Texas Department of State Health Services

Texas seeks federal aid for COVID-19 testing and treatment

December 31, 2021 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas officials on Friday requested federal aid for increased COVID-19 testing and treatment following reports that the state is running low on the antibody treatment that has proved most effective against the omicron variant.

1st Texas case of omicron variant reported in Houston area

December 7, 2021 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Houston-area woman has been confirmed as having the first case of the omicron variant of COVID-19 in Texas, state health officials reported Monday.

Genetic sequencing tests this week showed that the Harris County woman's recent COVID-19 case was the omicron variant, according to a statement from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s COVID claim denounced as racist

By ACACIA CORONADOAugust 21, 2021 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas' lieutenant governor blamed rising hospitalization and death rates from COVID-19 on unvaccinated Black people — comments that were quickly denounced as racist.

Texas sees most COVID-19 hospitalizations in 6 months

By TERRY WALLACE and JUAN A. LOZANOAugust 10, 2021 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — The third wave of COVID-19 in Texas continues to tax the state’s health care systems as 10,000 COVID-19 sufferers have been hospitalized for the first time since early February, state health officials reported.

Texas COVID-19 wave is climbing more steeply than past waves

By TERRY WALLACEAugust 5, 2021 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — The increasing rates of new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Texas are showing steeper jumps than past surges, state health officials said Wednesday as they stressed the need to be fully vaccinated to slow the state's third wave brought on by the delta variant.

Death toll rises to 210 from February cold wave in Texas

July 14, 2021 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — State officials on Tuesday added 59 deaths to the toll wrought by the Feb. 14 cold wave and the ensuing collapse of the Texas electric power grid.

The deaths newly tallied by the Texas Department of State Health Services boost the toll from 151 to 210 deaths, most from exposure to the sometimes-subzero temperatures.

Health officials watching mosquitoes in Texas after Harvey

By JAMIE STENGLEOctober 7, 2017 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — Health officials in Texas will be on watch in coming weeks for any increases in mosquito-borne diseases including the West Nile and Zika viruses after Harvey's heavy rains and flooding brought water that filled ponds and ditches and crept into trash and debris that piled up...

City health department to start mosquito reporting site

By FRANK GARZA Staff WriterSeptember 22, 2017 GMT

The City of Brownsville Public Health Department hopes to construct a “mosquito forecast” in order to combat Zika.

City health officials recognize, however, that they cannot do it alone. That is why they are inviting the public to contribute to their effort, said Art Rodriguez, the city director of public health.

State, local leaders to meet; Letter sent to area officials about Zika prevention

By LAURA B. MARTINEZ Staff WriterMay 5, 2017 GMT

Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt will meet today with county judges and local mayors at a Zika prevention roundtable in Brownsville.

Zika virus investigation ongoing in McAllen

BY MITCHELL FERMAN | STAFF WRITERFebruary 25, 2017 GMT

McALLEN — A case of the Zika virus is under investigation by city and county officials here. This would mark the first case of Zika in McAllen and the seventh in Hidalgo County, dating back to 2015, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

CDC, county advise Zika testing for pregnant women in Brownsville

By FRANK GARZA Staff WriterDecember 15, 2016 GMT

In response to the five locally transmitted cases of Zika in Brownsville, health officials in Cameron County are issuing new guidance for pregnant women in the area.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday designated Brownsville as a Zika cautionary (yellow) area.

4 more Zika cases, likely homegrown, found in Texas

By JAMIE STENGLEDecember 10, 2016 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — Four more cases of Zika that were likely transmitted by mosquito bites in Texas have been found in the same neighborhood where the state's first such case was discovered, state health officials said Friday.

State slow to issue birth certificates for children of immigrant mothers

Kristian HernandezAugust 24, 2016 GMT

It has been more than one month since the state of Texas and local immigration attorneys reached an agreement allowing mothers in the country illegally to acquire birth certificates for their U.S.-born children, but local registrars have not been advised of what this agreement entails.