ERHC

Assigned NJDHSS  Bioterrorism Planner Glenn Bukowski gives a presentation to the Essex LINCS team

Local Information Network and Communications System

Staying healthy is important to you and your entire family.
Follow these easy, low-cost steps to help stop many
infectious diseases before they happen!
 

SARS

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory illness that was first reported in Asia in February 2003. Over the next few months, the illness spread to more than two dozen countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. As of July 2003 no new cases were being reported and the illness was contained. SARS is a caused by a coronavirus, called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV).

General symptoms include high fever (temp greater than 100.4 degrees), headache, an overall feeling of discomfort, and body aches. Some people may also have mild respiratory symptoms on the outset. Approximately 10-20% of patients have diarrhea; after 2-7 days, SARS patients may experience a dry cough. Most patients will develop pneumonia.

 *Information adapted from CDC materials.

 For More information about SARS please click here:

www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars

 To view the New Jersey SARS Preparedness and Response Plan please click here:

 http://www.state.nj.us/health/er/sars.htm

West Nile Virus: What You Need To Know

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a potentially serious illness. Experts believe WNV is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall.  When dealing with West Nile virus, prevention is your best bet. Fighting mosquito bites reduces your risk of getting this disease, along with others that mosquitoes can carry. Take these commonsense steps to reduce your risk.

LINCS, established by the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services in conjunction with NJ’s local health departments, is an electronic information system that supports interactive reporting, health data analysis, and the efficient dissemination of public health information. As a statewide program LINCS agencies are working together in conjunction with the NJDHSS, local and county health units, Office of Emergency Management and other public officials to develop and operate a system which will greatly facilitate the rapid identification and assessment of, and coordinated response to, public health emergencies.

The purpose of this program is to develop and expand core capacity, expertise and infrastructure for public health emergency preparedness at the local public health level.

The CDC has defined Critical Capacities as the "core expertise and infrastructure to enable a public health system to prepare for and respond to bioterrorism, other infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health threats and emergencies."