769: Oropouche Response Plan, DELPH Applications Open Now

JANSON SILVERS: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Friday, October 11, 2024. I'm Janson Silvers.

Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

ROXANNE CONNELLY: 

There are travel associated cases in the United States where U.S. residents have been infected in other areas, and then diagnosed when they return home. But so far, there hasn't been any local transmission detected in the United States.

SILVERS: 

In the last 25 years, Oropouche virus, or OROV, has been found in countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina. However, the CDC has released a response plan as the virus continues to get closer to the U.S.

CONNELLY: 

One of the concerns is that with the outbreak in Cuba, and Cuba being 90 miles from Key West, that is an area where the virus could be introduced in into either into South Florida or through travelers who are spending time in Cuba, and then returning to Florida or other areas where these vectors may occur.

SILVERS: 

Protecting people is a challenge, because while we know a lot about control techniques for mosquitoes, this illness is transmitted by biting midges.

CONNELLY: 

Most of the published control techniques for culicoides, or these biting midges, are actually for livestock. We haven't seen a lot of evidence on how we can reduce these insects to protect human health. They are a major livestock pest, so there's a lot of information there, but protecting a cow or a horse versus protecting humans is very different.

SILVERS: 

The CDC response plan says, as we learn more about biting midges and how they may be involved in transmission in the U.S., health officials may need to help with surveillance.

CONNELLY: 

We do recommend surveillance for the potential vectors of Oropouche, so that could be trapping biting midges as well as mosquitoes. They would want to identify the species of the vectors, and then, if it's warranted, we would recommend doing pooling of those vectors for PCR testing.

SILVERS: 

You can read more about OROV in the CDC response plan. There's a link in the show notes.

By all measures, ASTHO's Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health, or DELPH program, has been a rousing success. ASTHO's Latoya Sahadeo is especially proud of everyone the program has served so far.

LATOYA SAHADEO: 

With over 80 program participants across our four cohorts in the last three years, these scholars represent all aspects of diversity, regions of the United States, and public health disciplines.

SILVERS: 

Sahadeo knows this wouldn't be possible without an incredible advisory board with representatives from the likes of APHA, the Public Health Law Network, and common health action to name a few. It also wouldn't be possible without the ASTHO Alumni Society.

SAHADEO: 

Consistently, we utilize the wealth and expertise of our massive alumni society, so that they can serve as advisors, faculty members, mentors, and guest speakers. We truly believe that their willingness to share their candid, real-world experiences, and being available to engage with our scholars make the DELPH program successful.

SILVERS: 

All of this support creates an environment for the DELPH scholars that makes a lasting impact.

SAHADEO: 

Many of our scholars share how life changing this program has been for them. It builds up their confidence. It creates a new channel of networking with other like-minded public health professionals that they can lean upon in a time of need.

SILVERS: 

Applications for ASTHOs DELPH program are now being accepted. Apply to join the next cohort by clicking the link in the show notes.

Also today, an upcoming webinar will help you navigate the rulemaking process. O'keyla Cooper has more.

O'KEYLA COOPER: 

Join ASTHO and ChangeLab Solutions for part two of their webinar series on regulations and rulemaking. October 23rd at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. This session will cover the importance of regulations in public health, health department rulemaking authority, and effective regulation processes. You can listen to part one on Public Health Review Morning Edition, episode 756, where Andy Baker-White reviews the objectives. Links to both the episode and the registration are in the show notes.

SILVERS: 

And if you or your team members need some help with the basics of case investigation and contact tracing, ASTHO has you covered. There's an ASTHO resource that covers it all. Just click the link in the show notes.

Finally, on Tuesday's newscast.

RACHEL HARE BORK: 

PH WINS is an individual survey. So, it captures individual public health workers perspectives on key issues such as workforce engagement and morale, training needs, and emerging concepts in public health.

SILVERS: 

Dr. Rachel Hare Bork dives into the results of the latest pH wins survey. Follow the show, and you'll have the episode on your mobile device at 5am. Just tap the plus sign in the upper right corner of the screen you're looking at right now.

That'll do it for today. We're off on Monday for the holiday weekend, but we'll be back on Tuesday with more ASTHO news and information.

I'm Janson Silvers. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition.

Have a great weekend.