‘Probable': Two additional measles cases reported, says OSDH
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) – The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) on Tuesday updated its measles tracking system to 8 confirmed and 2 probable cases.
Measles is a reportable disease in Oklahoma. It is a highly infectious and serious disease caused by the measles virus. Measles is also known as rubeola, 10-day measles, hard measles, and red measles, says OSDH.
Health officials say updates to case numbers are provided at 12 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday.
OSDE warns of phishing email targeting schools, superintendents
According to health officials, the definitions of 'measles' are as follows:
Confirmed
Shows symptoms consistent with the national standard surveillance definition AND has a confirmatory test result or a link to a laboratory-confirmed case
Probable
Shows symptoms consistent with the national standard surveillance definition AND lacks a confirmatory test result or a link to a laboratory-confirmed case
Another Oklahoman hit by SNAP benefits crime ring
*The unvaccinated/unknown category includes people with no documented doses of measles vaccine more than 14 days before exposure.
To stay up-to-date on the latest case number, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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'Nothing you can do except stand here': Public assistance office keeps Alaskans waiting
Jun. 7—A dozen people congregated outside the doors to the Division of Public Assistance office in Anchorage on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. Case workers weren't scheduled to arrive for another 90 minutes. But the Alaskans outside, wrapped in coats under gray drizzly skies, were already waiting. Among them was Savannah Lee, who said her agoraphobia and other mental health conditions make waiting in line extremely stressful. Benefits from the Division of Public Assistance are her final hope to avoid homelessness, she said. "I've been trying to get assistance forever," she said, gesturing to the line of waiting people, which included parents with infant children and the elderly, most waiting with nowhere to sit. The more experienced among them had brought camp chairs. "It's really hard for me to be in public, and they don't offer services for people like me other than this," she said. Officials with the state Division of Public Assistance — which oversees Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and several other benefits programs in Alaska — say that to avoid a monthslong backlog, applicants should go to one of a handful of offices to meet with a case worker in person. In Anchorage, the state's largest city, the division operates only one site. Every day, dozens line the hall of the University Center Mall, waiting to be seen. "(Division staff) said that they could put our application in, but it could be weeks. If we wanted to get our case worked the same day, we needed to show up here hours before they open and wait in line, which is what we're doing," said Lee, accompanied by a friend who was assisting her with her application. "I don't have weeks. I'm going to be homeless in seven days," said Lee, who has an 18-month-old daughter. Lee is among thousands of Alaskans who rely on the Division of Public Assistance to receive benefits. One in three Alaskans are covered by Medicaid; one in 11 rely on SNAP, previously called food stamps, for monthly stipends that can be used to pay for food items in stores and markets. The division for years has been struggling to follow state and federal laws governing the programs they administer. According to a recent report from the division, less than half of SNAP applications between November and April were processed within federally required timelines — seven days for expedited applications and 30 days for other applications. As of May, more than 1,300 had been waiting five months or longer. Congress is considering new and expanded work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP that might exacerbate the backlog. Verification of new work requirements in Alaska would fall to the same division that already has a monthslong backlog. "The work requirement itself is extremely administratively burdensome to the agency," said Saima Akhtar, senior attorney with the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, which is representing SNAP recipients in class action litigation against the state. "It's a huge amount of additional documentation and verification in order to determine who is eligible and when and if they are meeting their program requirements," said Akhtar. "Expanding the work requirements means you need to have more workers to keep track of who is meeting their work requirements." Division of Public Assistance Director Deb Etheridge did not respond to an interview request. Instead, a Department of Health spokesperson responded to questions in an email. The division "acknowledges the high volume of visitors at our Anchorage office and the challenges that creates for individuals seeking services. We share the public's concern and are actively working on multiple fronts to improve the experience for applicants," wrote spokesperson Alex Huseman. The Anchorage office reopened in January, after a COVID pandemic-induced closure that began in 2020 and lasted more than four years. "Like many public service agencies across the country, we have faced hiring and retention challenges, but we remain committed to filling vacancies and building a strong, sustainable workforce," Huseman wrote. Under Gov. Mike Dunleavy, the Division of Public Assistance cut more than 100 staff positions in 2021 — when a pandemic-era lifting of federal regulations reduced the workload. Though Huseman said the post-pandemic demand "rebounded — rapidly and significantly," the number of case worker positions remains roughly 25% lower than it was five years ago. Even with fewer funded positions, the division has struggled to fill its ranks, contending with high turnover fueled by a competitive job market and stagnant public sector wages that have not kept up with the cost of living. "While the number of funded positions remains below pre-2021 levels, the division has been actively working to address current needs by maximizing resources," Huseman wrote. Akhtar, who has litigated cases against other states over their mishandling of benefits programs, said the "persistent nature" of Alaska's SNAP backlog means the state is not making the systemic changes needed to meet processing requirements. "There are other states that I have seen with a backlog," she said. But once agencies are made aware of the problem, states have been able to address the underlying causes. In Alaska, there has been "recurrence" of SNAP backlogs since 2022. "It's been ebbing and flowing, but we haven't seen resolution. We haven't seen the sort of changes that are going to cover a substantial amount of distance," said Akhtar. That means the agency may not be able to implement the changes needed to adapt to new requirements considered by Congress. "At the end of the day, it will still come down on some level to having enough warm bodies and enough trained people in place to do the volume of work that is necessary to maintain the caseload," said Akhtar. Faster 'watching food grow' Huseman said that the Anchorage office offers priority to clients who are homeless, elderly, have serious medical issues, are disabled, or who traveled a long way to get to the office. "During busy times, our staff check the line often to find and help these individuals quickly and respectfully," said Huseman. "Our goal is to avoid asking clients to come back another day. Instead, we do our best to find other ways to help them right away." Some clients — like Lee — still have to wait for hours just to see a case worker who can determine whether they meet the qualifications for same-day assistance. Those who can spend several hours waiting for a case worker at one of the division's offices are comparatively lucky. In-person services are offered in Anchorage, Wasilla, Fairbanks, Nome, Kenai, Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Bethel and Kodiak. For Alaskans who don't live in these communities and who don't have the ability to travel — including tens of thousands of rural residents off the road system — the only option is to submit paperwork by mail or online. Shannon Nanalook lives in Togiak, a village of roughly 800 residents in the Bristol Bay region. She has been without monthly SNAP deposits since April, after the state failed to process her renewal application on time. In April, only 18% of recertifications were processed on time by the state, according to a recent report. Nanalook, a single mother of two, is still waiting. Traveling to a division office is cost-prohibitive. This spring, she planted vegetables. "Watching food grow would be faster," she said. Nanalook said she has relied on SNAP ever since she became pregnant with her second child, who is now 3 years old. But in recent years, the annual renewal process has left her without deposits for months at a time. Her son has severe food allergies, which makes feeding her family without SNAP deposits more challenging. She has tried submitting renewal paperwork both by mail and online. When she has called the division, she has often waited on the line for several hours, only to be told her application is still pending. "It's the same thing over and over again," she said. "I ask them: Is there anything I can do on my end to help expedite this process? And they say no." Huseman, with the Department of Health, said the division has "increased our triage staffing to answer calls more quickly and direct callers to the correct resources." New federal requirements, Nanalook said, would make a bad situation worse. "Making it harder to apply isn't going to fix nothing," she said. 'Greater accountability' Supporters of the new work requirements for SNAP and Medicaid — including Alaska's U.S. Rep. Nick Begich — said they would protect the "integrity" of the programs. Begich declined interview requests from the Daily News and did not answer questions on Alaska-specific impacts of the bill. Some health experts in Alaska, and several state lawmakers, said the end result of the requirements under consideration would be to complicate an already onerous process, thus causing thousands to lose the health and food benefits on which they rely. "Work requirements literally cannot be implemented in the state of Alaska," Rep. Zack Fields recently said on a podcast hosted by fellow Anchorage Democratic Rep. Andrew Gray. "It would be implemented by the same people to verify SNAP eligibility, where they have a 61% error rate." Republicans in Congress are looking to make cuts to Medicaid and SNAP spending in order to help finance, in part, the extension of tax cuts sought by President Donald Trump. The budget reconciliation bill would cut taxes by $3.75 trillion and increase the national deficit by $2.4 trillion in the next decade, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The office also estimated the bill would eliminate health insurance for 10.9 million people across the country. The budget reconciliation bill, known as the "Big Beautiful Bill," is now under consideration by the U.S. Senate. Alaska U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both Republicans, have raised some concerns over funding cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Both have acknowledged that cuts to the programs could have far-reaching consequences while remaining open to the prospect of work requirements, as long as states have flexibility in implementing them. Approached last Sunday with questions about changes to Medicaid, Sullivan refused to answer and walked away. His office declined an interview request later in the week. Instead, his spokesperson Amanda Coyne offered a written statement by email, in which she said that Sullivan "generally supports work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP, with commonsense exceptions, such as for recipients who have mental health conditions, or who live in rural areas where employment options are limited." "While the Senator supports greater accountability in these programs, he will work with the state, which will be implementing the requirements, to ensure that paperwork and administrative burdens do not prevent people from accessing the safety net programs they need," Coyne wrote. In addition to expanded work requirements in SNAP, lawmakers are considering transferring some of the costs of the program from the federal government to states. In Alaska, that could mean an added annual cost of roughly $69 million from the state treasury. The increased cost for the state is particularly high because the bill is written to penalize states with higher SNAP error rates. Alaska's SNAP error rate is among the highest in the country. Transferring some costs to the state could incentivize the state to do a poor job of processing benefits, said Akhtar, with the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. "If I have to pay 5% or 10% of the cost of the benefits that go out, that incentivizes me to give fewer benefits out," she said. "That creates yet another incentive not to process applications and not to get the job done, because it will cost me more money, if I am the state." Coyne wrote that Sullivan "understands that the SNAP program is a critical lifeline for low-income families in Alaska." "Alaska's vast size and many remote communities create unique challenges in administering the program in the state, resulting in higher error rates," Coyne wrote by email. "Sen. Sullivan and his team have been working with the state to address this error rate. He is also working to ensure any changes to SNAP in the reconciliation bill take Alaska's unique needs into account and continue to deliver benefits to eligible Alaskans." Murkowski declined an interview request on Republican-backed changes to Medicaid and SNAP. In a statement, her spokesperson, Joe Plesha, said Murkowski "has been consistent from the beginning of the reconciliation process about how important the Medicaid and SNAP programs are to families in Alaska. She is in close discussions with her colleagues to advocate for these safety net programs on which many Alaskans rely." 'It isn't worth my time' Leo Gant, a 69-year-old, leaned heavily on a cane after joining the Division of Public Assistance line in Anchorage at 7:45 a.m., preparing for at least two hours of waiting before he reached the desk of a case worker. "Why they only have the one (office) here in Anchorage — I don't understand," he said. Gant, who lives with his niece in Anchorage, relies on Medicaid to cover the cost of pricey medications for diabetes and high blood pressure. He recently underwent surgeries on his knee and shoulder. "We'll see how long my knees and my back hold up until I walk out and come back again tomorrow," he said. Gant previously received SNAP benefits but said he had stopped applying because the process had become so cumbersome. "They don't pay enough to mess with coming here and getting it renewed," said Gant. "It isn't worth my time standing here in this line." But without Medicaid, he said he wouldn't be able to afford the medications he needs. So he must return every year. Under the bill considered by Congress, he may need to prove his continued eligibility for Medicaid twice a year, instead of once. Supporters of the measure say that it is meant to weed out fraud and abuse. For Alaska, that could mean additional strain on a workforce of eligibility technicians — half of whom left the division last year. "They can definitely figure out a different system," said Gant, who previously tried applying for benefits online. "Sometimes, I've been on the phone for six hours or more before I finally get tired." "There's nothing you can do except stand here," he said.
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21 hours ago
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Federal cuts force families to make difficult, and potentially deadly, choices
A mother rushes into the emergency department cradling her 6-month-old baby. He is lethargic, seizing and in critical condition. The cause? Severely low sodium levels in his blood — a result of formula diluted with extra water to make it last longer. With grocery prices climbing and her SNAP benefits running out before the end of the month, she felt she had no other choice. This story is not an outlier. Pediatric clinicians across Wisconsin are seeing the real and devastating consequences of policies that fail to prioritize the health and well-being of children and families. And now, the situation could get worse. The Trump Administration's proposed 'skinny' budget for Fiscal Year 2026 includes deep and dangerous cuts to federal programs that form the backbone of public health in our communities. These proposed reductions include: $18 billion from the National Institutes of Health – stalling critical pediatric research and innovation $3.5 billion from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – compromising disease surveillance, immunization programs, and emergency response efforts $1.73 billion from the Health Resources and Services Administration – cutting access to essential primary and preventive care services for children and families $674 million from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – threatening the Medicaid and CHIP programs that provide health coverage to nearly half of Wisconsin's children. Opinion: We asked readers about wake boats on Wisconsin lakes. Here's what you said. And as if that weren't enough, further reductions to SNAP and other nutrition support programs are also on the table. These aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet. These are lifelines. Vital services that help children survive and thrive. When families can't afford formula, when clinics lose funding for immunization programs, when children lose health coverage, the consequences are immediate and, in many cases, irreversible. As front-line providers, we witness this every day. We can do better. Our federal budget is a reflection of our national values. It should not balance its books on the backs of our youngest and most vulnerable. I implore Wisconsin's elected officials to reject this harmful budget proposal. Think of that infant in the emergency room. Think of the thousands of other children across our state whose health and future depend on robust public health infrastructure, access to care, and support for families in need. We urge lawmakers to work toward a bipartisan budget that invests in children, strengthens public health, and protects the building blocks of a healthy society. Wisconsin's children deserve every opportunity to grow up healthy and strong. Our chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners stands ready to partner in this effort. Let's move forward — not backward — when it comes to the health of our children. Christine Schindler is a critical care pediatric nurse practitioner at Children's WI, a clinical professor at Marquette University, and the President of the Wisconsin Chapter of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. She has been caring for critically ill and injured children for almost 30 years. All opinions expressed are her own. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Trump budget jeopardizes health of American children | Opinion
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a day ago
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OSU researching Asian Longhorned Tick that can be deadly for cattle
STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) — A heads up for cattle producers, there's a deadly tick in the United States, and researchers at Oklahoma State University are concerned. Last year, a case was found in the Eastern part of the state. 'These ticks can be so high on a single cow that they can actually result in so much blood loss that the animal can die from that,' said Dr. Jonathan Cammack, Assistant Professor at OSU and State Extension Specialist for Livestock, Entomology, and Parasitology. Dr. Jonathan Cammack said the Asian Longhorned Tick, also known ALT is native to East Asia. It was first seen in the U.S. a decade ago, and in Oklahoma last year when it was discovered on cattle in Craig County. LOCAL NEWS: Neighbors blame school construction for ongoing drainage crisis 'It's not going to have that bright white spot on it like a lone star. And they're also going to be very small, about half the size of the normal tick that we're usually expecting to see at this time of year,' said Dr. Cammack. They're also concerned with how fast the ticks can reproduce. 'They can reproduce asexually so they don't have that added challenge of locating a mate in the environment,' said Dr. Cammack. Which means a female can lay up to 2,500 eggs on one animal and that can consume enough blood to be deadly. Now, they're hoping research can help with ideas to slow or stop the spread. 'There's a project going on at the vet school where they're collecting ticks that are suspected to be Asian Longhorned Ticks, and then they're testing them for the presence of this pathogen,' said Dr. Cammack. The pathogen they're testing for is the Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype. This year, the team is looking for new cases of the tick, and they hope ranchers will help them with surveillance. LOCAL NEWS: 'He just stabbed me': New video shows Edmond officer stabbed during traffic stop 'It's just kind of, you know, being in tune with your animals, checking on them regularly, you know, not like you're saying every day, but you know, not also once a year either,' said Dr. Cammack. While they haven't seen any new cases in our state so far this year, the tick and pathogen are present in Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. If you see it on your cattle, call your local veterinarian or a local OSU Extension office so they can collect the ticks and get them tested. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
