Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Citizens to "Take the Test and Take Control of Your Health!"

Champaign, IL - June 27 is National HIV Testing Day, an annual observance meant to draw attention to a disease which effects over an estimated 1 million individuals living in the United States. Of these, between 252,000 and 315,000 do not know they are infected, and may unknowingly be spreading the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control... more...

Champaign, IL - Centennial High School students had their first taste of Hollywood - Illinois-Style when they volunteered to assist the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and REALITY Illinois in making two commercials to be broadcasted on Insight Media cable and the local CW. On April 17, 2007 the commercials entitled "Sucker" and "Voicemail" were recorded at Centennial High School using scripts provided by REALITY Illinois. These commercials are currently airing throughout the month of June on Insight Media Cable on such youth popular stations as "Comedy Central", "FX" and... more...

Champaign, IL - The recent federal isolation of a U.S. citizen by The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has draw attention to a disease which is responsible for over 2 million deaths a year, worldwide. According to the CDC:

-One-third of the world's population is infected with tuberculosis (TB)
-9 million people become ill with TB each year
-TB is the leading cause of death among HIV infected... more...

Champaign, IL - Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) routinely tests dead birds for West Nile Virus. The results of these tests help determine the extent of West Nile Virus in Champaign County. Since West Nile Virus generally appears and grows in local bird and mosquito populations before it is transmitted to humans, monitoring bird and mosquito populations helps predict when and where humans will be at risk for infection and affords the time to take additional precautions and control... more...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), collaborating with the Food and Drug Administration, state and other partners, has identified an outbreak of a serious but rare eye infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). This infection is caused by a free-living ameba (Acanthamoeba) a microscopic organism found everywhere in nature. Infections can result in permanent visual impairment or blindness. AK primarily affects otherwise healthy people, most of whom wear contacts lenses. In the United States, an estimated 85% of cases of this infection occur in contact lens users. The incidence of the disease in the U.S. is approximately one to two cases per million contact lens... more...

Champaign, IL - Dr. Howard Elementary School has partnered with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) to implement the Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) Program. The CATCH Program is a multi-component program that promotes positive healthy behaviors in students and emphasizes the need for a healthy lifestyle to improved both living and learning. CATCH has three core components - nutrition, physical activity, and health... more...

Champaign, IL - Illinois State Public Health, announced that mosquito samples collected in DuPage County have been confirmed as the first positive test results in Illinois this year for West Nile Virus. A positive mosquito sample was collected from the communities of Naperville, Lisle and Woodridge. There has not been any reported positive mosquito samples in Champaign... more...

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Urges the Public to Wash Their Hands Often to Prevent the Spread of Disease

Champaign, IL - Keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to keep from getting sick and spreading illnesses. Cleaning your hands gets rid of many germs that are picked up from other people, touchable surfaces and animals. Teaching the importance of proper hand washing, as well as, frequent, supervised hand washing by adults for all young children should be encouraged. If soap and water are not available, the use of an alcohol based wipe or hand gel is... more...

Urbana, IL - The Illinois State Board of Education requires that all children in grades K, 2 and 6 have an oral health exam. This exam must be completed prior to May 15, 2007. Students entering the Early Childhood Program, K, 5th or 9th grade must complete a physical exam and have the physical exam on file with the school district by the first day of school. The Urbana School Health Center (USHC), located at the Urbana High School at 1002 South Race Street, offers parents of students in the Urbana School District a convenient way to accomplish these exams. Parents may elect to have these exams completed during the school day by the professional staff at USHC. Parents interested in taking advantage of this program are encouraged to complete a consent form, available at USHC and call 217-239-4220 to arrange for an... more...

Champaign, IL - April 2-8 is National Public Health Week. This year's theme is "Preparedness and Public Health Threats: Addressing the Unique Needs of the Nation's Vulnerable Populations." CUPHD asks citizens of Champaign and Urbana to help our community prepare by "Stocking 2 for Flu" and developing family emergency plans.

National Public Health Week is an annual observance meant to draw attention to the often invisible public health programs and practitioners providing care and services on the national, state and local levels. Public Health works behind the scenes to prevent epidemics and the spread of disease; protect against environmental hazards; prevent injuries; promote healthy behaviors; respond to disasters and community recovery efforts; and ensure the quality and accessibility of health... more...