>>U of M’s Institute for Infectious Disease tracking West Nile
(Minneapolis, MN) — The University of Minnesota’s new Institute on Infectious Diseases is tracking West Nile Virus trends in the state. Dr. Michael Gale says Minnesotans should adapt to a new norm when it comes to the virus and expect a handful of cases per year during the summertime. Gale says what is alarming is that there’s a higher frequency of invasive mosquitoes coming into the state, along with two deaths this year in Minnesota due to West Nile. Gale advises avoiding mosquito bites by using repellent and removing any standing water from your property. Twenty cases of West Nile Virus have been reported so far this year in Minnesota.
>>Fund Created for Victims of School Shooting
(Minneapolis) – If you would like to help the victims of the Annunciation Catholic School shooting, Officials say the best way is to donate money. The Annunciation Hope and Healing Fund is organized by the Catholic Community Foundation with support from the Minneapolis Foundation. The public can donate by texting ACF1 to 41444. The donations will be equitably distributed to those affected.
>>Minneapolis Opens Resource Center Following School Shooting
(Minneapolis) – The City of Minneapolis has opened a Neighborhood Community Support and Resource Center to provide support for anyone affected by the trauma of last week’s Annunciation Catholic School shooting. The center is located at Lynnhurst Park. The center will be open today (Mon) and tomorrow during the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Services include mental health support, spiritual care, victim services, and therapy animals. Future hours and locations will be announced soon.
>>Memorial Blood Centers Seeking Blood Donations
(Minneapolis, MN) — Memorial Blood Centers is reaching out to blood donors. Officials say there is a “critical” blood shortage throughout the state. Wednesday’s school shooting resulted in a “substantial” amount of the area’s blood supply being used for the shooting victims. You can visit the Memorial Blood Centers’ “Hero Hub” website to find a donor center or blood drive near you.
>>CDC Scales Back Foodborne Illness Tracking
(Washington, DC) — Federal health officials have cut back a long-standing program that tracks foodborne illness in the U.S., with a site located in Minnesota. The CDC announced that the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, known as FoodNet, will now require state health departments to track only two pathogens: Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. The change affects ten states participating in FoodNet, a joint federal-state system established in 1995 that tracks foodborne infections in the U.S. FoodNet sites include health departments in Minnesota,
