Newsroom > DHHS News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 7, 2009
Marla Augustine, Communications and Legislative Services, (402)
471-4047 or email@example.com Disease Investigations are Public
Health at Work April is Public Health Month Note: Sound bites on
this topic are available at:
http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/audio.aspx Lincoln—Two outbreaks of
foodborne illness that have been in the news in recent months
show how public health works, according to the state’s Chief
Medical Officer. The recent outbreaks of salmonella linked to
peanut butter and alfalfa sprouts were detected by state
infectious disease specialists in Nebraska and other states. One
Nebraskan became ill from eating peanut butter and 98 people in
the state so far have become ill from eating alfalfa sprouts.
“Detecting outbreaks and determining their source can stop more
illnesses from occurring,” said Dr. Joann Schaefer. “Halting
outbreaks is an important role that the people in public health
perform on a regular basis. In these cases, they c