Latest news with #DSHS
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fox tests positive for rabies in Wimberley community, HCSO says
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A fox tested positive for rabies in Wimberley on Friday, according to the Hays County Sheriff's Office. HCSO said in a social media post that a fox 'was found exhibiting abnormal behavior' in the Palo Pinto Path in Wimberley, which is near Cypress Creek. The agency said the fox was tested by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and that was when the test confirmed to be positive for the virus. 'We are asking all people to please be careful. If you come in contact with a fox please do not touch it. There has been no known human contact with this fox,' HCSO said. If anyone in the community may have come into physical contact with the fox can call HCSO, Animal Control Unit at (512) 393-7896, the Hays County Health Department Epidemiology Department at (512) 393-5520 option 3, or DSHS Zoonosis Control at (254) 778-6744, the agency said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on the planet': Experts collect, test mosquitos for viruses
AUSTIN (KXAN) — As summer approaches, so do mosquitoes and the threat of the West Nile virus. The West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease, and it is commonly spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. In 2024, Texas saw 176 human cases of West Nile according to the CDC. Seven of the cases in 2024 were in Travis County, two were in Hays County, and two were in Williamson County. READ MORE: How to keep mosquitoes away: Tips from Texans, pest control experts It's important to note that there can be more cases than what's reported, as there is a lag in case reporting to the CDC. Some states and territories may publish their data earlier than the CDC. Jason Fritz works with the Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCD) to collect mosquitoes, setting various traps in different cities. 'They're only set for about 12 to 18 hours, and most of the action that these traps get is overnight,' Fritz said. Fritz analyzes how the mosquito populations are fluctuating and the types of mosquitoes that exist. Once Fritz collects the mosquitoes, they are sent to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for testing. Bethany Bolling oversees mosquito virus testing at DSHS. 'When we have a positive, we call that a positive mosquito pool,' Bolling said. 'When we refer to a mosquito pool, that's a tube of mosquitoes that came from a certain trap on a certain day that was tested and came up positive for a virus.' The process of testing the mosquitoes consists of a lot of steps, such as freezing, sorting, grinding the mosquitoes, extracting the RNA, etc. If there is a positive result for a virus, Bolling's team will notify the city of where the mosquitoes originated from. 'Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on the planet,' Bolling said. 'By doing surveillance and providing these services to local jurisdictions—they can monitor mosquitoes in their local area. 'Once they give us those results, I'll use that information to make recommendations to our city officials,' Fritz said. In KXAN's viewing area, there have not been any positive West Nile cases so far this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas restaurants cheer changes to permits, fees from new law
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Monday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill intended to standardized the regulation of the state's food service industry. Senate Bill 1008 passed in the Senate on April 9 and in the House of Representatives on May 5, with bipartisan support in both chambers. The Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) called its 'signature bill' of the legislative session in a Tuesday press release. 'This new law…improves transparency and predictability for our industry, which is regulated by about 200 different health departments across Texas,' said the TRA in its release. For restaurants and other food service, the bill creates a cap on permitting fees, removes sound regulation permits and fees, and also requires local public health agencies notify via email 60 days prior to changing its permitting or health inspection procedures. The fee cap is set to what a restaurant would pay if it were under the Texas Department of State Health Services' jurisdiction. Travis County businesses likely won't see a drop in their operating permit fees, which are well below DSHS levels. For other businesses under Austin Public Health, this law will likely decrease those fees. The APH fee schedule can be read below. EHSD-Fee-Schedule-FY2024-Tabloid-eff-5-8-2024Download Texas' largest counties, including Travis County, will be allowed to charge up to 120% more if 'necessary to protect public safety and maintain adequate food safety staffing levels in the county, municipality, or district.' 'Each of these reforms matter, and together they bring real relief, especially for the small businesses that make up 90% of our foodservice industry,' the TRA said. 'Today's economy is marked with tremendous uncertainty and cost pressures, but SB 1008 is an example of the bipartisan work the Texas Restaurant Association leads to mitigate these pressures, helping local restaurants save money and focus on what really matters—serving their communities.' Beyond the TRA, the bill also received support from the Texas Trucking Association, wholesale food distributor Sysco and restaurant owners during a March 18 public hearing of the Senate Business & Commerce committee, according to legislative records. No one testified against the bill during the March hearing, but officials with the Bexar County Commissioners Court, Tarrant County Administrator's Office and the City of Irving registered their opposition to the bill. The Legislative Budget Board said in its fiscal note on SB 1008 that implementation will cost Texas' budget at least $140,000 annually. This money would be used to employ a person 'to maintain and monitor the fee registry.' However, the cost could increase rapidly if DSHS also has to take on health inspections, the board warned. 'DSHS is unable to estimate how many local jurisdictions would opt to cease inspection and permitting for retail foods establishments. If these activities were turned over to DSHS, the agency would need additional support for inspection and permitting activities,' the fiscal note reads. The law takes effect at the start of September. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will any South African refugees resettle in WA state under Trump order?
Earlier this week a few dozen South Africans seeking asylum arrived in the U.S., and some are settling in the Pacific Northwest. Nine of the immigrants, who claim they are seeking refuge from anti-white discrimination, will settle in Idaho. Will any of the new arrivals be going to Washington state? Here's what to know. So far, a January executive order from President Donald Trump has led to the arrival of close to 50 Afrikaners — a term that refers to South Africans descended from Dutch settlers. According to the Washington Post, on Monday, May 12, they arrived at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. They were transported aboard a U.S.-funded charter plane. Those in Idaho will be assisted by the Idaho Office for Refugees, a nonprofit designated to oversee the resettlement program for Idaho. The office confirmed to the Idaho Statesman that nine of the South Africans would be resettling in Twin Falls. They will also be assisted by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. The resettlement program is tied to a land reform law passed earlier this year by the South African government that allows for land seizures without compensation in rare circumstances. According to reporting from NPR, no land has been seized. Whites in South Africa comprise about 7 percent of the population, yet own the vast majority of commercial farmland. The land reform law makes no specific mention of race and is similar to the rarely-used tool of eminent domain that exists in the U.S. A U.S. State Department notice about the program notes that applicants 'must be able to articulate a past experience of persecution or fear of future persecution.' According to reporting from the New York Times, about 8,000 individuals are interested in the program. Afrikaners are resettling in a number of states, but there is no full list currently available. However, according to reporting from NPR and the New York Times, Idaho, Nevada, Minnesota, Iowa and New York are some of the states where the first groups are going. At the time of publication, there was no indication that any of the initial group of Afrikaners, nor future groups, will be initially resettled in Washington. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, which oversees the state's Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, told McClatchy that it hadn't been told of any plans to resettle Afrikaners in Washington as of Thursday afternoon. 'DSHS has not received any information about any refugees resettling in Washington state through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, but this could change at any point in time,' DSHS spokesperson Norah West told McClatchy in an email. 'DSHS is in communication with [the Office of Refugee Resettlement], and we could anticipate new arrivals from South Africa coming to Washington state in future efforts led by the federal government.'
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Measles cases in two Dallas-Fort Worth counties linked to West Texas outbreak, state says
Measles cases linked to a West Texas outbreak have now been confirmed in two North Texas counties, marking the virus's continued spread across the state. State health officials said cases have been identified in Collin and Rockwall counties, four months after the initial cluster was reported in Gaines County, more than 300 miles west of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Five additional measles cases in the D-FW area and one in Denton County have not been linked to the West Texas outbreak. Latest: 717 cases, 2 children dead Measles disease outbreak concept design with orange and yellow virus along glowing typography. Measles virus, health, emergency background / Getty Images Since January, Texas has recorded 717 measles cases, primarily in West Texas, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Fewer than 10 cases, or less than 1%, are currently considered infectious. The outbreak has led to 93 hospitalizations and two deaths among school-aged children, both of whom were unvaccinated and had no known underlying health conditions, DSHS said. Outbreak spreads beyond West Texas Meanwhile, 71 cases have been reported in New Mexico and 17 in Oklahoma, according to the agency. "Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities," DSHS said in Tuesday's release. According to DSHS, ongoing measles transmission has been reported in the counties of Cochran, Dallam, Dawson, Gaines, Lamar, Lubbock, Terry, and Yoakum. Meanwhile, Garza and Lynn counties have been removed from the active transmission list after 42 days — equivalent to two full incubation periods — without any new infectious cases, the agency said. The state continues to post updates on Tuesdays and Fridays. The symptoms of measles High fever, up to 105°F Cough Runny nose Red, watery eyes Sore throat Rash: typically appears 3–5 days after initial symptoms, starting on the face and spreading downward While most people's symptoms improve, about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who get measles will be hospitalized. About 1 out of every 1,000 children with measles will develop brain swelling that can lead to brain damage, and up to 3 of every 1,000 children who become infected will die, the CDC says. CBS News Texas will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.
