Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Nine cases of tuberculosis have been confirmed by the Kosciusko County Health Department, according to Dr. William Remington.
Remington advised the Kosciusko County Board of Health Wednesday that this many TB cases is unusual.
He held up a county map peppered with red and blue pins to illustrate where people with the active disease live - in red - and where people who test positive for the disease live - in blue. The pins were concentrated in the northeast corner of the county, from Leesburg to Milford and from North Webster to Syracuse.
"There's been a surge of active TB, nine cases, with six noninfectious," he said. "The demographic that has emerged is they're in the northern tier of the county, Leesburg, North Webster and Syracuse.
"Most of the people are substantial alcohol users who've been in the bars in the northern part of the county."
A report by Deborah Frank, county nurse, shows she conducted 237 TB screenings from July through September.
Remington said a number of people have latent TB, which means they've inhaled the organism, and have a positive reaction to a skin test.
The Indiana State Board of Health provides an eight-week course of medications at no charge. None of the people with the disease is refusing treatment. People with active TB must be treated. People with latent TB do not have to be medicated, however, they have all chosen to do so.
Remington said none of the cases are a result of a HIV-positive diagnosis. He said the source has been traced to a bar.
The disease is passed when a person with TB in the lungs or throat coughs or sneezes.
Remington said Frank and the regional TB nurse have done a great job working with the establishment, helping employees to identify symptoms of the disease.
Food inspector Greg Turner discussed not-for-profit food establishments with the board.
Turner made 107 inspections (not-for-profit and commercial) this quarter and 279 to date. He reported 60 critical violations this year.
Food inspector Kenny O'Deen made 179 inspections this quarter, 447 year to date. He reported a total of 72 critical violations this year.
Dr. Dennis Woodward questioned Turner about permits and said a local not-for-profit club was told a number of different things by health department staff.
"They had to come back several times for a permit and were told to get one on a per-event basis, that they could buy one for the rest of the year and that the permit they had was valid forever," he said.
Turner said organizations designated as 501C3s do not have to get a permit, but many do and they are issued one at no charge.
Woodward said festival food service is a concern and Turner said he's made it to each event this year, going on the weekends, too.
"We try to err on the side of safety first, we try not to be harassing," he said. "There are monetary penalties. I try to avoid them and they turn a part-time guy like me into a Hitler."
He said inspections in food "booths" could take as long as 25 to 30 minutes and about an hour and a half for big restaurants.
Remington said the county runs a lean, mean health department as far as employees are concerned. "We cover the premiere festivals, the county fair, the Mentone Egg Festival and the North Webster Mermaid Festival fairly well."
The board agreed to write a letter to the Area Plan Commission recommending that square foot minimums for a duplex unit be 30,000 square feet. There are no specific state codes regarding duplex units and their septic systems.
According to Kosciusko County Health Department Administrator Robert Weaver's report, 167 septic permits were issued this quarter along with 201 well permits.
Neal Brown conducted 223 lot surveys and 96 septic inspections.
Jennifer Penaherrera conducted 10 septic inspections, four dye tests and fielded 136 complaints.
Prenatal care coordinator Sandy Vogel made 54 home visits and has 38 early start prenatal clinic patients.
The board also:
• Heard from Remington the seat held by the late Bob Knudson needs to be filled by a county commissioner's appointment. He also advised the group longtime chairman of the board, Dr. Wymond Wilson, missed the last three quarterly meetings.
• Heard there are no new human cases of West Nile virus in the county. A bluejay tested positive for the disease recently.
The next board of health meeting will be Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in the old courtroom of the courthouse.
