Skip directly to search Skip directly to A to Z list Skip directly to navigation Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options
CDC Home

Health Surveillance - State of Mississippi

UPDATE: This information is current as of August 4, 2010, 9:00 PM ET

Map of the state of MississipiMississippi is using a surveillance tool to track emergency department visits in three coastal counties for four specific syndromes (groupings of signs and symptoms) that might be related to the oil spill. These syndromes include respiratory illnesses with fever, respiratory illness without fever, rash, and “other” (headache, nausea, and vomiting). Emergency department staff determines which patient cases fit the definitions of these syndromes. As of June 11, Mississippi has asked the coastal hospitals to also collect information about possible oil exposures among these patients. This tool is also being used in four inland emergency departments to see if there is a difference in the coastal counties.

Mississippi is also reviewing information electronically submitted by emergency departments about each patient’s chief complaint (the problem that the patient first reported upon arrival). Health authorities perform this review daily to identify unusual trends that could be related to the oil spill.

CDC’s Early Aberration Reporting System (EARS) is providing data from four coastal hospitals to be analyzed for chief complaints grouped in the four syndrome categories. EARS is a surveillance system available to local and state public health officials that assists them in analyzing data from emergency departments, 911 calls, physician office data, school and business absenteeism, and over-the-counter drug sales to identify health trends. Mississippi is reviewing these data daily to identify unusual trends that could be related to the oil spill.

Mississippi is also looking at Mississippi Poison Control Center data to determine the number of calls related to the oil spill and to watch for unusual trends.

If unusual trends are found in any of the four syndrome categories, Mississippi’s state and local departments of health will work to see if there is a relationship between the oil exposure and the symptoms.

Findings (July 13 – July 20)

On July 18, health authorities detected an increase in the rash syndrome in the coastal hospitals. Further investigation revealed that this increase was not oil-related.

Since June 11, patients seen in the coastal hospital emergency departments have reported 42 of their own oil-related visits.

The Mississippi Poison Control Center reported 36 calls which callers said were related to the oil spill during this period

Previous Updates

Findings (July 7 – July 12)
Findings (June 27 – July 6)
Findings (June 20 – June 26)
Findings (June 13 – June 19)
Findings (June 1 – June 12)
Findings (May 26 – May 31)
Findings (May 9 – May 25)

Resources

Contact Us:
Ready.gov - Prepare. Plan. Stay Informed.
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC-INFO

A-Z Index

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z
  27. #