Latest news with #EctorCountyHealthDepartment
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Ector County Health Department warns of rising campylobacter and salmonella cases
Editor's note: The video above is not directly related to this article, but shares key information on how to wash your fruits and vegetables in order to prevent the spread of salmonella and other foodborne diseases. ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- As summer temperatures rise in West Texas, so do concerns over foodborne illnesses. The Ector County Health Department has issued a public advisory following a noticeable increase in reported cases of campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis in the community. Campylobacter and Salmonella are two of the most common bacterial culprits behind foodborne illness in the United States. Both can cause gastrointestinal infections, leading to symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. While many healthy individuals recover without treatment, the infections can be dangerous, sometimes even life-threatening, for young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems. Campylobacteriosis is typically contracted through undercooked poultry, unpasteurized milk, or contaminated water. Salmonellosis is most often linked to raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, and produce. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Salmonella causes approximately 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the U.S. each year. While this summer's local advisory doesn't point to a specific outbreak, Ector County has faced foodborne illness events before. In 2016, a salmonella outbreak linked to a local restaurant resulted in multiple confirmed cases. Nationally, recent recalls, including tomatoes and eggs, have highlighted ongoing risks tied to foodborne bacteria, especially during warmer months when pathogens thrive. The Ector County Health Department recommends the following steps to prevent foodborne illness: Proper food handling: Cook all meat, especially poultry, to the appropriate internal temperature. For example, poultry should reach at least 165°F. Use a food thermometer to confirm. Avoid cross-contamination: Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and produce. Wash hands, surfaces, and utensils with hot, soapy water after contact with raw foods. Choose pasteurized products: Opt for pasteurized milk, juices, and egg products whenever possible. Drink safe water: Avoid untreated water, especially when traveling. Boil or filter when necessary. Practice good hygiene: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after preparing food, after bathroom use, and after handling animals. Anyone experiencing symptoms of foodborne illness should seek medical attention, especially if symptoms are severe or persistent. Healthcare providers are required to report confirmed cases to the Texas Department of State Health Services to aid in monitoring and outbreak response. Health officials stress the importance of prevention, especially as warm weather increases the risk of bacterial growth in improperly stored or prepared food. For more information or updates, visit the Ector County Health Department's website or contact their office directly. Stay safe and enjoy a healthy summer, Ector County. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ector County Health Department confirms 2 new positive cases of measles in Ector County residents
Mar. 27—The Health Department has confirmed the fourth case of measles in Ector County, the first case was in an infant too young to be vaccinated, the second case was a child who was recently vaccinated with the MMR vaccine and developed mild symptoms making this case potentially vaccine associated. The two new cases were reported March 27, both are adults vaccinated with at least one MMR vaccine, no international travel identified. Ector County Health Department will continue to gather details and contact potential individuals who may have been exposed. Potential Exposed Locations — 3/21/2025 — Dollar General 3551 Faudree Rd., Odessa (Evening) — 3/17/2025, 3/18/2025, 3/22/2025 — Walmart Supercenter 4210 John Ben Shepperd Pkwy., Odessa — 3/22/2025 — Sam's Club 4230 John Ben Shepperd Pkwy., Odessa (12 p.m. -3:45 p.m.) — PetSmart 2022 E 42nd St., Odessa (2 p.m — 5 p.m.) If you feel that you may have been exposed or showing any symptoms, contact your provider. Do not show up at the provider's office, hospital, or clinic. Call ahead and get guidance to eliminate future community spread from occurring. Measles is a serious illness that can lead to severe complications, especially in children. Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a red rash. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets and can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours. People are contagious for four days before the rash starts to four days after it appears. Measles Symptoms: Symptoms appear 7 to 21 days after contact with the virus, and may include: — High fever — Cough — Runny nose — Red, watery eyes — 2-3 days after symptoms begin; tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth. — 3-5 days after symptoms begin; a rash that appears flat and red may appear on the face and hairline. This rash tends to spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. Seek immediate emergency care if you experience: — High fever (over 103 F) — Difficulty breathing — Signs of severe complications like seizures, confusion, or extreme fatigue/weakness — Dehydration
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cervical cancer prevention in Odessa
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – As of October 24, 2000, President William Clinton signed into law the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-354). This Act gives states the option to provide medical assistance through Medicaid to women who have been screened for and found to have breast or cervical cancer, including precancerous conditions, through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). The Permian Women's Center advises that women ages 25 to 65 should get a Pap test every three years or an HPV test every five years, as a way to prevent health complications. In the Basin the Ector County Health Department offers free cervical cancer screenings on Thursdays, by appointment only, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The requirements for free screening at ECHD are: Female 21-65 years old Must have a Texas address No prior diagnosis of cervical cancer For more information or to book an appointment you can visit the Ector County Health Department. In Midland, you can visit Midland Women's Clinic or Gynecologic Oncology at Texas Oncology-Midland Allison Cancer Center for testing. Free informational resources online include Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Measles outbreak sparks concern
Feb. 26—In the wake of two confirmed cases of measles, Ector County is monitoring and preparing for the disease. The Ector County Health Department has scheduled MMR vaccine clinics 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Feb. 27 and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. March 6 at the health department, 221 N. Texas Ave., Odessa. Pre-registration is recommended to cut down on wait times, a Facebook post stated. Also, pregnant women cannot get the live vaccine. County Judge Dustin Fawcett said Wednesday the county's priority is making sure that the resources are allocated appropriately. At the Feb. 25 commissioners court meeting, they agreed to purchase a specialized negative 70 degrees Celsius freezer that can be used to store measles test kits prior to the kits being sent to the state, he added. The freezer can also be used for other types of test kits and the county hopes to recoup some of the cost by charging clinics and doctors who need to store items there. "(The freezer) is something that we are seeing that is needed for our community so that we can send those tests down to the state because the state is the one that ultimately runs those verifications and either affirms or tells us that those cases are negative. We just had several of those actually that have come back negative that we had sent down. We had sent down three and all three of the specimens that we were awaiting the results (for) came back negative," Fawcett said. Vaccinations and testing can be done at any one of the 29 different medical providers in Ector County, or at the health department, he said. "When it comes to the testing, we encourage the parents, and I can't state the importance of this enough, that we encourage them to call their provider ahead of time (and) tell them the symptoms that they are seeing before taking their kids in. Do not just do a drop in because of the highly infectious nature of this disease. It's got over a 90 percent contagion rate, meaning that there's a 90 percent chance, if you're in the same room as someone who's infected, that within that two-hour period, which is the lifespan of that disease at airborne, that you can contract if you are unvaccinated," Fawcett said. All children in Ector County under the age of 1 year are at risk from measles, he said. "So certainly our focus is on daycares. Unfortunately, our public health department has been working on speaking with the owners of all of our daycare facilities. We have a good relationship with them, making sure that they continue to push out education to parents that if their kids do have any of these symptoms, they must stay home. We know that there is an economic cost to that, but there is a greater health concern, because of the contagious nature of this disease," Fawcett said. Another big concern, he said, is the elderly and immunocompromised population. "That is certainly a concern is that folks who (are) immunocompromised health issues ... are at risk also," Fawcett said. The zero to 4-year-old population is a concern because only about half of them are vaccinated, so the county is monitoring that. Fawcett said there is a contact tracer at the health department who is tracking measles. "We have the scenario built up for our one confirmed case. We have a hypothesis of when (the child) perhaps contracted the measles and we have been making sure that we have come in contact with everybody who could have come in contact with that child. We are working diligently on that aspect of it and we're having daily conversations with the Department of State Health Services," he added. School age children are 5 to 18 so the vaccination rate among children 5 to 9 is 73 percent, Fawcett said and 10 to 19 is 84 percent. "School age is typically 5 to 18, but daycares are also hubs of these children and so we can't neglect that piece of data which is that 52.8 percent vaccination rate for the 6 month to 4-year-olds of the MMR," Fawcett said. The concern with vaccinating as young as 6 months is that the efficacy of the vaccine could be minimized. If a child gets the measles vaccine under 12 months, they may have to have it again at 12 to 15 months to be considered fully vaccinated. "That's not as concerning health-wise, but again, these are conversations that everybody needs to have with their providers and we encourage them to have those conversations with them," Fawcett said. A news release from the Immunization Partnership said several news sources reported Feb. 26 that health officials have confirmed the death of an unvaccinated school age child in West Texas due to measles, marking the first fatality in a significant outbreak that began last month. The Immunization Partnership continues to monitor the situation and is collaborating with health officials in West Texas to provide resources and amplify public health warnings. This tragic loss underscores the urgent need for vaccination and community-wide efforts to prevent further spread of this highly contagious disease, the release said. The Immunization Partnership release stated it is the only organization in Texas dedicated to restoring trust in vaccines through education and public engagement. "Our thoughts are with those grieving this unimaginable loss. Measles is not just another illness — it can have devastating consequences, especially for infants and children, those with weakened immune systems, and individuals who cannot be vaccinated, TIP Executive Director Terri Burke stated in the release. "No one should have to endure such a preventable loss, and this moment serves as a painful reminder of the importance of protecting one another through vaccination," Burke added. The MMR (Mumps, Measles, Rubella) vaccine is a two-dose regimen. The first is recommended between 12 months and 15 months. And the second is typically given between 4 and 6 years of age. Generally speaking, children with weakened immune systems, those with allergies to a component of the vaccine and pregnant women, she said. Children under 5, unvaccinated, pregnant women, those with weakened immune systems including those with HIV/AIDs are the most vulnerable to the disease, Burke said. Measles is not just a rash — it can cause pneumonia, blindness, and as we have now seen death, she said. The county where it started has a nearly 18 percent non-medical exemption rate — meaning parents have filed a notarized form with their schools to opt their children out of required vaccines. Only 82 percent of kindergartners were vaccinated last school year — public health officials agree that it takes a 95 percent rate to have herd immunity. Parents have been urged to keep their unvaccinated children at home for 21 days but that is obviously difficult for many families, Burke said. In 2000, the U.S. announced it was eradicated. But at the same time, a now debunked paper (the author was ultimately stripped of his medical license) was published saying measles vaccine caused autism. Cases started popping up in Gaines County and Burke said it has now spread to neighboring counties including Lea County, N.M. Asked if the cause of the outbreak was at least partly to do with the anti-vaccination movement that came to prominence during COVID Burke said the anti-vaccination movement has been around for a while, "but yes, the rhetoric that surrounded the COVID pandemic and subsequent vaccines exacerbated the already growing anti-vax movement." The United Family issued a news release Wednesday stating that United Supermarkets, Amigos, and Market Street Pharmacies in Texas can administer the Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) vaccine in store. With convenient locations and evening and weekend hours, the pharmacy can provide an alternative to doctor's offices. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 124 measles cases have been identified with symptom onset within the last three weeks. Eighteen of the patients have been hospitalized and there has been one death of a school-age child. Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities, the release said. For vaccines, the release said: — No appointment is necessary. Guests can walk in to talk to a pharmacist and request an MMR vaccine. — Pharmacists can vaccinate children age 13 and under with a prescription from their doctor. They can vaccinate children 14 and up without a prescription. — Post-exposure prophylaxis is available for adults within 3 days of exposure.
Daily Tribune
22-02-2025
- Health
- Daily Tribune
Measles Outbreak in Rural West Texas Grows to 90 Cases, 16 Hospitalized
The measles outbreak in rural West Texas has escalated, with 90 confirmed cases across seven counties, according to the latest update from the state health department on Friday. Sixteen individuals have been hospitalized as the highly contagious disease continues to spread. Meanwhile, in neighboring eastern New Mexico, health officials have reported nine measles cases. However, state public health authorities confirmed on Thursday that there is no known connection between the outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico. Spread of the Virus The majority of cases in West Texas are concentrated in Gaines County, which has reported 57 infections, and Terry County, where 20 cases have been confirmed. Dawson County, east of Gaines, has recorded six new cases, while Yoakum County has four. Lubbock, Lynn, and Ector counties each have a single reported case. According to state health data, the outbreak has predominantly affected children. Of the reported cases, 26 involve children under the age of four, while 51 cases are in individuals aged 5-17. Ten adult cases have been recorded, and three cases remain under age verification. The Ector County Health Department confirmed that its case involves a child too young to receive vaccination. Health officials have described this outbreak as Texas' largest in nearly three decades. Lara Anton, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, stated that the majority of cases are linked to a "close-knit, undervaccinated" Mennonite community, particularly among families who either homeschool their children or send them to small private religious schools. In New Mexico, all nine reported cases have been in Lea County, which borders Gaines County, Texas. State health officials have identified several locations where individuals may have been exposed, including a grocery store, an elementary school, a church, Nor-Lea Hospital, and a Walgreens in Hobbs, New Mexico. Understanding Measles Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus capable of lingering in the air for up to two hours. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), up to 90% of unvaccinated individuals who come into contact with the virus will become infected. While most children recover from measles, the infection can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling, and even death. Health officials continue to urge vaccination as the most effective protection against the disease. As the outbreak unfolds, authorities in both Texas and New Mexico are working to contain the spread, emphasizing the importance of immunization and timely medical intervention.
