City and county health officials are following up on the detection by air sensors of low levels of two bacteria brucella and Fransicella tularensis. The monitor detected brucella on December 10 and 13 and Fransicella tularensis on December 16. The detections occurred on the east side of Houston and Harris County.

The Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) will begin providing flu shots to people at high-risk of developing a serious case of influenza or influenza-related complications on Monday, Dec. 20.

The West End Multi-Service Center, 170 Heights Blvd., will host the Height’s Community Garage Sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 19-20. Booth space reservations are $20 for indoor booths and $15 for outdoor booths. For more information, call 713-866-4239.

Local public health authorities and infectious disease experts from the Texas Medical Center held a press conference today to provide an update on the local status of the national flu vaccine shortage. The vaccine shortage, caused by the failure of the pharmaceutical company Chiron to deliver 48 million doses of adult vaccine, has caused nationwide concern about the upcoming influenza season. 

Due to cooler temperatures in the Houston area, the Houston Department of Health and Human Services has announced the excessive heat advisory has ended.
 

A new federal grant and local bond funds will enable the Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) to renovate 250 inner-city homes with lead-based paint, a health risk to young, developing children.

The Latino HIV Task Force, a group of health agencies and community organizations, will offer free HIV testing October 15 as part of the second annual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day.

Undue fears about production of breast milk, possible conflicts with work or daily schedules and nursing in public deter mothers from breast-feeding — a practice that not only helps babies fight off illnesses but also lowers rates of certain breast and ovarian cancers.

The Latino HIV Task Force, a group of Houston health agencies, will sponsor a "Meet & Greet" membership breakfast from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 17 at the American Red Cross, 2700 Southwest Freeway.

The City of Houston's Heat Emergency Plan will go in effect Monday, August 2. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory expected to remain in effect for southeast Texas through at least Tuesday, August 3 . A heat advisory is issued when the heat index, a computation of the air temperature and humidity, reaches 108 degrees for two consecutive days.