Latest CDC News and Announcements (January 2016)

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COCA News and Announcements

Archived COCA conference calls are available at emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/index.asp.
Free continuing education credits (CME, CNE, ACPE, CEU, CECH, and AAVSB/RACE) are available for most calls. For more information about free CE, visit http://www.bt.cdc.gov/coca/continuingeducation.asp

CDC Emergency Response

2014 Ebola in the United States and West Africa
NEW: Enhanced Entry Airport Screening for Ebola Modified for Travelers from Guinea to the United States
As of December 29, 2015, CDC and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) modified enhanced Ebola port-of-entry screening for travelers from Guinea. Travelers will now answer questions about travel history and possible exposures to Ebola. Travelers will also provide their contact information so that the health department at their destination can connect with them, if needed.
http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/s1223-enhanced-airport-screening.html
UPDATED: Assessment of Persons Under Investigation Having Low (But Not Zero) Risk of Exposure to Ebola
This guidance is for state and local health department staff, infection prevention and control professionals, clinical healthcare providers, and healthcare workers who are coordinating the evaluation of persons under investigation. Use this guidance to evaluate ill patients with low (but not zero) risk of exposure to Ebola based on a complete travel, exposure, and health history.
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/evaluating-patients/persons-under-investigation-low-exposure-ebola.html
UPDATED: Case Counts
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/case-counts.html

CDC News and Announcements

NEW: CDC Year in Review: What’s Next?
CDC reviews the most pressing public health challenges of 2015 and previews plans for 2016.
http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/p1228-eoy.html
NEW: 2015: What Kept Us Up At Night and What Will Keep Us Busy in 2016
In 2015, CDC continued to work to end infectious disease threats and to improve the chronic health conditions by strengthening public health systems around the world. These are a few of the threats that kept us up at night in 2015 and will keep CDC busy in 2016.
http://www.cdc.gov/media/dpk/2015/dpk-eoy.html
NEW: CDC To Play Key Role in National Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Plan
The White House released the “National Action Plan to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB)”. As a key implementer of the National Action Plan, CDC supports TB programs throughout the United States and around the world to find, treat, cure, and prevent TB. The National Action Plan will help us stay ahead of TB drug resistance with innovations in surveillance, outbreak detection, therapy for hard-to-treat cases, and a system to help address drug shortages.
http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/s1222-tb.html
CDC Science Clips: Volume 7, Issue: 49 – (CDC)
Each week select science clips are shared with the public health community to enhance awareness of emerging scientific knowledge. The focus is applied public health research and prevention science that has the capacity to improve health now.
www.cdc.gov/library/sciclips/issues/

Public Health Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness and Response – (CDC)
Find preparedness resources for all hazards.
emergency.cdc.gov/hazards-all.asp
Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Resources for Clinicians – (CDC)
Find online and in-person training resources at
emergency.cdc.gov/coca/trainingresources.asp

Natural Disasters and Severe Weather

Be Prepared to Stay Safe and Healthy in Winter – (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/features/winterweather/index.html
Food and Water Needs: Preparing for a Disaster or Emergency – (CDC)
emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/foodwater/prepare.asp
Health and Safety Concerns for All Disasters – (CDC)
emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/alldisasters.asp

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

MMWR publications are prepared by CDC. To electronically subscribe, go to www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html
January 1, 2016 / Vol. 64 / Nos. 50 &51 Download .pdf document of this issue
• Tuberculosis Contact Investigations — United States, 2003–2012
• Increases in Drug and Opioid Overdose Deaths — United States, 2000–2014
• Fatal Bacterial Meningitis Possibly Associated with Substandard Ceftriaxone — Uganda, 2013

Infectious, Vector-Borne, and Zoonotic Diseases

Seasonal Influenza
Pregnant? Get a Flu Shot! – (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/features/pregnancyandflu/index.html
What You Should Know for the 2015-2016 Influenza Season – (CDC)
www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/upcoming.htm
Weekly Flu View – December 19 – (CDC)
Flu View is a weekly influenza surveillance report prepared by CDC’s Influenza Division. All data are preliminary and may change as CDC receives more reports.
www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Information for Health Professionals – (CDC)
Healthcare providers play an important role during flu season. The following guidance and information will assist healthcare providers and service organizations to plan and respond to seasonal flu.
www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/index.htm

Travel Safety

NEW: Polio in Burma (Myanmar) – (CDC)
Alert – Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/polio-myanmar
Current Travel Warnings – December 31 – (U.S. Department of State)
The U.S. Department of State issues Travel Warnings when long-term, protracted conditions make a country dangerous or unstable. Travel Warnings recommend that Americans avoid or carefully consider the risk of travel to that country. The State Department also issues Travel Warnings when the U.S. government’s ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of State Department staff.
travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings.html

Food, Drug, and Device Safety

NEW: ED-530XT Duodenoscopes by FUJIFILM Medical Systems, U.S.A.: Safety Communication – FUJIFILM Medical Systems Validates Revised Reprocessing Instructions – (FDA)
The FDA has been working with duodenoscope manufacturers as they modify and validate their reprocessing instructions.The revised instructions include a more rigorous protocol for pre-cleaning, manual cleaning and high-level disinfection procedures.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm478949.htm
NEW: Perseus A500 Anesthesia Workstation by Draeger: Class I Recall – Faulty Power Switch May Cause Device to Stop Working – (FDA)
Draeger is recalling the Perseus A500 anesthesia workstation because a faulty power switch may fail, causing the workstation to alarm and shut down unexpectedly. If this occurs, ventilation may fail and the patient may not receive either anesthesia or enough oxygen. Until the replacement of the power switch takes place, Draeger recommends that users operate affected Perseus A500 workstations under continuous supervision.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm478940.htm
Food Safe and Pregnant: Tips for the Holidays and Beyond – (CDC)
The holiday season is filled with parties, family gatherings, and lots of food. While everyone wants to keep food safe, it is especially important for pregnant women to do so. Here are some tips to share with pregnant women this holiday season.
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HolidayFoodSafety/index.html
MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program – (FDA)
MedWatch is your Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gateway for clinically important safety information and reporting serious problems with human medical products.
www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch
FoodSafety.gov: Reports of FDA and USDA Food Recalls, Alerts, Reporting, and Resources – (HHS/USDA/FDA/CDC/NIH)
Foodsafety.gov lists notices of recalls and alerts from both FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Visitors to the site can report a problem or make inquiries.
www.foodsafety.gov/recalls/recent/index.html