The Health Department has released their 2017 Annual Report which is a snapshot of what they’ve worked on and achieved in the past year. A financial overview, statistics from main program areas, and articles that go more in depth on their activities and more can be found in the Livingston County Health Department’s yearly document.

In the current edition, the department highlights expanding efforts at preventing chronic disease. The report digs into the Prescription for Health program, and a new Worksite Wellness program. In the Worksite Wellness program, the department partners with businesses in the county to help them work towards increasing healthy behaviors in employees.

The Annual Report also delves into the department’s response to the Hepatitis A outbreak. Health Promotion Coordinator Chelsea Lantto said that the number of cases involving Hepatitis A doesn’t seem to be slowing down, which is disappointing. To date no common source of food or beverage has been identified as a potential source. The report does indicate that certain populations are at a higher risk of becoming infected, however. Those are people who use illegal drugs, homeless or transient people, and those who carry Hepatitis C.

Lantto also said the number of sexually transmitted disease cases continues to grow in the county. She recognized that it is hard to get people to change their behavior, so the health department is stressing education as key to helping residents understand that they could be at risk if they are not careful. A link to the complete report can be found on the health department’s web page, which can be found through a link on our site.

Mosquito surveillance is also addressed in the report, with the emphasis being on the potential presence of the Zika Virus. The annual report states that there is no evidence of Zika Virus-infected mosquitoes in the state at this time.

The complete report can be found at https://www.livgov.com/health/Documents/publications/2017%20Annual%20Report%20final%2004_10_2018.pdf (MK)