Grey Fox (By California Department of Water Resources – California Department of Water Resources, Public Domain)

The Chautauqua County Health Department has confirmed that a grey fox that has bitten people in Bemus Point is rabid.

The Department said the fox bit multiple people near Route 430 on Friday, June 9. The Health Department is following-up with the people involved to ensure that they receive proper medical attention. A New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officer responded to the situation and killed the grey fox on June 9, 2023. The grey fox was sent for testing and was determined to be positive for rabies.

Chautauqua County Director of Environmental Health Jessica Wuerstle said the incident should serve as a reminder to residents that animal rabies is a serious public health concern, “According to the Centers for Disease Control more than 90% of rabies cases occur in wildlife. Pets and livestock can be protected from rabies by keeping rabies vaccines up-to-date.”

If you believe you had physical contact with the grey fox that was killed in the Bemus Point area and have not seen a medical provider please call the Chautauqua County Health Department at 716-753-4783.

Rabies is nearly always a fatal disease when exposure is missed and untreated.

Visit chqgov.com/environmental-health/rabies-prevention for general rabies information.

The air quality index value is expected to be greater than 170 for fine particulates on Thursday, indicating a highly unsafe level.

The Chautauqua County Health Department strongly recommends staying indoors or limiting time outdoors if possible with AQIs greater than 150, if the haze appears thick, or you smell smoke.

Governor Kathy Hochul, at a briefing Wednesday night, said these conditions will affect everyone, regardless of age, “So, we’re recommending that people cancel their outdoor activities. We know that some of the baseball games have been canceled. Outdoor activities from professional sports are canceled. And just plan your exercise even around this. You don’t need to go out and run tonight. You don’t need to go out and take a walk. You don’t need to push the baby in the stroller. This is not a safe time to do that. I want to reiterate that.”

The poor air quality issues are due to smoke entering the state from a high number of wildfires in Canada. Hochul spoke with Canadian Consul General Tom Clark, who informed her that in comparison to an average 10 year period, the number of fires being experiencing right now is up 14,000 percent.

Clark said as of Wednesday there are 285 fires right now in Canada, with 175 that are considered out of control.

Hochul has offered to deploy fire rangers to Canada which is being considered by the Consul General’s office.

County Chief Medical Officer and Interim Public Health Director Dr. Michael Faulk said, “If you are physically able to smell smoke, there is a good chance the AQI is greater than 150. Although these levels are unlikely to cause immediate or life threatening symptoms, there may be individuals who could experience worsening symptoms of their underlying respiratory disease.”

Faulk reccomends people limit the use of window fans and keep windows closed with air purifiers on if you have one.”

Those with questions should consult with their family physician for specific health concerns.

More information can be found on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s website and the New York State Department of Health’s website .

You can also check the air quality online at www.airnow.gov.

The Chautauqua County Health Department and the Chautauqua County Humane Society will hold the clinic from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the Village of Falconer Highway Building at 1 Coleson Drive in Falconer.

Distemper shots and/or microchips will also be available, at no cost.

Animals must be pre-registered to receive vaccinations. Vaccinations will be provided free of charge to all dogs, cats, and domesticated ferrets three months of age and older.

To pre-register online for the village of Falconer clinic visit: https://on.ny.gov/3ZvA1SH

Pet owners must bring previous rabies vaccination records for each animal receiving a shot to ensure proper and effective vaccination; clinic staff will confirm previous rabies vaccination records. All dogs must be on a leash. All cats must be in a carrier.

New York State Public Health Law requires each dog, cat, and domesticated ferret over the age of four months be vaccinated against rabies.

For more information about the clinic and rabies in general, visit https://chqgov.com/environmental-health/rabies-prevention or contact the Health Department at (716) 753-4481.

Left to right: Director of Development Crystal Surdyk, Jamestown resident Jade Shirey, Healthy Communities Consultant Lisa Schmidtfrerick-Miller, Council member Brent Sheldon, Council Member Regina Brackman, and Council Member Marie Carrubba at City Council Housing Committee meeting (March 20, 2023)

A Jamestown mother is urging the City to take on lead hazards in housing that’s resulted in hundreds of children being affected by lead poisoning.

Hazzard Street resident Jade Shirey spoke before the City Council Housing Committee, saying health issues caused by lead paint exposure is 100% preventable and that no homes should be allowed to have lead paint, “It is, I get, an expensive fix, but we are spending money either way. We are either going to spend it in being proactive and getting lead out of homes, or we are going to spend it reactive in giving services, inundating our school system, our fire people with the condemned houses or the fire calls from the properties not being where they should be, police activity later on in their years when these (lead-poisoned) kids are facing impulsivity.”

Shirey shared that her son was diagnosed with lead poisoning two years ago, “So, in part of that, I brought my child who suffers from verbal delays, speech-cognitive delays, is going to be put in a (inaudible) classroom, who I’ve had so much trouble securing services for. I’m not sure how families have been doing this for 45 years.”

Shirey said Jamestown is seventh in the state for lead poisoning, with 60 kids in the 14701 zip code being affected by lead poisoning a year. She said that equates to about 900 students in the Jamestown Public Schools system who have suffered from lead poisoning.

Shirey said her goal is to make sure no other families go through what she has.

Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said while she doesn’t have a fix that can have an immediate impact, the city is working on dealing with lead in housing from a policy standpoint, “So, we have rental inspection ordinance that we are working on. We have a vacant property ordinance that we’re working on. And then we have a third, a nuisance property ordinance that we’re working on which won’t directly impact lead inspections, but through those two other ordinances, lead inspection, mandatory lead inspections will be rolled into those.”

Surdyk said the city has been working with the Healthy Housing Coalition, which includes county government and other housing agencies, on how to give landlords incentives to take care of lead paint in their properties, “We want to offer a carrot, right? We’re going to give you this big stick. We’re going to say, ‘This has to be done,’ and we’re going to have ‘x’ amount of time to do all of these inspections. And if there is lead found, you’re going to have another ‘x’ amount of time to remediate it. And then the intention is, if we’ve identified it, looking at ways to subsidize the cost of the inspection for the lead.”

Council member Brent Sheldon, who previously worked for the Chautauqua County Health Department in lead hazard reduction, said while the county has received funds to do lead abatements, it’s a struggle to get people to participate.

For additional information on lead poisoning prevention, visit the County’s Environmental Health Department’s website at: https://chqgov.com/environmental-health/lead-poisoning-prevention

Interim Public Health Director Dr. Michael Faulk addresses Chautauqua County Legislature (December 21, 2022)

The Chautauqua County Legislature has approved two local laws creating management salary plans.

Human Resources Director Deb Makowski explained to the legislature that the two laws are to increase salary ranges, “Not salaries. So basically, the only financial impact to the two proposed local laws is six individuals who would then fall below the minimum of their newly assigned range. They would need to be bumped up to get to that minimum of the salary range. And that total impact cost will come out to $9,948.”

Legislator Liz Rankin voiced her support for the second of the two laws, saying whatever can be done for recruitment and retention of quality employees should be done.

Legislator Marty Proctor made a motion to amend a resolution to provide $99,962 in American Rescue Plan funding to reopen an isolation-quarantine housing project. His amendment aimed to clarify that people using the facility would be doing so on a voluntary basis.

Legislator Rankin said she and Proctor supported the amendment given past concerns, “There was a lot of public concern that this might be forced quarantine and for us, on county basis, to make sure that it’s voluntary. I think this is extremely important and so this amendment will confirm that to the public. That this is what we stand behind – to protect public and civil and independent rights.”

The resolution passed with the amendment

Interim Public Health Department Director and County Physician Dr. Michael Faulk was asked to clarify a resolution approving an agreement with the New York State Department of Health regarding the poliovirus vaccine.

Faulk said the agreement allows the county Health Department to accept supply of the Poliovirus vaccine from the state, “There are, there may be individuals in our county that decide for themselves that they would like to get the polio vaccine but may not have a physician or provider who can give that to them. We, as a Health Department, can offer that and the State will provide that vaccine to us. So, basically it’s just an agreement between Chautauqua County and the state for us to receive that vaccine.”

Faulk said the vaccine would be free and noted that there are currently no new cases of polio in Chautauqua County, although one had been discovered in Rockland County this summer. The legislature also passed this resolution.

The next meeting of the Chautauqua County Legislature will be their organizational meeting held at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley speaks with Chautauqua County Board of Health President Dr. Lillian Ney about recent changes at the County Health Department.

Dr. Lillian Ney (photo courtesy of Jamestown Community College)

Dr. Lillian Ney (photo courtesy of Jamestown Community College)

The Chautauqua County Board of Health President is expressing concern for the County Health Department with the departure of Christine Schuyler.

Schuyler’s last day as Director of the County’s Department of Health and Human Services was Tuesday, November 29 following Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel‘s decision not to renew her contract.

Health Board President Dr. Lillian Ney said she learned from local school district representatives who attended the Board of Health’s meeting Monday, November 28 that Schuyler was an incredible asset to districts in the county during the COVID-19 Pandemic, “The State Health Department was changing rules right and left, and guidelines right and left. It was very confusing. It was a dilemma. It was a tremendous dilemma. And she (Christine) had a calming and common sense of approach to it that the schools really, really appreciated. And as the time grew nearer for her leaving, they were reaching out and saying, ‘Oh my goodness. What are we to do now?'”

Ney said one of her concerns is that there are three major illnesses going on in the public health arena currently with the surge in Influenza A cases, an increase in RSV, as well as COVID still being an issue in the county, “And now we have a deficiency I say, I don’t know if that’s the right word. But we’ve lost two outstanding performers in the Health Department. One is Christine, because Christine is now gone. And Bree Agett, who was our epidemiologist, who is really outstanding as well, she’s now gone. And I just heard yesterday, much to my despair I guess I would say, that we’re losing another of our outstanding nurses.”

Ney added that it is difficult to recruit people to work for the Health Department and that she prays there isn’t another major public health problem, “You know, to recruit to the Health Department at that level in terms of Christine’s ability and Bree Agett’s ability in epidemiology, how are we going to find folks like that in the county? Thankfully, Dr. Michael Faulk, who is a great guy, is going to be chairing the department. I think it’s on an interim basis for now perhaps, but more than likely maybe more going forward.”

Wendel has said further details about the reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services with the Department of Mental Hygiene are expected in early 2023.

The second, third, and fourth floors have been closed since November 2 following a water line break.

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel said the cost of repairs for water damage could reach $500,000.

The closure only impacts the Public Health, Environmental Health and Social Services Divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). As a result, the Environmental Health Division will still not be accepting water samples for testing.

County operations located on the first and basement floors of the HRC Building, which include the Office for Aging Services, Public Defender’s Office, Board of Elections, and Department of Motor Vehicles, are not impacted by this closure and will remain open to the public.

The clinic will take place at Evergreen Health located at 320 Prather Avenue.

The vaccine is given in a two dose series, 28-35 days apart. As such, a second dose vaccine clinic will be scheduled for Wednesday, November 16, 2022. Individuals are considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose of vaccine.

Public Health Director Christine Schuyler said while there are no confirmed cases of monkeypox in Chautauqua County yet, there have been over 3,800 confirmed cases in New York State.

Chautauqua County residents must meet current eligibility criteria set by New York State in order to register for an appointment. Vaccine clinic attendees do not need to be Evergreen Health patients in order to receive vaccine. Attendees must be at least 18 years old and are asked to bring photo ID. Face masks will be required.

Eligible individuals can register here: https://bit.ly/MonkeyPoxCHQ

According to the NYSDOH, those eligible for monkeypox vaccine at this clinic include:

• Individuals with recent monkeypox exposure to a suspected or confirmed case of monkeypox in the past 14 days.
• Those at high risk of a recent exposure to monkeypox, including members of the gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming community and other communities of men who have sex with men and who have engaged in intimate or skin-to-skin contact with others in the past 14 days in areas where monkeypox is spreading.
• Individuals who have had skin-to-skin contact with someone in a social network experiencing monkeypox activity, including men who have sex with men who meet partners through an online website, digital application (“app”), or social event, such as a bar or party.
• Any individual that may be at risk of future exposure to infection with monkeypox, even though they are not at high risk of a recent exposure to monkeypox.

The Health Department strongly encourages anyone with symptoms consistent with monkeypox, especially lesions or a characteristic rash among individuals at risk of monkeypox, to be assessed by their health care provider.

For more information on monkeypox, please visit https://health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/zoonoses/monkeypox/

rainbow fentanyl

Parents are being warned about fentanyl drugs that look like candy.

The Chautauqua County Health Department, Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office have issued an alert about “rainbow fentanyl,” which is the name of brightly colored pills that look like candy but are really a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.

Fentanyl is sometimes mixed with other illicit drugs and made to look like prescription drugs. Officials say unless a drug is prescribed by a licensed medical professional and dispensed by a legitimate pharmacy, you cannot know if it’s fake or legitimate.

Sheriff Jim Quattrone said “rainbow fentanyl” hasn’t been seen in Chautauqua County at this time.