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With many in Louisiana retreating to the water to cool off as summer temperatures rise, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) urge parents and caregivers to keep children safe in and around water this summer by ensuring that young children are properly supervised.
Louisiana had the nation's fourth highest AIDS case rate in 2010, and Baton Rouge and New Orleans were first and fifth, respectively, among U.S. cities in AIDS case rates. These high rankings emphasize the necessity for Louisianians to take action by getting tested for HIV.
Louisiana is experiencing record-breaking high temperatures. The heat, coupled with high humidity, can cause potentially deadly heat-related illnesses. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals and the Department of Children and Family Services encourage residents to take simple precautions to ensure their safety in the summer heat:
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals has reported the state's first case of West Nile virus in a human in 2012. The case was confirmed June 21 in St. Bernard Parish, and was asymptomatic, which means the individual had no sign of illness.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has identified a fourth case in the E. coli outbreak in Louisiana. The E. coli outbreak recently claimed the life of a child and has now sickened three adults in the Greater New Orleans area.
The hot and humid weekends are here, and as we move into summer, Louisiana families are already enjoying pools, lakes, rivers and beaches to cool off and enjoy fun in the sun. Swimming and water sports provide a great way to get exercise in the summer months, but things can quickly turn tragic and people can become sick if they don’t know the risks and take precautions. Extended sun exposure without sunscreen can also be damaging or deadly.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is celebrating National Women’s Health Week, May 13-19, with a series of statewide events that empower women to make their health a top priority.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) moved quickly Tuesday to close a Terrebonne parish molluscan shellfish harvesting area located in Basin 12, Area 23. DHH also ordered a recall of all oysters harvested from that area since April 26, 2012 including shucked, frozen, breaded, post- harvest processed and oysters for the half shell market.
What do the water you drink, the food you eat, the precautions you take in a natural disaster and the activities you do to be healthier have in common? They are all tied to public health programs and services, which are highlighted during National Public Health Week, April 2-8.
Louisiana health officials are urging people returning to residences damaged by Monday's floods to be aware of health and safety dangers that remain close to home.