Tag: Perth District Health Unit

Stratford – The Perth District Health Unit is looking for a dog involved in a biting incident in Stratford to complete an investigation. The incident took place on Saturday, June 21, at 3am on Downie Street in front of Twice the Deal Pizza.

The dog is described as a medium-sized King Shepherd, which is black and brown in colour and goes by the name Lou.

The Health Unit is investigating this incident to check if the dog has up-to-date rabies shots. If the dog is not found, the person who was bitten may need to complete a series of rabies shots.

The Perth District Health Unit reminds people to always obtain the contact information of the owners of the animals involved in a biting incident.

Anyone who has any information on these dogs should contact the Perth District Health Unit at 519-271-7600 ext 252. After hours or over the weekend call 1-800-431-2054.

Stratford – Families are invited to a summer family adventure with a free outdoor movie night on Friday, July 18, at the SERC Centre, Stratford (at Matilda and Oakdale Avenues). Games and activities, such as button making and a photo booth, will start at 7:30pm. The movie, The Lego Movie, will start at dusk (about 8:45pm). Free popcorn will be handed out while supplies last.

The outdoor movie night event is taking place to educate parents about the health risks smoking in movies can have on children and teens. “Research shows the more that children and teens see smoking in movies, the more likely they are to start smoking,” says Sarah Ahrens, Public Health Promoter. “As well, seeing smoking in movies makes it seem that smoking is more common place and socially acceptable than it actually is.”

The outdoor movie night is being hosted by the Perth District Health Unit, the THINK team, and the City of Stratford.

The rain date for the event is Saturday, July 19 at SERC Centre. If it is raining on July 19, an indoor location will be used. The indoor location is still to be determined and will be announced closer to the date; visit www.pdhu.on.ca for updated information.

For more information:
Call Health Line at 519-271-7600 ext 267 or toll-free at 1-877-271-7348 ext 267
Visit www.pdhu.on.ca, www.whatareyouthinking.me and www.smokefreemovies.ca
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pdhealthunit.

Perth County – According to a new report from Cancer Care Ontario, alcohol consumption caused between 1,000 and 3,000 cases of cancer diagnosed in Ontario during 2010.

Drinking alcoholic beverages increases the risk of cancers of the mouth and throat, esophagus and liver. It is also a cause of colorectal and breast cancers, two of the three leading causes of cancer death in Ontario.

“Out of more than 200 conditions caused by alcohol, cancer ranks as number one – even ahead of injuries and liver cirrhosis,” says Annette Hoyles, Public Health Promoter. “Most people are very surprised when they learn that alcohol can cause cancer.”
Any amount of alcohol consumption increases a person’s risk of developing these cancers, even as little as having one drink a day. However, those who choose to drink but still want to reduce their risk of developing cancer should limit their alcohol intake to be within the following guidelines as recommended by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS):
Less than one drink a day for women; and
Less than two drinks a day for men.

At the very least, anyone who chooses to drink alcohol is recommended to follow the more general Canadian Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines (LRADGs), which recommend the following limits to reduce long-term health risks for multiple chronic diseases:
Women consume no more than 10 drinks a week and no more than two drinks a day most days; and
Men consume no more than 15 drinks a week and no more than three drinks a day most days.
“There is no such thing as risk-free drinking, but following the Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines can lower the risk,” adds Hoyles.

The Health Unit’s new campaign, Rethink Your Drinking, is designed to promote the Canadian Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and help change the way we think about and use alcohol. For more information, visit www.rethinkyourdrinking.ca.

Stratford – On September 23, 2013, Stratford City Council passed an amendment to its smoke-free bylaw to make outdoor spaces no-smoking zones. With the spring season now here, the Health Unit and Stratford City Council would like to make Stratford residents aware about this bylaw. The bylaw prohibits smoking nine metres from all municipal building entrances, at bus shelters, on playgrounds and at sports fields. It also prohibits smoking on the entire grounds of Stratford General Hospital.

Stratford has joined more than 120 municipalities across the province that have passed outdoor no-smoking bylaws to make their communities healthier.

“Research indicates there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, even outdoors,” says Miriam Klassen, Medical Officer of Health. “We are pleased that the City of Stratford has shown leadership by passing this bylaw and helping protect the health of its residents.”

Other benefits of this bylaw amendment include:
helping to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco by limiting their exposure
helping people to quit smoking
reducing cigarette butt litter in parks and playgrounds.

The Health Unit’s THINK youth team completed a cigarette butt clean-up on April 25, 2014 for Earth Week. The group collected over 1,000 cigarette butts from areas that are affected by the bylaw, such as around the Stratford City Hall building, Queen’s Park and on the grounds of Stratford General Hospital.

Signage will be installed in various locations around the city and on hospital property to ensure the public is aware of the bylaw. Residents who are found smoking in prohibited areas may be ticketed with a fine.

Information on the bylaw can be found on the City of Stratford website at www.stratfordcanada.ca. For more information about tobacco and stopping smoking:
Call Health Line at 519-271-7600 ext 267 or toll-free at 1-877-271-7348 ext 267
Visit www.pdhu.on.ca
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PDHealthUnit

Upcoming Car Seat Clinics in Stratford
Fire Hall #2
44 McCarthy Road
Friday, May 30 – 10 am – 12 noon
Thursday, June 19 – 10 am – 12 noon
Thursday, August 21 – 10 am – 12 noon

Please note that the certified car seat technician will provide advice and instruction but parents and caregivers are responsible for the proper installation of the car seat.

The clinics are by appointment. Call the Ontario Early Years Centre at 519-273-9082 to schedule an appointment.

Perth County – May 4 to 10 is Emergency Preparedness Week across Canada and the Perth District Health Unit is reminding residents that it is important to be ready.

“As we saw last year with the ice storms, an emergency, such as a natural disaster or weather event, can strike anywhere and anytime,” says Dale Lyttle, Senior Public Health Inspector. “The ice storm events lasted several days and caused power outages, property damage, and disruption to residents’ lives in Perth County and Toronto.”

Perth County residents need to be prepared to cope on their own for at least the first 72 hours of an emergency. “It may take several days for rescue workers to reach you while they help others in urgent need or because they cannot get to the affected area, as we saw in the Toronto ice storm response,” Lyttle adds.

Be Prepared!
You can help yourself and others around you by preparing for an emergency. Here are three simple steps to help you better prepare:
Make a plan: In an emergency, your family may not be together, or you may be asked to evacuate your home. Think about what you would do in different situations and prepare a plan with every member of your family. Don’t forget to practice and discuss the plan so everyone is aware of what to do.
Build a Kit: Your emergency survival kit should have everything you and your family would need to be safe in an emergency. Basic supplies should include: a three-day supply of water, food that won’t spoil (i.e. canned or dried food), a can opener, a flashlight, batteries, battery-powered or wind-up radio, first aid kit, pocket knife, prescription medications, an extra set of keys, and money.
Be informed: Sign up for Ontario’s emergency alerts, and learn more about the hazards you can face and how you can be prepared for them. During an emergency, you can stay tuned to local news channels or monitor the Health Unit website at www.pdhu.on.ca or Twitter feed @pdhealthunit if possible. Be sure to have a portable, battery-operated or crank radio in your survival kit in case of power outages.

For more information on making a plan, building a kit and staying informed, go to the Emergency Management Ontario website at: www.emergencymanagementontario.ca

Every household needs an emergency plan. It will prepare you and your family to know what to do if disaster strikes. Being prepared for these types of emergencies can make a world of difference.

For More Information
Call Health Line at 519-271-7600 ext 267 or toll-free at 1-877-271-7348 ext 267
www.pdhu.on.ca
www.facebook.com/pdhealthunit
www.twitter.com/pdhealthunit