Health Department

On Monday, October 7, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 3 notice to reconsider non-essential travel to the Republic of Rwanda due to an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in several parts of the country. MVD is a rare but often fatal hemorrhagic fever for which there is no vaccine or treatment. To date, no confirmed cases of MVD related to this outbreak have been reported in the U.S. or other countries outside of the Republic of Rwanda. CDC has indicated that the risk of MVD in the United States is low. To further reduce the risk of U.S. cases, travelers returning from Rwanda will be screened at the airport for potential exposure and symptoms of illness, beginning on October 14. Marburg is a virus that naturally occurs in fruit bats and is in the same family as the Ebola virus. It can spread from human to human when someone comes into contact with bodily fluids from a person who’s infected. People can also get sick after handling a patient’s clothing or bedding. The CDC released a health advisory about the Marburg illness on October 3. Symptoms of Marburg can appear similar to other diseases and can include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, rash, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. People infected with Marburg usually get sick between 2 and 21 days after exposure to the virus. The CDC advises that individuals who are traveling to a region where Marburg is present take the following protective actions: Avoid contact with blood and other body fluids. Avoid materials that could be contaminated with blood or body fluids of people who are ill. Do not visit healthcare facilities for nonurgent medical care or nonmedical reasons. Avoid visiting traditional healers. Keep away from fruit bats and do not enter places where they live, such as caves or mines. Get more information about this outbreak: Fact Sheet: HHS Actions to Support Response to Marburg Outbreak in Rwanda | HHS.gov.

The Fairfax County Health Department has published a new Respiratory Illness Dashboard to help residents stay informed about the prevalence and trends of respiratory viruses in the Fairfax Health District. This tool offers real-time updates and data on various respiratory illnesses such as flu, COVID-19, and RSV.  The dashboard provides an accessible, easy to use platform where users can track local respiratory illness activity, compare data across multiple weeks, and view charts that display outbreaks and emergency department and urgent care visits related to respiratory diseases. Outbreaks are reported by facility type, including child care, schools, long-term care facilities, and other settings. Emergency department and urgent care visits are broken down by age group.   In addition to data on the dashboard, the Health Department highlights ways everyone can reduce their risk of getting or spreading a respiratory infection.  The dashboard comes at a critical time as October 1 marked the start of the CDC-defined respiratory disease season. Residents are encouraged to visit the Respiratory Illness Dashboard regularly to stay updated on respiratory illness activity as well as prevention strategies.  We urge everyone to build healthy habits to prevent respiratory illnesses now as we look ahead to the fall and winter months:  Stay Up to Date with Recommended Immunizations Stay home when you are sick Wash your hands — often Cover your coughs and sneezes Clean surfaces regularly and avoid touching your face Take steps for cleaner air Visit our webpage and follow us on social media for updates on this and other health topics. 

Pet vaccination at Fairfax County Animal Shelter World Rabies Day is observed on September 28 to raise awareness on how we can prevent this deadly disease in animals and humans. Rabies is a viral disease that infects the central nervous system. The virus can spread to humans and pets through bites or scratches from an infected animal. Rabies is nearly 100 percent fatal in mammals, including humans. In the United States, rabies is mostly found in wild animals, such as bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes. But worldwide, domestic dogs are responsible for more than 95 percent of the human deaths that occur from rabies each year. Fortunately, rabies is preventable. Thanks to prevention efforts in the United States, more than 40 million cats and dogs are vaccinated against rabies each year. Vaccinating your pet against rabies significantly reduces the risk of you or your pet getting infected. Speak with your veterinarian to make sure your pet is up to date on all important pet vaccinations, including rabies. The Fairfax County Animal Shelter also offers low-cost rabies vaccine and microchip clinics twice a month at both of their clinic locations: Michael R. Frey Campus - 4500 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 Lorton Campus - 8875 Lorton Road, Lorton, VA 22079 Protect Against Animal Bites To protect you and your pet’s health, it is important to take steps if you or your pet were bitten or scratched by an animal. Immediately wash the wound thoroughly and seek medical attention. Report the bite by calling Fairfax County Animal Protection Police at 703-691-2131. For questions or concerns about rabies exposures call the Health Department’s Rabies Program specialists at 703-246-2433. Learn more about the Fairfax County Animal Shelter low-cost vaccine and microchip clinics. Find more information about rabies.