All articles tagged with #health department
The Dearborn County Health Department reports 37 chlamydia cases so far in 2026, up from 28 for all of 2025, and urges sexually active residents or those with unprotected sex to get screened. Chlamydia often has no symptoms, so routine testing is important for early detection and treatment, which is typically antibiotics. The department is offering free, confidential testing and can be scheduled at 812-537-8844.
A former Long Island nurse, Julie DeVuono, earned about $1.5 million by selling fake COVID-19 vaccine cards to parents of 162 schoolchildren between 2019 and 2022; she pleaded guilty in 2023 to forgery and money laundering, and the New York Department of Health imposed a $544,000 civil penalty—the largest for vaccination fraud in its 125-year history.
NYC health officials are investigating a Legionnaires’ disease cluster in Carnegie Hill and Yorkville on the Upper East Side, with two confirmed cases and more potential cases awaiting testing. Residents who have been in the area since late June should seek medical care if they develop flu-like symptoms, as timely antibiotics are crucial. Legionnaires’ spreads via water systems, not person-to-person, so investigators will sample cooling towers and other sources and order remediation if any tests are positive. No deaths have been reported in this cluster, which follows Harlem’s much larger outbreak last year, and authorities note it remains safe to use air conditioning during the current heat wave.
The Hardee’s in Circleville (300 W. Main St.) closed in late April after a long history of health-department violations dating back more than a decade, including a 2022 inspection with critical issues and a 2023 shutdown by local officials; it’s not yet clear if the closure is permanent.
Milwaukee's Health Department says three people are under monitoring for Ebola and are considered at very low risk, with no suspected cases or public health threat. The response follows standard communicable-disease procedures, including regular updates with state and federal partners and ongoing monitoring as needed.
Northern Kentucky health officials are tracing potential tuberculosis exposures after a confirmed case linked to Lloyd Memorial High School; a hotline (859-363-2120) has been set up, and officials say the ongoing exposure risk is lower now that summer break has started, though contact tracing remains challenging.
Raynham's 2 Jerks BBQ is set to reopen on Saturday after a norovirus outbreak prompted a weekend health-related closure, with owners following safety measures under oversight before resuming service.
Philadelphia health officials shut down Smiles at Rittenhouse Square after unsafe dental practices prompted a potential exposure to HIV and hepatitis; the dentist's license was suspended, patients are advised to get tested, and a hotline with testing resources is available.
NYC health officials warned that an unvaccinated diner who visited Norma’s Restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen on April 25 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. may have exposed patrons to measles. The NYC Department of Health says the overall public risk is low due to high vaccination coverage, but there have been five confirmed measles cases in NYC this year. Measles is airborne and can linger for up to two hours; vaccination with the MMR vaccine offers the best protection and helps maintain herd immunity. The restaurant reported no ongoing risk, and the health department is notifying those potentially exposed.
City health inspectors shuttered The Spotted Dog at 1154 First Ave after a health inspection tallying 113 violation points, citing rats, flies, improper food temperatures and other hazards. The restaurant, which hosts a Culture In A Bowl pop-up, lacked a certified food protection manager on site and allowed staff to eat or smoke in prep areas. It must fix all violations before reopening; it previously closed in March 2025.
At the Houston Rodeo, Tina Knowles’s Mama Tina’s Gumbo drew crowds, but a patron reported chills, fever, nausea and vomiting blood, prompting a temporary health-department closure; inspectors flagged off-site cooking, non-food-grade buckets, missing temperature logs, and thawed seafood, with the stall later cleared to reopen.
Health inspectors temporarily closed Mama Tina’s Gumbo after finding thawed seafood and food stored in buckets, with authorities requiring corrective actions and a follow-up inspection before reopening.
The New York City Department of Health confirmed the city’s first severe mpox (clade I) case, travel-related with no known local transmission. Clade I can cause more serious symptoms and higher fatality; vaccination with two doses of JYNNEOS is advised for at‑risk groups, including men who have sex with men and travelers to affected areas. Since January 2026, about 45 NYC residents have tested positive for mpox, with 16 cases in the last month, marking a shift from the milder clade II outbreak in 2022.
Sussex County health officials are investigating a countywide mystery stomach illness with vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, chills, and fever. No definitive source or link has been identified, testing is not being conducted countywide, most patients recover in 1–3 days, and residents who think they’re affected are advised to see their doctor and report symptoms via [email protected]. Updates will follow as the probe continues.
Mayor Mamdani named Stanley Richards, a former inmate and longtime prisoner advocate, as the head of the NYC Department of Correction—the first formerly incarcerated leader of the agency—while appointing Dr. Alister Martin to head the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The changes come as Rikers Island operates under federal oversight amid a plan to replace the jail with four borough-based facilities by 2027, a shift that comes with a broadened power structure for the court-ordered monitor, ballooning costs, and ongoing labor and budget challenges.