A recall alert has been issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services for Diamond Shruumz brand products after reports of severe illness in people who consumed them.

Public health officials have confirmed the state’s first case of the West Nile virus of 2023 in Dallas.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is alerting the public and healthcare professionals about suspected cases of fungal meningitis among Texas residents who got surgery in Matamoros, Mexico.

The infectious disease doctor has been at the helm of the department in an interim capacity since the fall, replacing longtime commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt following his retirement.

Texans who purchased oysters since Nov. 17 should not eat them or consider throwing out after the Texas Department of State Health Services announced a recall of all oysters harvested in one area of Galveston Bay.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that the Texas Department of State Health Services will deploy an additional 2,500 medical personnel to help assist hospitals and nursing homes in combat the rise in COVID-19 cases.

The Texas Department of State Health Services will provide an update on COVID-19 vaccine allocation and distribution.

HOUSTON – Texas health officials have expanded coronavirus vaccine eligibility requirements starting this week. In a tweet last week, officials at the Department of State Health Services said anyone 50 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday as part of the state’s Phase 1C rollout. People 50+ will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine beginning March 15. Texas will continue to protect those at the greatest risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and death. Get more information about vaccine appointments and waitlists at Click2Houston.com/vaccine.

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)HOUSTON – An announcement on the next phase of people who will be eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine could be made this week. According to Douglas Loveday, press officer for the Texas Department of State Health Services, the announcement of who will be included in the 1C group could come as soon as this week. This would be in addition to those already eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as part of phases 1A and 1B. AdTexas health officials said they expected to receive more than 1 million first doses of the vaccine this week. President Joe Biden has said there should be enough doses to vaccinate every American adult by the end of May.

HOUSTON – With thousands of doses of COVID-19 vaccines set to be distributed across Texas next week, the state is asking providers to put an emphasis on people 75 and older. “It doesn’t really change the eligibility, but this is a priority among the priority groups,” Van Deusen said. The East Alief clinic on West Sam Houston Parkway is set to receive 400 doses next week. “Our staff is calling the patients, reaching out to their family members and just informing them of when we get the doses.”AdShe said there’s a reason for focusing on older patients first. About two-thirds of the doses it receives will go to the Area Agency on Aging, which works with seniors.

HOUSTON – Texas health officials assured the public they were working with healthcare providers to make sure second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are available in a timely manner. As part of that effort, the state is ensuring healthcare provides are putting in orders for the second dose when the first doses are received. “I’ve made some medical appointments and procedures based on the fact that I thought I have my second vaccine by a certain date,” said Coffey. Some KPRC 2 viewers expressed concern they had not yet received an appointment for their second shot through the city of Houston. “Get the second dose as soon as you can, you don’t have to start it over.

HOUSTON – The Texas Department of State Health Services says some healthcare workers are growing frustrated since they’re not affiliated with large institutions to receive the vaccine for coronavirus. Click here for clarification on who is in Phase 1A and Phase 1B. Guidance on Vaccinating Phase 1A and 1B Populations“As COVID-19 vaccine begins to be distributed more widely in Texas, the opportunity to vaccinate additional individuals will increase. The state-issued guidance to move down the priority list from frontline workers to essential workers and people 65 and older. We anticipate continuing to offer to all in the initial 1a tier even as we move into vaccinations for tier 1b.

HOUSTON – The Department of State Health Services has given entities the go-ahead to begin vaccinating people eligible for Phase 1B, after vaccinating as many willing members of Phase 1A. According to McCarthy, almost 10,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered at Memorial Hermann as part of Phase 1A. “1A was really first-line medical responder’s, not just the doctors in hospitals but their clinic staff and EMS providers,” McCarthy said. “What the state has said is we don’t have to wait until we have every 1A individual classified as long as we are still getting them vaccinated,” McCarthy said. McCarthy said Memorial Hermann could open up for Phase 1B as early as next week but said they are still working on how those eligible will be identified.

The Houston-area’s first batch of the coronavirus vaccine will include 59,475 doses of the inoculation, state health authorities announced last week. Greg Abbott said that the state would receive its first allotment of the vaccine — approximately 1.4 million doses from the drug makers Pfizer and Moderna — beginning in mid-December, pending federal approval. 21 hospitals in Harris County, four in Montgomery County, one in Galveston County and one in Fort Bend County were selected to receive the vaccine. “I intend to take the vaccine and I intend to get vaccinated in a very public way. Here’s a list of the local hospitals set to receive the state’s first allocation of the vaccine.

HOUSTON – Sam Houston State University and the Texas State University System are aiming to hire approximately 200 COVID-19 contact tracers statewide ahead of an expected resurgence of the novel coronavirus this fall. Greg Abbott in April set a goal of employing 4,000 contact tracers by June 1 as part of his phased reopening plan. In late April, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials estimated that Texas would need almost 9,000 contact tracers. The state partnered with the Texas State University System to “provide additional flexibility as the pandemic continues,” he said. “As it stands, there are enough contact tracers in the call center to handle the current workload,” Van Deusen said.