The student at a Houston Independent School District’s Bonham Elementary School has died after testing positive for Meningococcal Disease.

The Houston Health Dept. ordered the Turkey Leg Hut to shut down after finding 35 health code violations

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are SERIOUS risks in these unfavorable weather conditions. Learn more about how to protect yourself from the scorching heat here. 🥵🌡️#HeatSafety #StayCool #HoustonHeat

Heat waves might not be the only kind of wave Houstonians have to deal with in the next few weeks, as experts from the Houston Health Department have predicted a potential “Covid Wave” as cases have been slowly increasing over the past five weeks.

A social media post had many questioning the health of many Houstonians after someone misused the Houston Health Department data system, insinuating over 42,000 people tested positive for an STD.

Nearly 3 months after Aliyah died, a Houston Health Department spokesperson says the pool remains closed but that's because “The operator hasn’t submitted plans to remodel the pool." He adds, "Our department would need to review and approve the plans before the operator can even begin the pool repairs.”

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are SERIOUS risks in these unfavorable weather conditions. Learn more about how to protect yourself from the scorching heat here. 🥵🌡️#HeatSafety #StayCool #HoustonHeat

Houston Health Department shares how to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections.

The City of Houston has five permitted lazy river-style pools, including at the northwest Houston DoubleTree by Hilton hotel where a young girl was tragically killed over the weekend.

Every year, the Houston Health Department employees deliver more than 25,000 doses of antibiotics to 150 people with TB.

Summer is approaching, which means more pool time. Parents, here's how you can check if the last time a commercial or public pool has been inspected before allowing your kids in to play.

More than 60,800 babies were born in Houston in 2023, according to the Houston Health Department.

KPRC 2 joins the world on Dec. 1 in remembrance of the millions of lives lost to AIDS and people who are still living with AIDS or HIV.

A Northwest side family that was forced to live in raw sewage that had been flooding their apartment for days, with no help from property management.

Last year, the Houston Health Department said it found cancer-causing chemicals in the soil around the Union Pacific Railroad yard. The soil contained dioxin, a highly toxic chemical compound associated with cancer and other severe health risks.

Dr. David Persse, Chief Medical Officer with the City of Houston, shared top heat safety tips on KPRC 2+ at 7.

As a heat wave moves into Houston, city officials are activating Houston’s Public Health Heat Emergency Plan.

The Houston Health Department has reported an outbreak of congenital syphilis in Houston and Harris County.

Dr. David Persse of the Houston Health Department has a warning about this week's threat of dangerous heat and how to protect yourself.

Although monkeypox cases are currently down, the Houston Health Department has encouraged those who plan to attend Houston Pride to take safety precautions to prevent a resurgence this summer.

Dr. David Persse, Chief Medical Officer for the City of Houston, shares how the city's working to avoid a resurgence.

Houston Health Department shares how to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections.

Federal court documents revealed one of those businesses is Melodrama Boutique, which is owned by Juquita “Jackie” Adams.

City of Houston chief medical officer talks preventing the bacterial illness and signs to look out for.

HHD officer shares how much longer you have to deal with the sniffles and seasonal allergies.

Union Pacific Railroad has announced a collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and community partners in an agreement to move forward with additional environmental assessment and testing at the former Houston Wood Preserving Works site in Fifth Ward.

Dr. David Persse, chief medical officer for the Houston Health Department, joins us to talk about how high cholesterol and high blood pressure are leading risk factors for heart problems and what can people start doing today to lower their risk of heart problems?

Memorial Hermann, St. Luke’s, the Houston Health Department and Oak Bend Medical Center, are among the local healthcare systems hit by cyberattacks in 2022, potentially putting patients at risk by exposing their protected health information.

Houston’s most popular baby names for 2022 were announced by the Houston Health Department Wednesday.

KPRC 2 joins the world on Dec. 1 in remembrance of the millions of lives lost to AIDS and people who are still living with AIDS or HIV.

The Houston Health Foundation is celebrating Aramco Americas’ visionary leadership and support of its Brilliant Futures program, See to Succeed, operated by the Houston Health Department.

Barry Barnes, a former administrative and community outreach coordinator at the Houston Health Department pleaded guilty in federal court to bribery. The case is the result of an FBI raid in February at the Houston Health Department’s headquarters.

According to the Houston Health Department, ER visits for flu-like illnesses are up, particularly among children.

This is how to check the pollen and mold count in Houston if you're feeling your allergies kicking up.

The Texas Health and Environmental Alliance (THEA) held a press conference Thursday to call on the state to conduct in-depth studies on the health of residents living in Kashmere Gardens and the Fifth Ward.

According to the Houston Health Department, Houston has the most sickle cell of all the regions in Texas.

The Houston Health Department said Friday that surface soil samples collected in July around the contaminated Union Pacific rail yard and tested by the department contain dioxin, a highly toxic chemical compound associated with cancer and other severe health risks.

The southern part of the U.S. accounts for 51% of new HIV cases each year. This is according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some regions throughout the south also lag in providing HIV prevention services and care.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston Police Chief Troy Finner joined My Brother’s Keeper, a program of the Houston Health Department, along with community organizations and elected officials on Wednesday to call for “sensible” legislation in response to gun violence.

Leaders from the Harris County Public Health and Houston Health Department held a Q&A virtual news conference to discuss updates relating to monkeypox and departments’ efforts on mitigating the spread of the virus.

The Houston Health Department on Tuesday will switch to intradermal monkeypox vaccinations, an injection just under the skin, and expand eligibility criteria to the estimated 26,000 people living with HIV in Houston and Harris County, officials said in a news release.

The Houston Health Department announced Wednesday it is now recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a National Wastewater Surveillance System Center of Excellence.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo provided an update on Harris County’s response to Monkeypox Tuesday morning.

The city of Houston’s COVID-19 community level was moved to “high” as cases and hospitalizations increase, according to the Houston Health Department.

The Houston Health Department has reportedly just received its first shipment of monkeypox vaccines, officials say.

On Wednesday, dozens of residents at the Sterlingshire Apartments in Northeast Houston were served a hot meal thanks to an organization called Hoodies 4 Healing.

The Houston Health Department is now involved in the quest for answers at the Sterlingshire Apartment Complex, and sent several inspectors to the property Friday.

The Houston Health Department said a third Houston-area resident has been diagnosed with monkeypox Friday afternoon.

Officials from the Houston Health Department confirmed the first case of monkeypox is now in the Houston area.

These are the most popular baby names in Houston and Texas, according to organizations who track that information.

There are many questions still swirling around the city following last Wednesday’s execution of a search warrant at the Houston Health Department.

The FBI arrived at the Houston Health Department building at 8000 N. Stadium Drive around 9 a.m. Wednesday as part of a federal investigation, according to the FBI.

A girl under 10 is the city’s youngest confirmed pediatric COVID-19 death, the Houston Health Department announced Wednesday.

Fort Bend County is the latest Houston-area community to launch a drive-thru COVID-19 mega testing site. Leaders say the site is a necessity, citing “the exponential increase” in demand by residents for COVID testing because of the rapid spread of the omicron variant.

The Houston Health Department and Xpress COVID Testing will open two mega COVID-19 testing sites on Thursday, expanding access to meet high demand.

When it comes to COVID-19 testing, some are feeling frustrated with the experience.

Today, several city-affiliated sites are closed today and tomorrow for the holiday as Houston Independent School District prepares to expand testing to its students and staff for a safe return Monday.

The Houston Health Department is partnering with DAVACO to open another drive-thru COVID-19 testing site this week.

With the U.S. now averaging over 150,000 new COVID cases each day, Americans are flooding into testing sites, desperate for results which Porfirio Villarreal with the Houston Health Department says sets the stage for scam artists to try and game the system by operating bogus testing sites.

The Houston Health Department is expanding its COVID-19 testing effort because the demand for testing is rising dramatically.

Here is a list of resources in hopes of making your quest to find COVID-19 testing easier, and we welcome you to provide feedback on your experiences from this week.

Houston Health Department officials said the demand for COVID-19 testing is up, causing two of its testing sites to reach capacity and close early Wednesday.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been detected in Houston’s wastewater, the Houston Health Department announced Monday night.

The Omicron variant has yet to be detected in Houston but Chief environmental science officer Dr. Loren Hopkins with the Houston Health Department says they’ve been testing the wastewater to detect new variants with help from public works.

The department said the issue relates to the use of the Moderna vaccine administered prior to the product's expiration date but outside of its use by date.

The Houston Health Department will begin Friday vaccinating children as young as five against COVID-19. Medical staff at La Nueva Casa de Amigos Health Center will get things underway administering shots in the arms of the children.

Houston Health Department is offering up to $150 to help increase the city’s vaccination rate.

Comcast is offering Xfinity wifi hotspots in the Houston area Tuesday to help people affected by Tropical Storm Nicholas.

Here are things to know for Friday, August 27:

It was announced Thursday that a local boy between the ages 10 and 19 is Houston’s first pediatric COVID-19 death without underlying health conditions, according to the Houston Health Department.

The Houston Health Department is announcing the schedule for sites offering free doses of COVID-19 vaccine during the week of Aug. 16, 2021.

Houston is working to get more families vaccinated before school starts.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and representatives from the Houston Health Department and several education leaders from different Houston-area school districts announced the “Super Saturday Vaccination Day” initiative Wednesday.

Houston is offering free gift cards to those who get fully vaccinated.

As COVID-19 cases and concerns about the Delta variant rise, so do questions about breakthrough cases or cases where people test positive after being fully vaccinated.

The Houston Health Department is opening 21 sites that will offer free COVID-19 vaccinations during this week.

Air pollution monitoring in 2019 and 2020 show levels of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, in neighborhoods along the Houston Ship Channel that pose health threats to the largely Hispanic residents living in that area.

Houston residents in the Sharpstown community are invited to bring their COVID-19 vaccine questions to the upcoming Town Hall hosted by the Houston Health Department.

If you have not been able to get an appointment to get your vaccine, now is your chance to get one at your convenience.

The Houston Health Department said it’s seen a significant decrease in demand for COVID-19 vaccinations over the past two weeks.

Both the Houston Health Department and Harris County Public Health will follow a recommendation from federal health agencies that use of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine should be paused.

The Houston Health Department opened new COVID-19 vaccine appointments on the department’s website Wednesday.

HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department opened 3,000 coronavirus vaccine appointments this week and all of those appointments were filled as of Wednesday morning. The appointments were for the first dose of the Moderna vaccine at the Reed Road Parking Lot (2098 Reed Rd. People who show up without confirmed appointments will be turned away. Appointments are based on vaccine availability, and current appointments may be adjusted based on the department’s allotment. Another 1,000 slots were opened Wednesday for Saturday appointments.

COVID-19 vaccinations for all adults in Texas starting Monday, state officials sayHere are things to know for Monday, March 29:1. Texas will receive more than 1 million first doses of COVID-19 vaccine this weekTexas will receive more than one million first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine this week, state health officials said. of State Health Services. The Houston Health Department opened 5,000 new COVID-19 vaccination appointment slots for first doses of the Moderna vaccine. Almost 2,000 vaccine doses have gone to qualifying prisoners as of Thursday, according to the statement.

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)Update: All 5,000 of the Houston Health Department’s new COVID-19 vaccination appointments were claimed about an hour after they were made available Sunday morning, according to the department. The Houston Health Department opened 5,000 new COVID-19 vaccination appointment slots for first doses of the Moderna vaccine. The appointment portal will close when the slots are full. Appointment registration is available by phone for residents 60 and older through the Area Agency on Aging at 832-393-4301. Anyone else who needs registration assistance can contact the COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220.

More than 60,000 doses sent to vaccine hubs in Houston area this weekHere are things to know for Monday, March 22:1. The appointments are for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at Bayou City Event Center or the first doses of Moderna vaccine at Delmar Stadium and The Parking Spot. As of Monday morning, all of the Johnson & Johnson appointments had been filled. People eligible for vaccination under the Texas Department of State Health Services criteria can visit HoustonEmergency.org/covid19 or the following direct links to self-register. AstraZeneca says US trial data shows vaccine 79% effectiveAstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine provided strong protection against sickness and eliminated hospitalizations and deaths from the disease, including in older adults, in final-stage U.S. testing, the company announced Monday.

All rights reserved)Dr Talib Abubacker prepares a does of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sikh temple, on the day the first Vaisakhi Vaccine Clinic is launched, in Luton, England, Sunday, March 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department opened 13,070 new COVID-19 vaccination appointment slots on Sunday for the week of March 22-27. The appointments are for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at Bayou City Event Center or the first doses of Moderna vaccine at Delmar Stadium and The Parking Spot. All of the Johnson & Johnson appointments had been filled by Monday morning. The department sent appointment invitations to about 80,000 people on its vaccine waitlists with a response rate of approximately 35%.

HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department and Harris County Public Health announced Tuesday that scheduling will begin for the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at NRG Park. Those who do not respond or provided a landline instead of a cell phone will receive a phone call to schedule the second dose. Anyone who does not receive a call or text 48 hours before the second dose due date is asked to contact (832) 393-4301. Harris County Public HealthThose in this group will receive a phone call, text or email the day before the second dose due date to schedule their second dose. AdPeople will be able to schedule an appointment for the second day or in the next three consecutive days following the second dose due date.

HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department announced Monday the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7) of the virus that causes COVID-19 was found in most of the city’s wastewater treatment plants. Wastewater samples collected on Feb. 22, detected the U.K. variant at 31 of the city’s 39 wastewater treatment plants. “The prevalence of the U.K. variant in our wastewater shows it’s actively spreading in our city,” said Dr. David Persse, chief medical officer for the city of Houston. People who have COVID-19 shed virus in their feces, regardless of symptoms, the Health Department said. Nine cases of the U.K. variant, one case of the South African variant, two cases of the Brazil variant, and 11 cases of the California variant are currently confirmed in Houston, according to the department’s news release Monday.

Turner encouraged all Houston-area business to continue to enforce the mask policy, despite Abbott’s order. — Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) March 8, 2021The Houston Health Department announced that the city’s COVID-19 positivity rate is 13.1%, which is up from last week. During the news conference, the Houston Health Department said the U.K. COVID-19 variant was growing in Houston’s wastewater. On Feb. 8, the U.K. COVID-19 strand was found in 21 of the 39 wastewater plants in the city, according the Health Department. The Brazilian and the South African variant was also found in the city’s wastewater, but the Health Department was not able to release the exact measurements just yet.

HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department announced Wednesday that it opened a new waitlist for its initial allotment of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine but closed it Tuesday, March 9. The department’s original vaccine waitlist is for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which require two doses. The waitlists are used to schedule the department’s allotment of appointments at the FEMA community vaccination center at NRG Park and its other vaccination sites. The Houston Health Department received half of a 12,000 dose allotment of Johnson & Johnson vaccine that arrived at NRG Park and administered it at Bayou City Event Center and its other vaccination sites two days later. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is not being provided at NRG Park.

HOUSTON – Nearly a quarter-million first vaccine doses are headed to the nine-county Houston area this week, including the first Johnson & Johnson shipment, according to state data and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. Finally, 42,120 Pfizer doses and 12,000 J & J doses will go directly to the FEMA site at NRG Park where residents on the Harris County and Houston waitlists will be vaccinated. Joining a waitlistThere are 13 vaccine hubs in the Houston area and there are waitlists for each of them. Go to vacstrac.hctx.net or call 832-927-8787 to join the Harris County version of the waitlist. To find information about all of the waitlists for the 13 vaccine hubs in the Houston area, go to dshs.texas.gov.

HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department said Tuesday that fraudulent text messages are being sent about area COVID-19 vaccinations. A tweet noted that the United Memorial Medical Center’s Delmar Stadium event is only open by appointment and that there is not a vaccination event this weekend at Baker Ripley. ALERT: We're aware of two fraudulent text messages about #COVID19 vaccinations. There is not a vaccination event this weekend at @BakerRipley. Do not provide personal info in response to these messages.

The clinic opened to help provide second doses of COVID-19 vaccinations. And persistent uncertainty about future vaccine supplies fuels worries that some people will not be able to get their second shots in time. Now many of those people are due for second doses, and states are trying to administer first doses to an expanded pool of recipients. Across Los Angeles County, health officials say limited supplies mean the majority of vaccinations this week will be for second doses. In the state’s Napa County, some appointments for first doses were canceled last week to ensure there would be enough for second doses.

HOUSTON – Two variants of COVID-19 have been found in the Houston area, officials announced Monday. Dr. David Persse, chief medical officer for Houston, said two men recently tested positive for the United Kingdom variant of the coronavirus. Both Persse and Minter said they wouldn’t be surprised if more cases of the variants start being reported in the Houston area. Vaccine updateHouston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the Houston Health Department is concentrating on ensuring equity in the distribution of its doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Latest numbersTurner said the Health Department reported an additional 1,005 cases Monday, bringing the city’s total for the pandemic to 163,438.

HOUSTON – People who are supposed to get their second dose of the coronavirus vaccine will soon be able to schedule that appointment themselves. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday that the city’s Health Department has received nearly 42,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine with nearly 34,000 of them having been administered. He said nearly 12,000 people have appointments to get their second dose this week. Turner said the Houston Health Department is currently contacting people directly to schedule their second dose. However, he said the second dose is necessary to get the full benefits of the vaccine.

This week, the Houston Health Department will focus its COVID-19 vaccine allocation efforts on people at the highest risk for severe illness and those in vulnerable communities, the department said in a release. Those who received their first dose from the health department will be contacted to schedule a second dose appointment. Houston Health department appointments are currently full based on supply. The department urges residents not to contact the city’s COVID-19 call center about first dose appointments because no slots are currently available. AdWhen first dose vaccination appointments are available, the appointment portal for Houston Health Department vaccine clinics will open at HoustonEmergency.org/covid19.

HOUSTON – On Thursday, the Houston Health Department received 9,000 additional doses. They’re focusing on vaccinating people at the highest risk levels and those in our most vulnerable communities. “Really we are trying to save lives,” said Stephen Williams, the director of the Houston Health Department. The Health Department shared a graphic with KPRC 2 News. AdThe department will provide approximately 5,300 doses to the Area Agency on Aging, 2,400 for providers in vulnerable communities, and 1,300 for previously scheduled appointments.

HOUSTON – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Monday that the Houston Health Department has opened its first drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination site. We know that demand is higher than the supply of vaccine,” Turner said. As of Monday, the Houston Health Department says it has administered a total of 31,159 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Houston Health Department reports its largest number of cases Monday. The volume of calls about second doses ahead of time is creating long wait times at our call center,” The Houston Health Department tweeted on Monday.