The Columbia Press
June 24, 2022
Is monkeypox the next big threat?
The COVID-19 pandemic
isn’t yet over and now the
human version of monkey-
pox virus has been detected
in Oregon.
Should we be worried?
That depends, says the Clat-
sop County Public Health
Department.
“If we’ve learned anything
from the pandemic, we all
are responsible for prevent-
ing the spread of a communi-
cable disease by understand-
ing how it is transmitted,”
said Margo Lalich, Clatsop
County interim public health
director. “We want people to
know that transmission risk
from hMPXV virus is low
and usually requires close,
prolonged contact.”
Human-to-human spread
is from direct or indirect
contact with body
eled in an area where
lesions,
including
monkeypox is circu-
skin-to-skin contact
lating. There is cur-
with lesions, contact
rently no evidence
with contaminated
that the hMPXV vi-
objects such as tow-
rus is circulating in
els, bedding, or oth-
Oregon, according to
er objects containing
the state.
such fluids, or po-
The county health
Lalich
tentially from large
department
works
respiratory droplets.
with Oregon Health Author-
Symptoms of the illness be- ity to detect, track, prevent
gin with fever, headache and and control the spread of in-
muscle aches, and are fol- fectious diseases.
lowed by a rash and lesions
Local public health author-
often starting on the face and ities are required to be on
spreading to the limbs.
call to respond to reportable
The Oregon Public Health communicable diseases.
Division announced the news
All Oregon physicians, oth-
last week and informed local er health care providers and
public health offices state- laboratories are required by
wide.
law to report certain diseases
The infected person is a and conditions to local health
man who had recently trav- departments.
VA searches for heroic soldier’s long-lost family
The medals of a World
War II veteran honored
for heroism need a home.
The Oregon Depart-
ment of Veterans’ Affairs
is looking for surviv-
ing family members or
descendants of George
E. Hodgdon to ensure
his medals are properly
cared for. The medals
were found recently in
a house under demolition in
Lake Oswego.
Lt. Hodgdon, an Army vet-
eran, assisted in the “Ital-
ian Campaign” in the late
stages of WW II, including
during the Battle of Anzio.
He was awarded the Army’s
second-highest military dec-
oration for extraordinary
heroism, the Distinguished
Service Cross, and the War
Cross of Military Valor, or
Medaglia al Valor Militaire,
which is the Italian equiva-
lent of the Medal of Honor.
Hodgdon was awarded for
his actions during a fierce
battle against German forces
in January 1944 near Cister-
na di Littoria, Italy. Despite
being under a heavy rain of
machine-gun and rifle fire, he
organized and led a rally that
destroyed an enemy tank.
Hodgdon helped ensure
the safety of his company by
making himself a target, nar-
rowly escaping injury when a
bullet grazed his cheek and
again when a German con-
cussion grenade exploded at
his feet.
His citation for the Distin-
guished Service Cross reads,
in part: “Inspiring his men
by his own fearless determi-
nation under heavy fire, he
led his company to its
objective where he lost
consciousness.
First
Lieutenant Hodgdon’s
determined courage and
aggressive leadership re-
flect the finest traditions
of the Armed Forces of
the United States.”
Hodgdon died in 1969
and was buried in Arling-
ton National Cemetery.
He had no known sur-
viving spouse and Pittsburgh
was listed as his hometown of
record.
“These medals represent the
enduring appreciation of two
grateful nations for the cou-
rageous and exemplary ser-
vice Lt. Hodgdon performed
in World War II more than
75 years ago,” ODVA Director
Kelly Fitzpatrick said. “They
belong with the Hodgdon
family.”
Anyone with information
about Lt. Hodgdon’s fami-
ly is asked to contact Tyler
Francke at tyler.francke@
odva.oregon.gov.
3
County targets pools, spas
Clatsop County environ-
mental health officials have
begun inspecting local hotel
pools and spas after receiv-
ing concerns of violations.
“So far this year, more
than half of the pools and
spas inspected were closed
because they did not meet
the requirements of Oregon
state rules,” said Meredith
Reiley, an environmental
health specialist in the coun-
ty’s food, pool, and lodging
program. “We want to make
sure people are safe when
they use hotel pools and hot
tubs.”
If chemicals in the water
are not properly balanced,
people can get eye or skin
irritation. If there is not
enough chlorine in the wa-
ter, harmful bacteria or other
pathogens can grow, leading
to possible illness.
A second concern is for the
health of hotel employees ex-
posed to pool chemicals that
may not be properly handled
or stored.
“This is an ongoing trend
and too often we are dealing
with repeat offenders,” Rei-
ley said. “We closed the pool
of one lodging business five
out of the six times it was in-
spected during a two-month
period earlier this year.”
A major warning sign that
the water is out of balance is
the strong smell of chlorine
upon entering a pool or spa
area.
“People often think a chlo-
rine smell means there is
plenty of disinfectant in the
water. That is not the case,”
she said.
Guests should contact the
lodging’s manager if that
happens.
“Pools and spas are basically
giant chemistry sets that need
to be properly maintained at
all times. When they aren’t,
people can get very sick,” she
said. “We strongly encour-
age hotel managers to have
their employees specifically
trained and certified as pool
operators. We are not finding
as many problems with mu-
nicipal pools because those
employees have received ade-
quate training and they know
how to keep the water safe for
everyone”.
The public can view pool
and spa safety records at in-
spections.myhealthdepart-
ment.com/or-clatsop-county.