• Home
  • COVID-19
    • COVID-19 Vaccine
    • Fabric Face Covering – Masks
    • Guidance For Businesses
  • Medical
    Services
    • Sexual Diseases & HIV
      • LINK-UP Van Buren/Cass Data to Care Initiative
    • Animal Bites & Rabies Exposure
    • Children’s Special Health Care Services
    • Communicable Diseases
    • School Disease Reporting
    • TB Testing
    • Flu
    • Children’s Hearing & Vision
    • Immunizations
    • Lead Poisoning Prevention
    • Appointments
    • Offices/Locations/Maps
      • Dowagiac
      • Hartford
  • Dental
    Services
    • Pay Online
    • Register Online
    • Services
    • Dental Locations & Hours
    • Resources/Links
  • Environmental
    Health
    • Environmental Health Fee Schedule Rev 1/1/2019
    • Mosquitoes & Ticks – What You Need To Know
    • Beach Monitoring
    • Food Sanitation
    • Hazardous Waste
    • Soil Evaluation
    • Water & Septic Inspection
    • Other Environmental Health Services
  • Emergency
    Preparedness
    • Hot Topics
    • Emergency Services
    • Disaster Preparedness and Safety
    • Partners and Resources
  • Health
    Promotion
    • Sharps Collection
    • Red Med Box
    • Veterans Health Services Program
    • Substance Abuse Services Resources/Links
  • Pay Online
    • Dental
    • Homeloan Evaluation
    • Other Payment
    • Sewage Construction
    • Soil Evaluation
    • Water Well Construction
  • About
    • Leadership
      • Board of Health
      • Department Heads
    • Mission & Values
    • Appointments
    • Job Postings
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Dowagiac
    • Hartford
    • Mattawan
  • PFAS
269.621.3143

Hot Topics

HomeEmergency PreparednessHot Topics

Quick Links

  • Extreme Cold: Winter Weather Guide to Preparedness
  • Extreme Heat
  • West Nile Virus
  • Lyme Disease
  • Biological Agents
  • Ebola Virus Information

Winter Weather Preparedness

When temperatures drop significantly below normal, staying warm and safe can be a challenge.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has some great information to keep you healthy during colder months. Click here for some Frequently Asked Questions about Winter Weather including Hypothermia, Frostbite, and basic personal safety.

West Nile Virus

fight-the-biteWhen dealing with West Nile virus, prevention is your best bet. Fighting mosquito bites reduces your risk of getting this disease, along with others that mosquitoes can carry. Take the commonsense steps below to reduce your risk:

  • avoid bites and illness;
  • clean out the mosquitoes from the places where you work and play;
  • help your community control the disease.

Something to remember: The chance that any one person is going to become ill from a single mosquito bite remains low. The risk of severe illness and death is highest for people over 50 years old, although people of all ages can become ill.

For more information:

  • MDHHS West Nile Virus (WNV) Site
  • CDC WNV Home
  • Michigan West Nile Virus Hotline — 1-888-668-0869

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.

lyme-disease

Erythema migrans (EM) is a red, circular, rapidly expanding patch that appears at the site of the tick bite within 3 days to 1 month after the bite of an infected tick. It is usually not painful or itchy.

Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; laboratory testing is helpful in the later stages of disease. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, landscaping, and integrated pest management. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tick-borne diseases as well.

Early Symptoms of Lyme Disease:

  • Chills and fever
  • Headaches
  • Muscle and joint pain
  • A characteristic skin rash (Erythema migrans)

Clinical Lyme disease in domestic animals may involve many organ systems. Fever, loss of appetite, depression, lethargy, swelling and pain in one or more joints, kidney disease, heart disease, and nervous system disorders have all been reported. An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a veterinarian. A Lyme disease vaccine is available. Consult your veterinarian about the appropriateness of vaccinating your pet and also to discuss recommendations for avoiding ticks.
For more information:

  • Michigan Department of Agriculture Lyme Disease Information
  • CDC Lyme Disease

bioterrorsignBiological Agents

  • Anthrax
  • Plague
  • Smallpox
  • Tularemia

Pay Online  

Helpful Links

  • School Disease Reporting 
  • Sharps Collection
  • The Dirt on Weed
  • Van Buren Conservation District Recycling Program
  • Concussion Information
  • Healthy Michigan
  • Bed Bugs
  • Safe Kids
  • Food Safety

News from the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department

To protect the public’s health and reduce the spread of COVID-19, VBCDHD has made temporary adjustments to public health services offered in Van Buren and Cass County.  Important updates to note:

APPOINTMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL SERVICES.

  ALL individuals entering the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department: 1.) will receive a health risk assessment (questionnaire) and temperature check prior to entering the building and 2.) are required to wear a face covering

—————————————-

NEW: Click HERE to see Van Buren/Cass District Health Department 2019 Annual Report.

Click HERE for the latest issue of our At Your Service Newsletter.

Previous issues can be found under Health Statistics at the bottom of the page.

Office Locations

Opening March 2021: Our Mattawan & Hartford facilities are moving and merging into one new location.

Van Buren/Cass District Health Department’s NEW Public Health Education Facility at 250 South Street Lawrence MI 49064

 

Hartford – Administration ~ Community Dental Clinic ~ Environmental Health ~ Public Health Nursing
57418 CR 681
Hartford, MI 49057
269-621-3143 / Get Directions »

 

Dowagiac – Community Dental Clinic ~ Environmental Health ~ Public Health Nursing
302 S. Front St
Dowagiac, MI 49047
269-782-0064 / Get Directions »

 

Mattawan – this clinic has closed, ALL services are being provided in our Hartford and Dowagiac offices

Hours of Operation

effective 01/01/2018

Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

—————————————-

For an After Hours Public Health Emergency contact the appropriate county Sheriff Dispatch.

Van Buren County: phone  269-657-3101

Cass County: phone 269-445-1560

Tell us how we are doing.

Click Here to take our Client Satisfaction Survey.

Events

  • Previous
  • Next
January 2021
MMonday TTuesday WWednesday TThursday FFriday SSaturday SSunday
28December 28, 2020 29December 29, 2020 30December 30, 2020 31December 31, 2020 1January 1, 2021 2January 2, 2021 3January 3, 2021
4January 4, 2021 5January 5, 2021 6January 6, 2021 7January 7, 2021 8January 8, 2021 9January 9, 2021 10January 10, 2021
11January 11, 2021 12January 12, 2021 13January 13, 2021 14January 14, 2021 15January 15, 2021 16January 16, 2021 17January 17, 2021
18January 18, 2021 19January 19, 2021 20January 20, 2021 21January 21, 2021 22January 22, 2021 23January 23, 2021 24January 24, 2021
25January 25, 2021 26January 26, 2021 27January 27, 2021 28January 28, 2021 29January 29, 2021 30January 30, 2021 31January 31, 2021
  • Health Statistics
  • Job Postings
  • Employees
  • Resources/Links
  • Michigan Community Health
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cass County
  • Van Buren County

Van Buren / Cass District Health Department complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

© 2020 VBCDHD. All rights reserved.