SAUGUS — Public Health Nurse Teresa Riley-Singh and Public Health Director John Fralick provided some data on the Town’s public health.
Riley-Singh began by discussing infectious diseases. The most significant figure was the number of COVID-19 cases in Saugus.
“We had 82 COVID cases, which is significant because most people either do not test or test from home,” she said. “So, that means there were 82 people who felt sick enough to actually go to the doctor and get tested. I’m sure everyone knows someone who felt sick last month with the headaches (or) sore throat. It was most likely or could have been COVID.”
Riley-Singh said there were five tuberculosis cases, eight food-borne illnesses, none of which were related to Saugus restaurants, three cases of Hepatitis C, four of Hepatitis B, eight Lyme disease cases, and one case of malaria.
She emphasized that the case of malaria did not originate in Saugus.
“We had two cases of pertussis. This has gotten more and more common. Pertussis is also known as whooping cough. Whooping cough is an illness that can spread easily. It’s a bacterium that causes it. Most people get a serious hacking cough,” Riley-Singh said.
She said that vaccination is the best way to prevent pertussis and that it is a five-series shot that usually starts in infancy.
“I would suggest that any new parents or grandparents definitely get vaccinated because it’s very dangerous for newborns and babies. The airways aren’t developed,” she said.
Riley-Singh said there were three flu and COVID clinics last month at the Senior Center and Town Hall. Two more will occur at Town Hall on Oct. 20 from 2-7 p.m. and Oct. 28 from 2-5 p.m.
She lastly touched on the current controversy revolving around acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol.
Riley-Singh read from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) website, which stated, “Acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol, is one of the safest and most commonly used medicines to relieve pain and reduce fever in pregnancy.”
It continued that treating those symptoms is important, as leaving fever or significant pain untreated can be “far more dangerous to a developing fetus than taking acetaminophen as directed.”
The DPH noted that the “overwhelming body of scientific research” does not show that using the drug during pregnancy can cause Autism or other neurodevelopmental conditions in children.
Fralick then gave an update on the current state of the West Nile Virus.
He said the state is currently at eight cases, which is better than last year’s 19.
“The last recorded case in Massachusetts was on Sept. 12 in Suffolk County. We’re still in a high-risk area, and that will be continuing until the middle of the month when we get our first hard frost,” he said.
