Community News

UNITED STATES – Summertime, 2023 –  Heat-related illness is the nation’s leader of weather-related fatalities. About 700 people every year die in the United States from exposure to extreme heat, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Climate change has caused more frequent extreme weather events like higher temperatures and heat waves. Therefore, people are faced with more occasions to develop heat-related illness.

University of Michigan Public Health Professor Marie O’Neil commented, “With climate change, extreme weather, including heat, is becoming more frequent and intense. Hot weather has unequal impacts, and seniors, very young children, outdoor workers, people without access to air conditioning, and those with chronic illnesses are among the most vulnerable.”

People can overheat very quickly leading to potential health problems. They should limit their exposure to high temperatures. Heat exhaustion occurs due to loss of water and salt from excessive sweating. Signs may include headache, dizziness, confusion, fainting, weakness, heavy sweating, thirst, nausea or vomiting. Skin can be cool and clammy. People should get out of the heat with any signs of heat exhaustion. Heat stroke is a more severe condition and can be fatal. Sweating stops and the body can no longer remove excess heat. Signs may include confusion, passing out and seizures, Skin can feel hot and dry.

Acclimatization is a beneficial physiologic adaptation of building up a tolerance to heat that occurs after repeated exposure to a hot environment. Outdoor fatalities can occur in the first few days of working in hot environments because the body has not built up a tolerance to heat. The lack of acclimatization is one of the major risk factors for heat-stress fatalities.

The heat index, commonly used to measure environmental conditions, is determined by air temperature and humidity. An index above 80 is felt to be the minimal threshold for people to have heat-related illness.

Anyone with signs of heat stroke should be moved to a cooler place to lower body temperature. Then call 911 to request immediate medical assistance. It is recommended that everyone take frequent breaks out of the heat, drink plenty of water (at least one pint per hour), wear light-colored, lightweight and loose-fitting clothing, rest in the shade, and in a cool place.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

UNITED STATES – Summertime, 2024 – This summer’s heat wave has affected Americans from coast to coast. Over 60 million people have been under a heat alert this month in the West, including record high temperatures in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, Salt Lake City, and Denver. As of July 13^th, more than 300 suspected heat-related deaths have occurred in the Phoenix area this summer and almost 100 in a single week, from July 7 to 13, when temperatures soared to 118 degrees. In the East, there has been hot weather from New England to the mid-Atlantic states, with record highs in Boston and Washington, DC. About 130 million people experienced some of the hottest temperatures of the summer on July 17^th. Over 220 million Americans had temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit last week, particularly in the East and the Central states.

The U.S. is already having its second-warmest summer, and it isn’t even over yet. While much of the country will have above-average temperatures for the rest of July and the beginning of August, much of the South usually has its peak average temperatures during the latter part of August. The warmest season out west usually occurs in September. According to EU’s climate change monitoring service, June was the hottest month since records began in the mid-1800’s, prior to the industrial era. Meanwhile, our planet has had 13 straight months of record monthly average global surface temperatures. This data may suggest that 2024 will surpass 2023 as the hottest year ever.

Climate Central, a non-government advocacy group, reports that the average summertime temperatures at night are also warmer than normal. Therefore, people may not get enough relief from the heat during the day, increasing health risks.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

ASHEVILLE, NC – July 24, 2024 – The winter surge of respiratory infections, like COVID-19, has passed. However, over the past 3 years, COVID-19 infections have also surged in August.

The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on July 13^th shows:  

• 1% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 2^nd lowest level of 6 groups.
• Emergency department visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina, less than 1.5% of all visits.
• Deaths and emergency department visits have increased 25% since last week.

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard for the week ending on July 10^th shows:

• The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is between 80-100%, the highest level of 5 groups.
• The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample has increased from the previous week to 100% or greater, the highest level of 3 groups with a positive rate of change.

The increasing numbers may predict a COVID infection surge in August, like in years past.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NC – July 11, 2024 – The Buncombe County Public Health Department encourages residents to take precautions to prevent bites from mosquitoes that may lead to serious illness. Mosquitoes thrive during the hot and humid summer months. However, summers have been hotter and longer than in prior years. Therefore, mosquito season is longer.

Most mosquito-borne diseases reported in North Carolina and Buncombe County have been acquired from travelling outside the continental United States. Some of these illnesses are malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. Travelers who develop symptoms like fever, aches, pains, nausea, vomiting, and/or a rash should see a health care provider and mention their recent travel.

In the United States, mosquitoes can infect people with West Nile virus and dengue virus. West Nile virus was first reported in the U.S. in 1999. It has been found in every continental state. According to the CDC, there have been 15 cases in the U.S. including nearby Tennessee so far this year, but none in North Carolina. Dengue is a potentially fatal disease. There have been twice as many cases of dengue in the Americas during the first half of 2024 compared to all of 2023. The illness is so prevalent in Puerto Rico that a health emergency has been declared. Cases of locally acquired illness have been historically reported in Florida, Hawaii, and Texas. However, travel-acquired dengue has been reported this year in many states including North Carolina.

To reduce the risk of mosquito-borne diseases:

• Use repellant containing DEET when outside. Be extra-cautious with children.
  • Children must be 2 months and older
  • Only use once a day
  • Use a low concentration
• Wear long sleeve clothing to cover skin surfaces
• Clothing and gear can be treated with permethrin
• Use air conditioning indoors or repair window screens
• Remove any standing water from the yard and community to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds, some examples are birdbaths, plastic pools, and flowerpots.
• Eliminate tree holes, another place for mosquitoes to breed
• When traveling to areas where mosquito-borne disease is common, consult with your health care provider and check-out the CDC website at cdc.gov/travel.

If you need more information about preventing mosquito-borne illness, you may contact the B.C. Communicable Disease clinic at 828-250-5109.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

RALEIGH, NC – July 3, 2024 – The latest update of the NC Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Dashboard was on July 3^rd. May and June enrollment in NC increased by more than 50 thousand to almost one half million people. Buncombe County’s May and June enrollment increased by more than one thousand to more than 12 thousand people. It was estimated that 600 thousand North Carolinians are eligible for ME, with almost 17 thousand from Buncombe County. In 7 months of accepting applications, the state is more than 80% of the way to enrolling all eligible persons and Buncombe County is almost 75% of the way there.

“From the day we launched Medicaid expansion, we’ve been committed to getting people covered and getting them care as fast as possible,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley in a press release. “We are doing that even faster than expected and ensuring North Carolinians receive the health information, support and care they need to help them stay healthy.”

On December 1^st, North Carolina officially became the 40^th state to expand Medicaid, the federal program for health insurance for low-resource individuals. ME increases health care access to eligible North Carolinians ages 19-64 and their families with earnings to 138 percent of the federal poverty level based on their household size, up from 100 percent. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) dashboard to track ME enrollment is at medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/reports.

There are many ways to apply for NC Medicaid for eligible persons. Those who have not yet applied should visit Medicaid.nc.gov to see if they qualify. Buncombe County residents can apply for Medicaid online and at any time at ePASS.NC.gov. Applications can be done in-person at the HHS Building on 40 Coxe Avenue, by calling 828-250-5500, or by mail. A printable application can be obtained online at the NCDHHS website.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]