County Executive Steve Bellone and Commissioner James Tomarken today announced the expansion of the county’s national award-winning online food managers’ course. The course, whose English version went live in June 2009, is now being offered in both Spanish and Chinese, making Suffolk one of only two government agencies in New York State to offer online food safety training in multiple languages.* All versions of the course are now available to food establishment operators, managers and employees as well as the general public. 

Suffolk County law directs the Department of Health Services to hold two public health hearings each year.  The first hearing was held in April in Hauppauge.  The purpose of these hearings is to obtain input from residents of Suffolk County to guide the county in allocating its health care resources.  Residents who are unable to attend the hearing and wish to submit testimony are encouraged to send written testimony to Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Attention:  Grace Kelly-McGovern, 3500 Sunrise Highway, Suite 124, PO Box 9006, Great River, NY 11739-9006.  Written testimony will be accepted until October 30, 2013.

Suffolk County this week launched its new diabetes prevention program, a CDC-led program that encourages healthy eating, physical activity, and lifestyle changes to help participants achieve the goals that lead to the prevention or delay of a diabetes diagnosis.

Great River, NY – Suffolk County Commissioner of Health Services James Tomarken reported today the first human case of West Nile virus in Suffolk County in 2013.  The individual, who is over 50 years of age and resides in the Town of Brookhaven, was hospitalized for five days at a local hospital in late August upon experiencing symptoms consistent with West Nile virus.  The patient has recovered and is now at home. 

Commissioner James Tomarken announced today that 10 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus. The samples, all Culex pipiens-restuans, were collected between September 11^th  and September 12^th from locations in Huntington (1), East Northport (3), Copiague (1), Northport (1), Greenlawn (1), Huntington Station (1), Port Jefferson Station (1) and Nesconset (1). To date this year, 168 mosquito samples and ten birds have tested positive for West Nile virus. No horses and one (1) human case have tested positive for West Nile virus in Suffolk County this year.