Laboratory testing has confirmed that an outbreak of shigellosis, first reported Feb. 26, is continuing.
The announcement was made by the Arkansas Department of Health.
Shigellosis is caused by the bacterium Shigella. As of Monday this week, 79 cases had been confirmed. In the last two weeks, one or two cases per week have occurred. Although the Health Department said this is a decline from the three to five cases which were being reported, the disease is still present.
"Clearly the outbreak has not stopped," said a release.
"This outbreak is spreading through person-to-person contact, not through any other means," the release continued. "It is occurring mostly in child-care services in the county."
To stop the spread among children, it is being emphasized that caretakers wash their hands after changing each diaper and that all children wash their hands after using the bathroom.
"Unless caretakers observe children's hand washing, they cannot assure the prevention of spread to other children or to adults," the release stated.
Shigella is a germ that causes an infectious disease of the bowel. Usually, Shigellosis is not a serious disease and can be treated. Most people get better quickly.
Anyone can get shigellosis but it is recognized more often in young children. Severe diarrhea, a symptom of shigellosis, can cause dehydration that can be sometimes dangerous for the very young, very old or the chronically ill.
The disease is also repeatable -- a person who has had it can get it again.
Symptoms include mild or severe diarrhea, often with fever and traces of blood or mucous in the stool. This may be accompanied by abdominal cramps. Some infected people may not show any symptoms.
The Shigella germ is spread through the feces of the infected person. Shigella germs are found in the intestinal tract of infected people who in turn may contaminate food or water. The germ is spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water or by direct contact with an infected person.
Health officials have stressed since the beginning of the outbreak that the single most important prevention activity is careful hand washing after using the toilet, since germs are passed in feces.
Also, anyone caring for a person with diarrhea, should scrub his or her hands with plenty of soap and water after cleaning the bathroom, helping the person use the toilet, or changing diapers, soiled clothes or soiled sheets. Food, drinks, spoons or straws should not be shared.
People who think they have this disease, or may have been exposed to it, should make an appointment to see their doctor or the local Health Unit as soon as possible. The Health Unit is located at 413 North Division St. in Forrest City, and can be reached by phone at 633-1340. This recommendation is important both to getting treatment and in tracking the disease.
The Health Department will continue to monitor the outbreak. Local Health Unit staff will visit all licensed child-care services in the county to reinforce these messages.
Stewart Elementary's Web page recently received an award from Blue Ridge Thunder, an organization dedicated to making the Internet safe for kids.
Blue Ridge Thunder was featured on CBS' "48 Hours" on March 30.
Kathy Emmerson designed the school's Web page.
The award is called the "Safe Surfin' -- THUNDERIZED award. The school is allowed to display a special logo on its Web page.
You can visit Stewart Elementary's web page by clicking on the thnews links.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Education Foundation presented teachers, principals and supervisors in the local school district with a total of $52,117.12 in grant money at a ceremony held Wednesday in the district's administration office.
Awards were presented by foundation administrator Pat Flanagin.
Don Williams, a FCHS art teacher, received the highest grant amount in the sum of $10,136.76. The money will be used to purchase an art pottery lab for the department.
Williams said he is pleased with the award. "I have some very talented kids and they have been working in two-dimensional mediums for so long now, and it will be great for them to work in three-dimensional mediums to round everything out," said Williams.
The Forrest City Mock Trial Team received a grant for $4,000. The money will be used for travel expenses to the national competition in Omaha, Neb., May 9-13.
The 12-member mock trial team consists of senior and junior high students. The team's teacher/coaches are Tom and Jimma Darnell. The attorney coaches are Brad Beavers and Chris Morledge. The local team defeated five-time champions Little Rock Central recently in state tournament action.
Mustang Channel 17 received $7,000 for the installation of a transmitter/receiver to connect to Curtis Cable TV.
Mary Lou Vaccaro, a librarian at the junior high campus, received $6,880 for a Gateway computer, printer and a three-station workcenter for the school.
Other grants were given for computer technologies, software, books, dictionaries, supplies, sound and recording equipment, reading programs, motivational speakers and training for students for Volunteer Student Lunch Monitors and Peer Mediators. The lunch program is eligible for a matching grant from the Exxon Mobil Educational Alliance Program.
"These grants were funded exclusively by funds raised by Forrest City Grocery Company and the Cohn family through their annual charity golf tournament," Flanagin said.