The holiday season brings friends, family and lots of good food. From cooking the turkey to homemade pies, it is easy to forget safe food handling practices during the hustle and bustle. Every year, approximately 48 million people become ill with a foodborne illness. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) reminds everyone to practice…
Oklahoma has experienced a 283% increase in the number of congenital syphilis cases in women since 2014. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is already seeing a 92% increase in the number of cases from 2018 to 2019, and is urging health care providers to test patients during the first and third trimesters. Congenital…
October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month and Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) officials are reminding parents to maintain a safe sleep environment for children. Oklahoma has some cause to celebrate, as new data shows that the infant mortality rate in the State of Oklahoma has dropped nearly 8 percent from 7.7…
Oklahoma continues to take positive steps to reduce infant deaths. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) announced the state’s infant mortality rate (IMR) has decreased by 17% since 2007, equating to 183 more babies able to spend their first birthday with their families. “As we experience progress in eight of nine primary measures, including…
As temperatures climb, so does the risk for heat-related illness due to hyperthermia (overheating). The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) reminds parents that children’s bodies overheat easily, and infants and children under age 4 are among those at greatest risk for heat-related illnesses. Heat stroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash, vehicle–related…
In effort to help prevent injury and drowning, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) encourages the public to use caution and practice water safety. In Oklahoma, there were 296 drowning deaths reported from 2015-2018. Among adults, the most common places for drowning were natural bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, rivers, etc. One…
In June, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General sent out an alert about fraud schemes involving genetic or DNA testing, according to Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready. These scams have been targeting Medicare beneficiaries through phone calls, booths at public events, health fairs and door-to-door visits, Mulready said. “A…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced an extension of a grant providing $2.19 million dollars in funding for the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) to target people at higher risk for diabetes, heart disease and stroke. The funds provided will be available through June 29, 2020. The grant will be…
June is Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Awareness Month. CMV is a common virus which, in healthy people, can cause mild illness or no symptoms at all. While most are unaware they’ve been infected, the virus increases the risk of certain birth defects for unborn babies when a woman is exposed during pregnancy. Since most women are unaware…
As of last Friday, three more cases of measles have been identified in Okmulgee County. No new cases of measles have been identified in any counties outside of Okmulgee County. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) and the Okmulgee County Health Department said all three cases are close contacts of the initial case announced…