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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Dr. Karen Tait's office reported Thursday that there still remain “lingering possibilities” that the virus could be discovered in Lake County.
However, the likelihood of detecting it in the immediate future appears to be dwindling. As of May 13, the combined number of probable and confirmed cases in California was 473 – none of them in Lake County.
Tait reported that the similarity between symptoms of the Novel H1N1 virus and seasonal influenza, coupled with the fact that sophisticated laboratory tests are needed to identify the new virus, could only be done on a sampling of patients. That means that the virus could have entered the county undetected.
Even so, Tait said local health officials are breathing a collective sigh of relief as the characteristics of the virus have become better understood.
In spite of the fact that the population is susceptible to catching this virus, the resulting illness has been no more severe than seasonal influenza, according to Tait. In addition, it does not appear to be as easily spread person-to-person.
With the influenza season winding down, public health officials are hoping for a break from the recent concerns and uncertainties that go along with discovery of a new health threat. But Tait said that does not mean that efforts to fight this virus will stop.
Despite the relatively benign nature of the new H1N1 virus to date, health officials want to be ready for changes that could occur between now and another wave of infection, which might be expected to coincide with the usual flu season beginning in the fall, or could possibly come sooner, Tait reported.
Consideration needs to be given to the potential for the new virus to further evolve, possibly returning in a more virulent form.
“There is no easy way to predict the behavior of new influenza viruses,” said Tait. “I do not want to be an alarmist, since the virus may weaken as easily as it could worsen. But it is our job in public health to plan for all possibilities.”
The recent intense public health response to the discovery of H1N1 challenged Lake County’s Public Health Division to implement emergency plans simultaneously with state and federal health agencies, Tait said.
“We learned from this experience and had an opportunity to further develop our procedures,” she explained. “Because the Novel H1N1 virus particularly impacted school-age children, we worked closely with the Lake County Office of Education and schools throughout the county.”
Tait said the Public Health Division will be far from idle during the coming months.
Although a vaccine for the Novel H1N1 virus is not yet available, one might be expected by sometime this fall. If so, an unusually busy vaccination schedule can be anticipated.
Other efforts to curtail the spread of flu are likely to intensify again. “It is entirely possible that we will see both seasonal flu strains and the new H1N1 strain circulating at the same time, which is a good reason to be especially diligent about measures to reduce transmission of infection in the community,” she said.
Families should remember the recently emphasized lessons for infection control, namely good hand washing, and covering coughs and sneezes.
To be ready for the next flu season, it is also a good idea to have a thermometer on hand – an important item for taking care of flu patients at home.
For more information, go to ww2.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/default.aspx or www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
LUCERNE – A local spelling whiz will be making his way to Rohnert Park this weekend to represent Lake County in the California State Elementary Spelling Championship.
Arthur Wilkie, 11, a sixth grader who attends Lucerne Elementary School, will be among 62 of the state's top spellers, representing 32 counties, who will compete in the annual competition, to be held this Saturday, May 16, in Sonoma State University's Evert B. Person Theatre.
The competition, coordinated this year by the Sonoma County Office of Education, will begin at 9 a.m. It is free and open to the public.
Six fourth-graders, 24 fifth-graders and 32 sixth-graders will participate. All of them already have won school, region and county spelling bees. Each county’s first- and second-place spellers are eligible to compete for the championship title.
Trophies and savings bonds will be awarded to the top six spellers: $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, $250 for third place, and $100 for fourth through sixth place.
All spellers will receive a participation ribbon, souvenirs, and certificate signed by Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger.
At 9 a.m. Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carl Wong will welcome participants and guests to the event, then show a video greeting from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell.
Patricia Ehrmann, a teacher at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohnert Park, is the spell master. Serving as spelling judges are Guerneville School teacher Leslie Howell (lead judge); Mark Rasmussen, Napa area captain of the California Highway Patrol; and Sonoma County Office of Education assistant superintendent Don Russell.
The California School Employee Association is sponsoring this year’s spelling championship, which will have a country theme. Country radio station Froggy 92.9 andBuzzard’s Gulch, both of Santa Rosa, are partnering with SCOE to present the event. Radio personalities Rob and Joss will introduce the spellers as they take a virtual tour of the old west town at Buzzard’s Gulch.
The full list of participating spellers, their counties and schools is below.
Alameda
Emily Deluna – age 12, sixth grade, Alliance Academy, Oakland
Karl Keck – age 11, fifth grade, Anthony Chabot Elementary School, Oakland
Amador
Samantha Riviere – age 9, fifth grade, Sutter Creek Elementary School, Sutter Creek
Matthew Spinetta – age 11, sixth grade, Plymouth Elementary School, Plymouth
Butte
Zane Harper – age 10, fourth grade, C.O.R.E. Butte Charter, Chico
Jade Holder – age 11, sixth grade, Hooker Oak Elementary School, Chico
Colusa
Hannah Cutter – age 10, fourth grade, Arbuckle Elementary School, Arbuckle
Sarah Marsh – age 10, fifth grade, Arbuckle Elementary School, Arbuckle
Contra Costa
Ava Gruener – age 10, fifth grade, Murwood Elementary School, Walnut Creek
Zoe Tacderas – age 11, sixth grade, Holy Rosary School, Antioch
Del Norte
Glenn Duncan – age 11, sixth grade, Pine Grove Elementary School, Crescent City
Fresno
Kathryn Moore – age 12, sixth grade, Quail Lake Environmental Charter School, Clovis
Gobind Puniani – age 10, fifth grade, Valley Oak Elementary School, Fresno
Glenn
Noah Parham – age 11, sixth grade, Willows Intermediate School, Willows
Danielle Zuppan – age 10, fifth grade, Capay Elementary School, Orland
Humboldt
Katie Fisher – age 11, sixth grade, Scotia School, Scotia
Kayleen Kemp – age 12, sixth grade, Toddy Thomas Elementary School, Fortuna
Inyo
Katie Doonan – age 11, fifth grade, Pine Street School, Bishop
Kings
Quinn Camara – age 12, sixth grade, Pioneer Middle School, Hanford
Simran Dulai – age 11, fifth grade, Mark Twain Elementary School, Corcoran
Lake
Arthur Wilkie – age 11, sixth grade, Lucerne Elementary School, Lucerne
Lassen
Zachary Mah – age 12, sixth grade, Richmond Elementary School, Susanville
Los Angeles
Carina Kan – age 11, sixth grade, Palos Verdes Intermediate School, Palos Verdes Estates
Catherine Velardez – age 12, sixth grade, Will Rogers Middle School, Lawndale
Marin
Elijah Armstrong – age 11, fifth grade, Manor Elementary School, Fairfax
Jessica Brown – age 11, sixth grade, San Jose Middle School, Novato
Mendocino
Xiao Jin Jackson – age 11, fifth grade, Mendocino K-8 School, Mendocino
Brawley Parker – age 10, fourth grade, Oak Manor Elementary School, Ukiah
Merced
T.J. Bangle – age 10, fifth grade, Charleston Elementary School, Los Banos
Marsha Noeline – age 11, sixth grade, Westside Elementary School, Los Banos
Mono
Martin Thompson – age 11, fifth grade, Lee Vining Elementary School, Lee Vining
Glenna Wardlaw – age 11, fifth grade, Mammoth Elementary School, Mammoth Lakes
Nevada
Jessica Burgess – age 11, fifth grade, Clear Creek Elementary School, Grass Valley
Emma Lauterbach – age 10, fifth grade, Pleasant Valley Elementary School, Penn Valley
Placer
Savitri Asokan – age 10, fifth grade, Excelsior School, Roseville
Alexander Chew – age 11, sixth grade, Ridgeview School, Granite Bay
Riverside
Jessica Khalili – age 11, sixth grade, Susan B. Anthony Elementary School, Corona
Christian Kontaxis – age 9, fourth grade, St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, Palm Desert
San Benito
Andrew Pearson – age 9, fourth grade, Accelerated Achievement Academy at Calaveras, Hollister
San Joaquin
Mashal Chhotani – age 11, sixth grade, George Kelly Elementary School, Tracy
Leandra Evans – age 11, sixth grade, Claudia Landeen School, Stockton
Santa Barbara
Ameet Braganza – age 12, sixth grade, Monte Vista Elementary School, Santa Barbara
Quinn Hensley – age 11, sixth grade, Washington Elementary School, Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz
Andrew Miller – age 11, fifth grade, Ocean Grove Charter School, Placerville
Emily Quinn – age 12, sixth grade, Rio Del Mar Elementary School, Aptos
Shasta
Hennessy McKenna – age 12, sixth grade, Pacheco Elementary School, Redding
Joe Williams – age 10, fifth grade, Millville Elementary School, Millville
Siskiyou
Ashley Cain – age 11, sixth grade, McCloud Elementary School, McCloud
Miranda Velarde – age 11, sixth grade, Jackson Street Elementary School, Yreka
Solano
Roopkiran Minhas – age 11, sixth grade, Vacaville Christian School, Vacaville
Keo Jude Sarno – age 11, sixth grade, Rolling Hills Elementary School, Fairfield
Sonoma
Gage Osborne – age 11, fifth grade, Sonoma Charter School, Sonoma
Nadia Tomaszewski – age 11, sixth grade, Live Oak Charter School, Petaluma
Stanislaus
Mahima Krishnamoorthi – age 10, fifth grade, Lakewood Elementary School, Modesto
Bowoo Lee – age 9, fourth grade, Fremont Open Plan School, Modesto
Sutter
Lilyana DeArte – age 10, fifth grade, Lincoln Elementary School, Yuba City
Tehama
Emalee Kourani – age 11, sixth grade, Lassen View School, Los Molinos
Jillian Strom – age 11, sixth grade, Berrendos Middle School, Red Bluff
Trinity
Benjamin Harper – age 11, fifth grade, Weaverville Elementary School, Weaverville
Yori Mai-Isa Hook – age 11, sixth grade, Weaverville Elementary School, Weaverville
Yuba
Darius Rucker-McCarron – age 10, fifth grade, Mary Covillaud Elementary School, Marysville
Zhang Vang – age 10, fifth grade, Linda Elementary School, Marysville
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
HVLCSD received the Best Tasting Water Award at the California Rural Water Associations Annual (CRWA) Conference held on April 28-30.
CRWA represents rural water agencies throughout California providing on-site technical assistance and specialized training for rural water and wastewater systems.
Each year CRWA hosts an annual conference addressing current water and wastewater issues and recognizing agencies and people in the industry.
The best tasting water is determined by a panel of judges who taste each sample and rate its clarity, bouquet and purity.
Hidden Valley Lake Community Service District beat out several opponents in its bid for best tasting water.
CRWA, an affiliate of the National Rural Water Association, is a nonprofit organization representing the over 9,000 water and wastewater systems in California.