Per CDC Key points Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses Flu can cause mild to severe illness. Some people are at higher risk for more serious flu illness. Most experts believe that influenza viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze, or talk Getting a flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of flu and serious flu complications. Symptoms Flu can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Fl

Per CDC COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, the flu, or pneumonia. COVID-19 may attack more than your lungs and respiratory system. Other parts of your body may also be affected by the disease. Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people become severely ill. COVID-19 spreads COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus. Other people can breathe in th

Berkeley County WV Rabies Alert September 10th, 2026 Berkeley County (WV) Health Department has issued a Rabies Alert for the Gregory Drive area of Martinsburg. The WV Office of Laboratory Services notified us on September 10th, 2026, of a positive test result for the rabies virus from a skunk in the above area. It was submitted to them by the Berkeley County Health Department. If you think that you or someone else may have come into contact with this animal, please call th

As World Environmental Health Day, Septic Smart Week, and World Rabies Day are all recognized in September, we felt that is a perfect time to recognize the hard work of our Environmental Health Services Team! In addition to the upcoming presentations on Guide to Septic Systems for Realtors and for Home Owners that our team will be hosting this month, yesterday, some of our team members participated in a septic training day in which they went out into the field to learn more a

Per CDC: Key points Bird flu is a disease caused by avian influenza A viruses that usually spread between birds, not people. One subtype of bird flu, caused by avian influenza A(H5) virus, is spreading worldwide in wild birds and causing sporadic outbreaks in U.S. poultry and dairy cows. In addition to spreading to an increasing number of mammals, H5 bird flu has caused some rare human infections. Types Influenza type A viruses can be further classified into subtypes. Subtype

Per CDC: Key points A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. There are three main classes of parasites that can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Protozoa The protozoa that are infectious to humans can be classified into four groups based on their mode of movement: Sarcodina – the ameba, e.g., Entamoeba Mastigophora – the flagellates, e.g., Giardia, Leishmania Ciliophora