Latest news with #KansasDepartmentofHealthandEnvironment
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- 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
3 days ago
- 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
6 days ago
- 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.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
State issues blue-green algae warnings for Kansas lakes
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) — State health and wildlife officials have issued warnings for several Kansas lakes due to potentially toxic blue-green algae blooms, urging residents and visitors to stay alert while enjoying water activities this summer. Car crashes into Garden City home The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in coordination with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), issued a public health advisory as part of its Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) response program, which runs each year from April through October. Current advisories include: Warning: Frazier Lake (Grant County) Gathering Pond (Geary County) Marion Reservoir (Marion County – status elevated May 30) Watch: Augusta Santa Fe Lake (Butler County – status lowered May 30) Lifted: Pony Creek Lake (Brown County) Officials say blue-green algae can appear as foam, scum, or paint on the water's surface, in colors ranging from blue and green to brown or red. Blooms can form quickly and may be harmful to humans and animals through skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation. 'Symptoms from exposure may include rash, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, and fever,' KDHE said. 'If you or your pets come into contact with algae, rinse thoroughly with clean water.' The advisory outlines different safety levels: A Warning means harmful algae is expected or present. Swimming and water contact should be avoided, and pets should not drink or enter the water. A Watch indicates algae may be present. Water activities near visible blooms are discouraged, but boating and fishing are generally safe with precautions. A Hazard status—none currently in effect—signals extreme conditions and could lead to lake closures. KDHE encourages Kansans to report suspected blooms year-round and offers resources for identifying algae and staying safe at 'Blooms can be deadly for pets,' the agency warns. 'Dogs are especially vulnerable if they drink or come into contact with contaminated water or eat dried algae on the shore.' For updates, public advisories, and a map of affected lakes, visit the KDHE Harmful Algal Bloom page. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Six more measles cases in Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports six more people have measles in Kansas since last week's update. One of the measles patients has been hospitalized. Since the beginning of the year, 64 people have contracted measles in Kansas, and there have been three hospitalizations. The cases have been in 11 counties. Pawnee County was added over the weekend. The KDHE reports that most cases are part of an outbreak in southwest Kansas. So far, the experts do not believe the Sedgwick, Reno and Pawnee county cases are part of the outbreak. Most measles cases have been reported in children. Age Group Cases 0-4 22 5-10 18 11-13 7 14-17 4 18-24 2 25-34 5 35-44 4 45-54 1 55-64 1 65+ 0 Of the outbreak cases, 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 says 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. Why measles cases can be hard to track 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
