Latest news with #KansasDepartmentofHealthandEnvironment
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Blue-green algae prompts health warnings at several kansas lakes
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) — State health and wildlife officials are warning Kansans to be cautious at a number of lakes this summer as blue-green algae blooms continue to pose health risks for both people and animals. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks issued multiple health advisories Friday, urging the public to avoid contact with affected water bodies and to watch for signs of harmful algae. Wichita activists plan peaceful protest on 'No Kings Day' Blue-green algae, also known as harmful algal blooms, can look like foam, paint, or scum on the water and appear in shades of blue, green, brown or red. The toxins they produce can be dangerous if ingested, inhaled, or touched, potentially causing skin rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and other symptoms. 'If the water looks suspicious or smells foul, stay out and keep pets away,' health officials say. Warning Level – Avoid Water Contact: Atchison City Lake #9 (Atchison County) Atchison State Fishing Lake (Atchison County) Frazier Lake (Grant County) Gathering Pond (Geary County) Jeffrey Energy Center Auxiliary Lake (Pottawatomie County) Jeffrey Energy Make-up Lake (Pottawatomie County) Watch Level – Algae May Be Present: Clinton Lake (Douglas County) Lake Parsons (Neosho County) Marion Reservoir (Marion County) Tuttle Creek Lake Zone A (Pottawatomie and Riley Counties) Warnock Lake (Atchison County) Advisory Lifted: Augusta Santa Fe Lake (Butler County) The severity of advisories ranges from Watch, indicating algae may be present, to Warning, meaning algae is confirmed and potentially harmful. In extreme cases, a Hazard status may be issued, recommending full or partial lake closures. Do not swim, wade, or ski near visible algae. Keep pets and livestock away from affected water. Rinse skin or pet fur with clean water after contact. Never drink untreated lake water. Only eat fillets from fish that have been rinsed with clean water. Exposure to blue-green algae can be particularly hazardous for animals. Pets that ingest algae-tainted water or eat dried algae along shorelines can become seriously ill or die. KDHE encourages the public to report suspected blooms year-round at For updates and a map of affected areas, visit For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Boil water advisory for city in Osage Co.
CARBONDALE (KSNT) – Kansas health officials say a boil water advisory is active for a city in Osage County this week. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued a boil water advisory for the Carbondale public water supply system on Wednesday. The advisory was placed due to a waterline break that put the system under bacterial contamination risk. The advisory will remain in effect until the KDHE rescinds it. Local residents are encouraged to take precautions while the advisory is active. These include the following: Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water. Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker. If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears. Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water. Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians. Deadly head-on crash reported in Cloud County The KDHE reports the advisory is being issued due to a loss of pressure in the public water supply system. A failure to maintain adequate pressure can result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination in the water, making it unhealthy to drink. People with questions are encouraged to call the water system at 785-437-2311 or contact the KDHE at 785-296-5514. More information on this issue can be found online by clicking here. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pawnee County measles cases deemed outbreak
Jun. 4—LARNED — With seven measles cases now on record in Pawnee County, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Monday added the current total to its outbreak status. Its latest dashboard posting noted that last week, seven more cases were added to the state's list, bringing the total to 71 since the beginning of the year. Measles was first reported in a Pawnee County resident by the Pawnee County Health Department to KDHE the last week of May. KDHE has also linked the Pawnee County cases to the outbreak affecting nine counties in southwest Kansas. Previous cases reported in Reno and Sedgwick counties are not connected. KDHE reported that of the total outbreak cases, 58 patients have never been vaccinated, with only five patients up to date on their vaccines. While the highly-contagious disease can cause serious health complications, especially in children under the age of 5, so far three cases have required hospitalization, with no deaths connected to the outbreak. KDHE updates its measles dashboard, available on its website, on Mondays and Wednesdays of each week. Numbers rising across the U.S. Measles cases continue to rise in the United States. As of May 29, 1,088 confirmed cases of measles have been reported, up from 1,049 measles cases as of May 22, according to data from the U.S. Centers Disease Control and Prevention. Measles have been reported in 33 states including Kansas. There have been 14 outbreaks reported in 2025, totaling 977 cases, or 90% of the confirmed cases for this year. In comparison, there were 16 outbreaks reported in 2024, and 69%, 198 of the total of 285 cases for the year, were associated with the outbreaks. About 30% of those cases involved children under the age of 5; 37% involve patients 5 to 19, 32% include adults 20 and older, and 1% whose age was unknown, according to the CDC. About 96% of the current cases include unvaccinated patients or those whose vaccination status was unknown. Another 1% involved patients who had received only one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Only 2% of the patients had received two doses of the vaccine. There have been 127 hospitalizations, or 12% of all cases, and three confirmed deaths. The CDC updates its measles dashboard every Friday.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
7 more measles cases in Kansas, outbreak in Pawnee County
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — More measles cases are popping up in Kansas, and one more county has been added to the outbreak in southwest Kansas. Seven more cases have been diagnosed, bringing the state's total to 71 since the beginning of the year. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment shows that the recent cases in Pawnee County are connected to the outbreak. Previous cases in Reno and Sedgwick counties are not connected. The KDHE updates its measles dashboard on Mondays and Wednesdays. County Last update (May 28) Monday, June 2, update Finney 1-5 cases 1-5 cases Ford 1-5 cases 1-5 cases Grant 1-5 cases 1-5 cases Gray 24 25 Haskell 10 11 Kiowa 6 6 Morton 1-5 cases 1-5 cases Pawnee 1-5 cases 7 cases Reno 1-5 cases 1-5 cases Sedgwick 1-5 cases 1-5 cases Stevens 7 7 Of the 69 outbreak cases, 58 patients have never been vaccinated, and only five people were up to date on their vaccinations. Measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5. So far, no Kansas cases have required hospitalization. According to the Centers for Disease Control, measles is highly contagious. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours. The KDHE reports that the first symptoms happen seven to 14 days after exposure. Measles typically begins with a high fever, possibly spiking to more than 104, a cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth two to three days after the symptoms begin. The measles rash appears three to five days after symptoms begin. Flat red spots appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. If you do not know if you are vaccinated against measles, there are a few ways to find out: Search the Kansas WebIZ Public Portal at Call the Kansas Immunization Program at 877-296-0464 (option 1) during regular business hours, Email KDHE Immunization Registry, Contact a health care provider to determine if you have received the vaccine, or Discuss whether it is appropriate to have a titer blood test done to assess your immunity level. The KDHE says unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people should consult a health care provider about receiving the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. Visit the KDHE website for more information about measles symptoms and prevention, and frequently asked questions. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Boil water advisory issued for Yates Center
YATES CENTER, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the city of Yates Center in Woodson County. Officials say residents should boil all water used for drinking, food preparation, brushing teeth, and washing dishes until further notice. Tap water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute before use. The advisory was issued as a precaution due to a potential risk of bacterial contamination. The cause of the issue and estimated time for resolution have not been released. Residents will be notified when it is safe to stop boiling water. $1.9 billion CHIPS grant denied for Kansas Updates will be provided by KDHE as test results become available. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
