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Baton Rouge – The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has updated the Department of Health and Hospitals on two new developments in the on going investigation of human dioxin exposure in Calcasieu Parish.
Baton Rouge --- Two dead blue jays from Assumption and Jackson parishes and a dead cardinal from Union Parish have pushed Louisiana’s count of West Nile positive dead birds past 30. The total number of dead birds infected with the virus is now 33, with 541 birds tested this year and 3,091 reported. The three parishes these new dead birds came from previously had no birds that tested positive for the virus. West Nile specimens now have appeared in 24 parishes statewide.
Baton Rouge --- Phase One of Louisiana’s program to vaccinate health care workers against smallpox has ended, and many have labeled the program a success.
Baton Rouge --- The Department of Health and Hospitals today awarded a contract to two consulting groups to help the Department of Health and Hospitals make the most of its federal funds. The contract was part of a mandate from Gov. Mike Foster’s office that asked the department investigate where it could recover additional federal revenues in the budget.
Baton Rouge – The federal government recently published new guidelines that will allow people to earn more money yet still qualify for some Medicaid programs.
Warm weather causes children to swarm onto the playgrounds at parks, schools and other public facilities. The Department of Health and Hospitals’ Office of Public Health, along with other agencies, wants to make sure bumps, bruises and broken bones do not spoil a good time.
The Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health reports 21 birds in 17 parishes statewide have tested positive for West Nile virus. Caddo, Calcasieu, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lincoln, Livingston, Orleans, Ouachita, Rapides, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vernon, Washington and West Baton Rouge parishes all have had positive birds. No human cases have been reported this year.
The federal government recently published new guidelines that will allow people to earn more money yet still qualify for some Medicaid programs.
The health department had three dead birds tested positive for traces of West Nile virus this week.
Tuesday, the Department of Health and Hospitals took more steps to balance its Medicaid budget by implementing spending cuts that will save approximately $8.3 million this current fiscal year. DHH is still investigating other ways to solve the current shortfall in the Medicaid program that is estimated to be at least $70 million.
According to a recent survey, one in four middle school-aged children in the state use tobacco products. This statistic, along with several others, was obtained through the Louisiana Youth Tobacco Survey (LYTS).
The Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health has awarded a $3.7 million loan to the City of Westlake to help the community improve its drinking water. The loan was finalized last Thursday, March 27.