Vermont

Vermont sees spike in pneumonia cases – VTDigger

Published

1 year ago

December 24, 2024

Press Room

Vermont sees spike in pneumonia cases – VTDigger

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center as seen from the air in December 2017. File photo by Charles Hatcher/Valley News

This story by Clare Shanahan was first published in the Valley News on Dec. 23.

Two pneumonia-causing bacteria have been at especially high levels in Vermont and New Hampshire in recent weeks, leading to increased levels of illness.

At Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, 97 patients with pneumonia went to the emergency room between September and November, compared to 46 during the same time last year, Dr. Michael Calderwood, chief quality officer at DHMC, said Friday. While final numbers aren’t yet available for December it “looks like the numbers may be improving.”

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs often accompanied by fever, chills, cough, difficulty in breathing, fatigue and chest pain; it can be caused by multiple different viruses and bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The two types of potentially pneumonia-causing bacteria recently circulating in the region are: bordetella pertussis which causes whooping cough, a contagious respiratory infection that usually includes a severe cough and can lead to pneumonia, and mycoplasma pneumoniae, which causes walking pneumonia, a more mild form of illness that often does not require bed rest or hospitalization, Calderwood said.

Beyond DHMC, Vermont has seen a recent rise of respiratory illness outbreaks in schools believed to be specifically caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae, or walking pneumonia, Laura Ann Nicolai, deputy state epidemiologist and senior infectious disease program manager for Vermont, said in a Friday email statement.

Some children were specifically diagnosed with this kind of infection, but not all were tested for a specific pathogen by doctors.

The mycoplasma pneumoniae does not always cause pneumonia and often manifests as a chest cold. It mostly infects school-aged children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has reported high levels of this bacteria nationwide.

Statewide, the Vermont Department of Health has received seven reports from school nurses of these respiratory illness outbreaks, ranging in size from five to 31 cases. One such outbreak occurred in a Windsor County school, Nicolai said.

The Department of Health issued a health advisory to providers and school nurses Nov. 22 warning them of increased pneumonia cases. Many of the cases are suspected to be caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae and providers should consider that patients may be infected with this bacteria, treat them accordingly and report “any unexpected pattern or cluster of illness” to the state, the advisory said.

The number of cases of pneumonia, flu and “other cold viruses” overall at Gifford Health Care’s primary care clinics and emergency department has been mostly typical over the past few months, though the number of children infected is higher than usual, Gifford spokesperson Ashley Lincoln said.

Doctors attribute the rise to “fewer kids getting vaccinated.”

Nationally, children born since the COVID-19 pandemic, between 2020 and 2021, were less likely to have received standard vaccinations that children get before turning 2, with one of the lowest rates being the pneumococcal vaccine that is recommended for children under 5, according to a September CDC study.

This vaccine covers the most common type of pneumonia, pneumococcal; it does not prevent walking pneumonia, for which there is no vaccine.

The pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for children under 5, adults over 50 and people at higher risk of respiratory illness. Whooping cough is prevented by the DTaP and Tdap vaccines that are recommended at different frequencies depending on a person’s age.

Pneumonia can also occur as a secondary infection after someone has had another respiratory illness such as a cold, the flu, COVID-19 or RSV, according to the American Lung Association.

Vaccinations against COVID-19, the flu and RSV can help protect against pneumonia, according to the CDC.

Some additional ways people can minimize the spread of disease include: washing hands, staying home when sick and “donning a mask in public if they are concerned about their own and others’ health,” Calderwood said.

Source link

Related Topics:Featured public health vaccine Valley News

Click to comment

Vermont

Ugandan torture survivor and UVM Health Network nurse faces uncertain future in Vermont

Published

10 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Ugandan torture survivor and UVM Health Network nurse faces uncertain future in Vermont

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – We’re digging deeper into the story of Steven Tendo, an asylum seeker living in Vermont who was detained by ICE, but has been released. We spoke with his lawyer about his plan to stay in the states amidst the national immigration crackdown.

Stephen Tendo was a political activist in Uganda. He fled after he was tortured, shot in the leg, and lost two of his fingers. He sought asylum at a port of entry in Brownsville, Texas, in 2018.

In 2019, the Department of Homeland Security denied his application, and Tendo was detained for two and a half years.

The Department of Homeland Security says they denied his application for asylum because of inconsistencies.

“They had to do with his wife’s date of birth, as well as his prior visa application, which asked for all the countries that he traveled through,” said Christopher Worth, Tendo’s lawyer.

A non-profit research group found 69% of asylum applications were denied in 2019 during Trump’s first term. Tendo was released on an order of supervision in 2021, which means he could live and work in the U.S. while awaiting potential removal. Since then, he’s been a pastor and a nursing assistant in Vermont.

“Steven filed three applications for stays of removal, all of which were granted. He was scheduled for a check-in on Friday, February 6th. ICE had been notified that that’s when the stay application was being filed, but yet they took that day as the opportunity to arrest him two days before his check-in,” said Worth.

Tendo spoke with Senator Peter Welch about the conditions of the Dover detention center.

“The circumstances he described in Dover were really — very, very bad,” said Senator Welch.

A New Hampshire judge found ICE violated Tendo’s due process because the federal agency did not provide the required notice for revoking his supervised release. Tendo, who has no criminal record, walked free on February 20th.

“The pattern that we’re seeing is that ICE seems to have a quota for arrests. I’ve heard that they have to make 3,000 arrests every day, and that’s very hard to do. And so, ICE seems to be arresting everyone they possibly can, whether or not that person may be removed or not,” said Worth.

Tendo is expected to check in with ICE on March 20th at their St. Albans office. While his attorneys are hard at work trying to delay his potential removal, it’s unclear if he will be detained again before then.

Source link

Vermont

VT Lottery Mega Millions, Gimme 5 results for Feb. 27, 2026

Published

22 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

Those who want to play can enter the MegaBucks and Lucky for Life games as well as the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. Vermont also partners with New Hampshire and Maine for the Tri-State Lottery, which includes the Mega Bucks, Gimme 5 as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule.

Here’s a look at Feb. 27, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Vermont Mega Millions numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

11-18-39-43-67, Mega Ball: 23

Check Vermont Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Gimme 5 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

03-22-25-35-37

Check Gimme 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Day: 8-7-9

Evening: 5-3-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Day: 3-4-6-6

Evening: 8-5-3-3

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

03-04-13-28-42, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

For Vermont Lottery prizes up to $499, winners can claim their prize at any authorized Vermont Lottery retailer or at the Vermont Lottery Headquarters by presenting the signed winning ticket for validation. Prizes between $500 and $5,000 can be claimed at any M&T Bank location in Vermont during the Vermont Lottery Office’s business hours, which are 8a.m.-4p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays.

For prizes over $5,000, claims must be made in person at the Vermont Lottery headquarters. In addition to signing your ticket, you will need to bring a government-issued photo ID, and a completed claim form.

All prize claims must be submitted within one year of the drawing date. For more information on prize claims or to download a Vermont Lottery Claim Form, visit the Vermont Lottery’s FAQ page or contact their customer service line at (802) 479-5686.

Vermont Lottery Headquarters

1311 US Route 302, Suite 100

Barre, VT

05641

When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily

What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?

Vermont’s 2nd Chance lottery lets players enter eligible non-winning instant scratch tickets into a drawing to win cash and/or other prizes. Players must register through the state’s official Lottery website or app. The drawings are held quarterly or are part of an additional promotion, and are done at Pollard Banknote Limited in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link

Vermont

Here are five places to ice skate in Vermont this winter

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Here are five places to ice skate in Vermont this winter

How to see a reindeer in Vermont

Vermont Reindeer Farm in West Charleston is home to the only three reindeer, or caribou, living in the state. Here’s what it’s like to visit them.

Looking for ways to enjoy the rest of the cold New England winter?

While staying indoors often seems better than facing the cold, the region has lots of outdoor activities that brighten the winter season, including skiing, snow tubing and, of course, ice skating. From Burlington to Stratton, Vermont has plenty of indoor and outdoor ice rinks, many of which offer lessons, concessions and special events in addition to ice skating.

Here are five places in Vermont where you can go ice skating this winter.

Spruce Peak Village Ice Rink

This outdoor ice rink is located in the heart of the village at Spruce Peak, a ski resort in Stowe formerly known as Stowe Mountain Lodge.

Guests can skate daily surrounded by the majestic ski slopes of the Green Mountains. On Friday nights, the Spruce Peak Village ice rink hosts glow skate parties with a light show, glow sticks and a live DJ. Skate rentals and lessons are also available for purchase.

When: Noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday or noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Where: Spruce Peak, 7412 Mountain Road, Stowe

Ice Haus Arena

Located up at Jay Peak Resort near the Canadian border, Ice Haus Arena is the newest ice-skating arena in the state. The indoor rink is complete with bleacher seating, a rental and repair shop, four locker rooms, a pro shop, a snack bar and of course, an NHL-sized rink where guests can participate in public skating or skating with sticks and pucks.

General admission to the rink is $6, with skate rentals available for $6, skate sharpening available for $7 and helmets available for $3.

When: Online schedule updated daily

Where: Jay Peak Resort, 830 Jay Peak Road, Jay

C. Douglas Cairns Recreation Arena

This indoor arena has not one, but two NHL-size ice rinks for hockey, public skating and stick and puck practices. Off the ice, Cairns Arena also offers a pro shop and a cafe with hot food, snacks and drinks.

Skating at Cairns costs $5 for adults or $3 for children and seniors, and skates are available to rent for an additional $5.

When: 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Thursday, with exceptions. Check the online schedule at cairnsarena.finnlyconnect.com..

Where: 600 Swift St., South Burlington

Mill House at Stratton Mountain Resort

Surrounded by the scenic Stratton Mountain Resort, Mill House Pond is the perfect outdoor spot for public ice skating or skating lessons.

Public skating costs $20, and bookings can be made online.

When: Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday or noon to 6 p.m. Thursday-Friday and Sunday-Monday

Where: Stratton Mountain Resort, 5 Village Lodge Road, Stratton Mountain

Riley Rink at Hunter Park

A large indoor sports facility, Northshore Civic Center has an Olympic-sized ice rink, along with a concession stand and retail shop. The rink offers public skating, stick and puck practice, hockey and skating lessons.

When: Check the online schedule for weekly updates

Where: 410 Hunter Park Road, Manchester Center

Source link