well, you know, I think it depends on who it would affect.
I mean, people who are older adults, younger children or people with a weakened immune system.
That's going to affect them with more severe illness.
Most people will recover, but symptoms can last for several weeks.
And so if somebody's experiencing watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, nauseousness, and they are immunocompromised already, this can be very difficult for them.
And so hopefully they're talking to their provider getting in and getting treated.
There is a treatment.
There is prescription
antibiotics that can be taken.
So it's just a matter of calling your healthcare provider in a timely fashion, especially if you're experiencing prolonged diarrhea.
Well, you know, um, the other thing too is with people traveling, they might have eaten at one of these restaurants in a dent in another state that maybe had this outbreak.
So,
you know, yeah.
Yeah.
So what they were recommending is any like from the Wisconsin aspect of it.
Fresh produce is distributed nationally, so outbreaks can affect many states, that means.
And anyone with diarrhea lasting more than a few days, especially after eating fresh salads or leafy greens, they should call their doctor immediately.
Okay.
Coming up, there's a stepping on class in Fond du Lac.
We've talked about these from time to time, and it actually is helpful in preventing people
Well, helpful in helping people prevent falls, I guess you should say.
Yeah, so we do offer these periodically throughout the year.
It's a partnership with our Aging and Disability Resource Center here in Final Act County.
So the Stepping On class, it's a fun seven-week workshop that helps people stay steady and independent.
And the cool thing is, is that studies show that it reduces falls by 31%.
you know, even if you're not there yet and you're experiencing falls, this might help prevent, you know, the falls from happening, which, you know, as we know it, it can be detrimental.
So it's very important that people understand their fall hazards at home in their community.
They understand how vision, medication, footwork all affects your balance.
You know, and I think it's just a great opportunity.
So if you know of somebody that could use this workshop,
Classes are on Wednesday, starting August 19th, every Wednesday for seven weeks, and it's right in the middle of the day at 12.30 to 2.30, so two hours.
And so to call ADRC, our Aging Disability Resource Center, at 929-3466.
And then they can go ahead and get you registered.
Where is it going to be?
It's in Fond du
Lac, right?
Yeah, it's going to be right here in Fond du Lac at the ARC, so 500 North Park Avenue right here in Fond du Lac for two hours every Wednesday starting August 19th.
Registration is required again though, so just making sure that they have enough space for everybody and that's why registration is required.
They do have a suggested contribution of $25 for the class, but if that's going to be a detriment to you, you can work through that.
with them as
well.
Okay.
We're hearing that ticks are more of a problem this year than usual.
Is that the case?
Yeah, you know, ticks always become more of an issue.
You know, late July is typically peak tick season for Wisconsin.
So, you know, I would say we would expect to, you know, see more ticks around this time.
But it has definitely been a busy season this year for Wisconsin.
You know, I think in Wisconsin we're spending more time outdoors hiking, camping, gardening, hunting, you know, mowing the lawn, you know, which all increases our chances of encountering these lovely ticks that, you know, are in abundance in many of our outdoor areas.
Okay.
Kim, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
I appreciate your time.
Thank you,
Bob.
We've been talking with Kim Miller, who is the Public Health Officer for Fond du Lac County.
