Starke County’s COVID-19 patient continues self-isolating at home, according to Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch. “I’m not getting into as far as who or anything else,” he says. “But as far as any contacts or anything like that, they’ve already been addressed, and they’re also self-isolating at this time.”
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Starke County has its first case of COVID-19. The Starke County Health Department announced a presumptive positive case of the novel coronavirus Monday morning. The Health Department says the patient is self-isolating and home, and no additional information about the person will be released due to privacy laws.
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Starke County Health Department officials are working with local organizations and doctor’s offices to communicate up-to-date COVID-19 information from the Indiana State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Continue readingLocal health officials are preparing for the possible spread of coronavirus. “Well, it’s in Illinois. It’s coming,” says Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch. “So when we get it or anything like that, it’s just going to be a matter of dealing with it like we did with H1N1 or anything of that nature.”
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Those interested in obtaining the overdose reversal drug Narcan continue to have resources available. Over the past year, the Marshall and Pulaski county health departments have offered training events for the public.
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Oregon-Davis students should be a bit safer, thanks to some area businesses. Superintendent Dr. Don Harman says a couple recent donations got the school board’s official approval Monday.
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If you ever get bitten by a bat, the Starke County Health Department wants you to know what steps to take to protect yourself from rabies. Health officials note that people can usually tell when they’ve been bitten, but bite marks may disappear quickly, due to the animals’ small teeth.
Those using wells are urged to take a few steps to keep their drinking water safe, following recent floods. The Starke County Health Department reminds residents not to use the well water, as long as the well casing is submerged in flood water.
North Judson Police Chief Kelly Fisher reported that merely two days after completing Narcan training, one officer with the North Judson Police department has already used the life-saving skills that he acquired.
Fisher said that earlier this week, the department received some Narcan kits and the training required to use them from Starke County Public Health Nurse Frank Lynch. They completed the training on Tuesday. Around 6 p.m. Thursday night, Officer Rico Simpson was dispatched on a call about non-responsive overdose victim. He utilized Narcan, also known as Naloxone, and the individual was resuscitated. Continue reading
Flu season is officially upon us and getting a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself from coming down with the most common strains of the disease.
Each year, influenza viruses are spread around through coughing, sneezing, and close contact. The sickness can strike suddenly and last for several days. Symptoms vary by age but typically include a runny or stuffy nose, head and muscle aches, fatigue, fever or chills, a sore throat and coughing.
Starke County Health Department Public Health Nurse Frank Lynch has a few helpful tips to ensure citizens stay healthy this time of year. Continue reading
The Starke County Council has come up with a proposal to pay for utilities at the former jail. Now known as Annex 2, it houses the probation and health departments, Starke County Community Corrections and Purdue Extension. Continue reading
Visitors to the Starke County Courthouse will notice some major changes thanks to recent building renovations. Public access is now limited to the west entrance, which faces the Knox Moose Lodge. It is fully handicap accessible. All visitors will be greeted by a uniformed security officer and asked to pass through a metal detector. Anyone in possession of a weapon will be asked to return it to their vehicle before entering the building. Continue reading
Starke County has moved up slightly in annual health rankings, but it’s still toward the bottom. The County Health Rankings, which are put together each year by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute, were released Wednesday. Continue reading
The Starke County Health Department has a new contract in place for the disposal of needles used to administer vaccinations. The county commissioners Monday approved an annual sharps disposal agreement with Stericycle. Continue reading
The Starke County Health Department and Purdue Extension office have moved from the courthouse into a temporary location. They’re now located at 1006 Edgewood Drive in Knox. It’s next to Duneland Dialysis and across the street from Wintersong Village Nursing Home. Continue reading
The Starke County Commissioners are preparing for the start of renovations to the courthouse and former jail building. Bids for the work were opened last night and will be awarded during a special-called meeting next week. Meanwhile, the prosecutor’s office and the coroner’s office are moving out of the old jail so demolition work can begin immediately. The Starke County Health Department and Purdue Extension are also relocating from the first floor of the courthouse. Continue reading
The Starke County Health Department is offering free screenings for a couple of blood-borne diseases on Monday. Residents can get checked for HIV and Hepatitis C from 10 a.m. until noon at the health department office on the first floor of the Starke County Courthouse. Continue reading
The Starke County Health Department held an executive session Monday evening to receive information and interview prospective employees. Following the executive session, a public meeting was held related to the environmentalist position. Continue reading
Starke County’s new sanitarian will earn considerably less per hour than his predecessor after action last night by the county council. Health nurse Frank Lynch asked the council to lower the wage for the position from $20.28 per hour to $18.50 to start. After 90 days and a successful performance evaluation it will go up to $19.00 and top out at $19.50. Lynch says this is consistent with what other counties pay for the same position and addresses the salary discrepancy between that job and his as head of the health department.
