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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.
Disease Investigations and Outbreaks (Epidemiology)
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Flu Activity
Flu activity is currently at low levels throughout Polk County. To guard against getting the flu, residents are reminded to:
- Get the flu shot, if they haven’t already
- Practice frequent handwashing with soap and water
- Sneeze or cough into a tissue or elbow
- Stay home for at least 24 hours after a fever has subsided, if they have experienced flu-like symptoms
- Contact their health care provider if they are persons with a chronic illness or who are pregnant and suspect their illness might be influenza
For more information on current flu activity throughout Florida, visit the Florida Department of Health's (DOH) Influenza webpage.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Activity
Polk County follows RSV activity seen in Southwest Florida. Consequently, RSV season in Polk County is considered to begin in September and continue until April of the following year.
For information on current RSV activity, visit the DOH's Respiratory Syncytial Virus webpage.
Available Services
The Disease Outbreak Control Program (Epidemiology) monitors and investigates certain diseases that can be passed from one person to another (communicable). Florida law requires all healthcare providers, hospitals, and laboratories to report certain diseases to the health department.
Epidemiology staff members take action to prevent infectious disease outbreaks from occurring in Polk County.
In addition, they also provide the following services to Polk County residents:
- Monitoring and reporting of communicable diseases and conditions
- Field investigation of cases and outbreaks
- Lead poisoning prevention services such as screening, surveillance, and case investigation
- Doing community outreach and health education activities
- Engaging in Public Health Preparedness (getting ready for disasters and disease outbreaks or events)
Local businesses, civic organizations, and other agencies may contact the Disease Outbreak Control Program to request information on the following:
- Bacterial and viral meningitis
- Childhood lead poisoning
- Hand washing
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Respiratory diseases, including flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Rabies
- Foodborne illnesses
- West Nile Virus (WNV) and other diseases spread by mosquitoes and ticks
Data and Information
For current and historic data on select reportable diseases and conditions in Polk and other Florida counties, please visit Florida CHARTS Reportable Diseases Frequency ReportReporting Information for Physicians, Laboratories, and Hospitals
Foodborne Illnesses
- For reporting unsafe or unsanitary conditions, please visit Report a Problem with Food in Florida.
Rabies
- For a comprehensive guide to rabies prevention and control in Florida, including recommendations for responding to human and animal exposures to a suspected rabid animal, please visit the DOH's Rabies webpage.
Mosquito and Tickborne Diseases
- Mosquito-borne disease surveillance information in Florida is updated weekly and can be found at the DOH's Mosquito-Borne Disease Surveillance webpage
- For information on ticks and tickborne diseases in Florida, please visit the DOH's Tick-Borne Diseases webpage.
- For information on mosquitoes in Polk County, and to submit a mosquito control service request, please visit Polk County Mosquito Control .
Location and Contact Information
Epidemiology Unit
Address:
2090 E. Clower St.
Bartow, FL 33830
Epidemiology Phone: 863-519-8300
Epidemiology Fax: 863-519-8306
After Hours Phone: 863-519-7900
Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday – Friday
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