Just when we were finally getting comfortable pronouncing “chikungunya,” a new viral disease spread by Aedes species mosquitoes has appeared in the Americas. Zika virus, which causes symptoms of fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes, was first detected in Brazil during May 2015. The virus has since spread to 18 Brazilian states, as well as Colombia, [...]
Part two of the blog series on healthy New Year’s resolutions focuses on quitting smoking and getting screened for cancer. Be sure to take a look at the blog that can help you eat healthier and be more active. Quit Smoking Quitting smoking can add years to your life, and life to your years! But [...]
As the new year quickly approaches, many of us will be making resolutions to improve our lives. There are four simple things you can do to improve your health in 2016: eat healthier meals, be more physically active, quit smoking, and get screened for cancer. Today we will focus on simple things you can do [...]
Since October of 2014, local health departments have worked with ADHS, CDC, and other federal partners to monitor travelers returning from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea for signs and symptoms of Ebola. In total, around 200 travelers returning to Arizona have been monitored. Back in September, monitoring of travelers returning from Liberia ended, due to [...]
One Health and Animal Disease Surveillance Did you know that many of the diseases that make people sick can also affect animals? “One Health” is the idea that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are tightly connected, and all affect each other. A better understanding of diseases in animals can help predict disease [...]
Several of our staff have participated in Governor Ducey’s Transformation of Arizona State Government project, which is a multifaceted approach to rethink how state government operates and conducts business with internal stakeholders and external customers. One of the recent successes of the project was the Permit Blitz that streamlined and developed a set of best [...]
As the holiday and gift giving season approaches, it’s important for parents and caregivers to remember to choose toys with care to keep children safe. Keep in mind the child’s age, interests and skill level. Look for quality design and construction in all toys. Make sure that all directions or instructions are clear. And plastic [...]
The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay. Here at ADHS, we partner with CDC to distribute these vaccines to nearly 900 private vaccine providers and public health clinics throughout the state. Maintaining [...]
Public health preparedness is critical to ensure rapid and effective response to emergencies, outbreaks, and disasters. For the last several years, CDC has released a national snapshot of states’ performance on key public health indicators. As we’ve seen year over year, Arizona continues to score high marks on preparedness. Like last year, this year we [...]
