RCAHD Health Updates Newsletter



10.02.24

Health updates for residents of the

Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD)

Alleghany, Botetourt, Covington, Craig, Roanoke City, Roanoke County, Salem

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Trends in Substance Use Disorder:

Do recent trends in local and national rates offer some good news?

As public health servants, we are always pleased to have opportunities to share good news. We are thrilled to report that we have started to see decreases in the rates of drug overdose deaths in some of our RCAHD localities, particularly those experiencing higher rates of fatalities. Although it is too soon to know if the drop will continue, this local trend appears consistent with national declines in overdose deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made headlines earlier in September when they announced a remarkable 10% drop in overdose deaths across the United States. This decline in deaths has both national and local experts cautiously optimistic about progress for people experiencing substance use disorder. 

Like many places, our area witnessed a steep increase in overdose deaths during the pandemic. Locally, the rate of overdose deaths in Roanoke City and Salem more than doubled between 2019 and 2022. Reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle revealed that the Roanoke Valley has been among the top 30 U.S. areas with the highest rates of overdose fatalities. However, we are encouraged that in 2023, the overdose death rates in Roanoke City and Salem dropped by 20-35%. (Overdose death rates in the Alleghany Highlands and Botetourt, Craig, and Roanoke Counties remain elevated but mostly stable in recent years.)

We are also encouraged that the rate of emergency department visits for nonfatal overdoses in the wider Roanoke Valley dropped 10% in 2023. This is an important improvement as our area’s rates have been two times as high for emergency overdose visits compared to the rest of Virginia for more than ten years.  

While many people offer theories about the reasons behind this dramatic drop in deaths, most experts agree the data doesn't yet provide clear answers. There is growing evidence that community harm reduction efforts are showing results, including greater availability of naloxone (Narcan), a medication that reverses most opioid overdoses. In fact, our local health department and other partner agencies such as the Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition, the Drop-In Center and Blue Ridge Behavioral Health are among the most active in the state in making naloxone available to residents in our community. (Visit our website to learn how to respond to an overdose with our free Revive! trainings.) 

Harm reduction tools have a well-documented connection to overdose prevention. They can be used to interrupt the cycles of trauma and isolation that drive addiction, substance use, and overdose fatalities. When people enter treatment programs with medication-assisted treatments like buprenorphine or methadone, the risks of overdose and death are markedly reduced. Research shows that when people receive medication for their opioid use disorder, they are more likely to stay in treatment compared to people who don’t receive medication during treatment. 

While we are optimistic these trends are a step in the right direction, 100,000 U.S. overdose deaths per year for the last three years is still alarming and unacceptable. We have far too many individuals who are harmed by substance use disorder. There is much work to be done. Our focus now is to ensure we keep gaining momentum through increased partnerships to expand access to prevention, destigmatize substance use disorder, and to make treatment and recovery as widely available as possible. 



October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. If you or a friend or loved one has an opioid use disorder (OUD), talk with a health care provider to learn how medications can help. SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. 

Emergency Preparedness:

Full-Scale Exercise Held at Roanoke Airport

To strengthen our ability to serve the community, our local public health districts staff prepare to withstand and recover from all kinds of emergencies. On September 19 our RCAHD emergency response and communications staff joined other Roanoke Valley agencies and first responders to practice reacting to a simulated emergency at the Roanoke regional airport. Dozens of Medical Reserve Corps volunteers played roles as victims and relatives to create a realistic practice situation. After the live exercise, communications staff held a mock press conference at the airport to practice sharing urgent information in an emergency setting. These exercises help strengthen our ability to protect the community!

• Local WFXR news coverage
• Roanoke Valley RVTV: Airport Exercise - Behind The Scenes

Above: Area evaluators provided feedback to first responders at a full-scale drill held by the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport at Countryside Park. Below left: Medical Reserve Corps volunteers arrived early to receive realistic makeup (known as "moulage") simulating extensive traumatic injuries. Below right: After the exercise, local public information officers (PIOs) set up a mock press conference at the airport.

RCAHD Health Situation Update - By The Numbers (as of 10.1.24)

Your Roanoke & Alleghany Health Districts public health team has been monitoring an increase in local cases of several illnesses, above the typical numbers for this time of year:

 

Foodborne

While foodborne illnesses tend to increase in warmer months, we are currently seeing more cases than usual. Following steps for home kitchen food safety also aids prevention.

·   41 cases of campylobacter (average yearly total: 25-30)

·   32 cases of salmonella (average yearly total: 20-25)

Pertussis (whooping cough)

Cases of pertussis have increased here and across the country. We strongly encourage parents to make certain their children are up-to-date on their routine immunizations. Pregnant women, infants, and people with underlying conditions are also at greater risk of severe illness.

·   10 cases of pertussis (average yearly total: 3-4)

COVID

Local COVID-19 activity has stabilized at a moderately elevated level. Trends across the country have recently been dropping following recent highs.

• UPDATE: We now have updated respiratory vaccines available: COVID, flu, and RSV. Contact your local pharmacy or local health department for an appointment.

• Have questions about this year's updated guidance? The CDC has updated their guidance for the 2024-2025 respiratory season. 

CDC Wastewater Surveillance: The CDC monitors wastewater to detect traces of infectious diseases circulating in a community, even if people don’t have symptoms.

Below: The COVID wastewater viral activity in Virginia is currently very high (*limited number of only 6 sample sites in Virginia, as of 9.27.24).

Time to Fight the Flu... and other respiratory season illnesses!

Above and right: To help residents prevent the worst effects of illness, RCAHD staff offered a "Drive-Thru to Fight the Flu" free vaccination clinic in Roanoke on September 25.

Coming up:

Alleghany Highlands Community Health Fair

Thursday, 10.10.24, 10am-6pm

Mountain Gateway Community College, Clifton Forge

Still need a dose?

Keep respiratory season in check. Staying up-to-date with respiratory vaccines can help protect against the worst effects of illness. Most insurances cover seasonal respiratory vaccinations at no cost to you. Bring your insurance card.

• Visit vaccines.gov to find nearby pharmacies that offer seasonal vaccines.
• Contact your local RCAHD health department for a vaccination appointment. We accept most insurances, and offer free or reduced cost doses for those without insurance.

After an Outage

After a power outage, take stock of your cold storage situation to help prevent foodborne illnesses (FDA):

-Once power is restored, determine the safety of your food. If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on.

• If the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen. If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety.
• You can't rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40° F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.

-Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was out for no more than 4 hours. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40° F for two hours or more.

More: Guidelines for Cleaning Safely After a Disaster (CDC)

How do I know if I have food poisoning?

Consuming dangerous foodborne bacteria will usually cause illness within 1 to 3 days of eating the contaminated food. However, sickness can also occur within 20 minutes or up to 6 weeks later. Although most people will recover from a foodborne illness within a short period of time, some can develop chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems.

Foodborne illness can sometimes be confused with other illnesses that have similar symptoms. The symptoms of foodborne illness can include:

• Vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain
• Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body ache

Contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible if your illness doesn't improve.

Just For Fun!

RCAHD Pet Costume Photo Contest

Since October is Pet Wellness Month (remember to keep your pets' vaccines up-to-date!), RCAHD is holding a pet costume photo contest, just for fun! We want to see your best pet costume pics- cute, silly, or spooky, all pets welcome!

Rules:

• Reply to this email and attach a picture of your pet in Halloween attire. (No humans, just pets!)
• Please include: your name, your pet's name, and your town or city.

Deadline: Tuesday, October 15th

We'll share our favorite pics in the next RCAHD newsletter and on social media.