ALPENA — The number of communicable disease investigations completed by District Health Department No. 4 increased in 2019, with public health officials completing 1,173 such investigations, the department’s recently released annual report shows.

The number of investigations had been increasing steadily since 2015, when 185 investigations were completed.

“Communicable disease reporting and investigation has always been one of the essential services of a local health department to help control the spread of communicable and infectious diseases in the community,” Health Department Medical Director Josh Meyerson said.

Health Department officials investigate a number of diseases, including head lice, chicken pox, rabies, tuberculosis, and hepatitis, among others. The majority of communicable disease investigations are related to the flu, flu-like diseases, gastrointestinal illness, or sexually transmitted diseases.

About 1,059 immunizations were given to patients in 2019, 605 fewer than the previous year and the lowest number of vaccines administered in the past five years, the report says.

At the same time, the Health Department provided 97 immunization waivers — 11 more than in 2018 but 29 fewer than in 2017.

Health Department staff also saw its average monthly caseload for children’s special health care services increase by about 41 cases per month. Staff saw fewer family planning clients and made fewer home visits related to its maternal health program and infant health program.

Fewer people participated in the Women, Infants, and Children — or WIC — program, and fewer hearing and vision screenings were conducted than previous years. The Health Department saw about the same number of clients in its adult day care services in 2019 that it did in 2018.

Environmental Health staff conducted 413 inspections for licensed and routine food establishments in 2019, eight fewer than 2018 but one more than 2017. Staff also issued 79 temporary food service licenses in 2019, which is about the same number as previous years.

Environmental Health staff collected 165 beach samples — the most beach samples in three years. They also completed 89 swimming pool inspections and 71 campground inspections, according to the report.