health news

Nestlé Prepared Foods Recalls Hot Pocket Brand Pepperoni Pizza  (8/21/2008)
Nestlé Prepared Foods Company, a Mt. Sterling, Ky., establishment,is recalling approximately 215,660 pounds of frozen stuffed pepperoni pizza sandwich products that may contain foreign materials, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. More

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (Red Tide) Updated Advisory  (7/30/2008)
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (Red Tide) Updated Advisory from Maine Center for Disease Control. More

Latest CDC Data Show More Americans Report Being Obese  (7/17/2008)
The proportion of U.S. adults who self-report they are obese increased nearly 2 percent between 2005 and 2007, according to a report in today′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). More

Updated Web Pages Ready for Use  (6/30/2008)
A new web page on emergency preparedness, and updates to the 'Information for Providers Page' have recently been added to the Division website. More

County and Town Health Assessments Now Available  (6/27/2008)
Cumberland County/District Health Assessments for individual towns and the county are now available. More

Staying Safe in the Summer Heat  (6/9/2008)
With Maine heading into summer, it is important for all of us to prevent heat-related problems and to recognize the signs of heat illness early. More

Help us help you!  (6/3/2008)
Help the Public Health Division focus its efforts on the health problems in your community by participating in our Municipal Health Survey. More

As Summer Approaches, Watch Out For Rabies  (5/26/2008)
With the warm weather come questions and concerns about rabies. Rabies is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord and is caused by a virus. It is almost always fatal. More

FoodBorne Illness UnderReported Nationwide  (4/7/2008)
For every one case of salmoneliosis (a common foodborne illness) reported, there are an estimated 38 that go unreported. More

Adults Lack Vaccination Awareness  (3/20/2008)
Despite the proven effectiveness of vaccines and their potential to save thousands of U.S. lives every year, American adults are receiving needed immunizations at alarmingly low rates. More

The Fiscal Year 2006-2007 Annual Report is now Available.  (2/19/2008)
The Fiscal Year 2006-2007 Annual Report for the Portland Public Health Division is now available for public viewing. More

Start off your Summer Safe and Healthy!

Summertime supplies endless opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Summers in Maine are especially enjoyable, after a long winter of dodging snow flakes and avoiding patches of ice, we are all ready to get outside and enjoy the warm air and the lush wilderness. When venturing out and enjoying all that Maine has to offer in the summer, it is important to keep in mind that with the summer comes an increased number of hazards. Below we have compiled a number of resources that will help you stay safe this summer. If you would like to speak with someone concerning summer safety and health, please call the Portland Public Health Division's main office in Portland City Hall during regular business hours at 207-874-8784.

▪ Food Safety

▪ Maine Beach Information

▪ Boating

▪ Sun Exposure

▪ West Nile Virus (WNV), Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), and Lyme Disease

▪ Other Summer Health Concerns

Foodborne Illness

Seasonal Food Safety Factsheets from the Food Safety and Inspection Service

Barbeque Safety from the New York City Fire Department

Maine Beach Information and Safety Tips

Maine Healthy Beaches

This website contains real-time info about beaches along the Maine coast. Find out if your favorite beach is open, safe to swim in and even the current air and water temperature!

Red Cross Water Safety

This site has tips for beach safety as well as general water safety tips.

Information about Swimmer's Itch

Boating

Boating on Maine's many ponds and lakes and along our rugged coast is one of the highlights of anyone's summer spent in the state. With so many people on the lakes in the summer it is important to remember that safety is everyone's responsibility. In 2007, Maine had one of the highest numbers of boating deaths in recent decades, 16 total with 100 accidents across the state. Below are several websites that have great tips and reminders to help you stay safe on the waters this summer.

Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department

This site contains tips and laws about boating in Maine, and also includes a schedule of upcoming boat safety courses in your area of the state.

Centers for Disease Control: Boating Safety

'Commander Bob' Boating Safety and General Boating Tips

This site has info about boating on inland lakes and the open ocean.

United States Coast Guard: Boating Safety

Sun Exposure and Skin Cancer

The Public Health Division works to reduce the risk of skin cancer in Maine. We provide educational materials on sun safety to health care providers for use in their practices. We also work with parks and recreation departments, camps and schools to provide sun safety educational materials and support, helping to answer questions that come up around policy and guidelines for sunscreen use.

The City of Portland's Skin Cancer Prevention Page

Maine Cancer Consortium Current Activities around Sun Safety

American Cancer Society Skin Cancer Information

The Skin Cancer Foundation

The Melanoma Foundation of New England

CDC Skin Cancer*

Medline Plus Skin Cancer Information

National Cancer Institute Skin Cancer Information*

*Page with multiple language options