Austin Public Health is warning residents to be vigilant about preventing the spread of mpox, concerned about the potential for a resurgence of the virus. After months without any new cases detected, the health department confirmed a single new case in late May. Additionally, several clusters of mpox have emerged in other cities, including Chicago, which […]
Austin Public Health
The regional health authority tasked with protecting Travis County residents from infectious disease and other environmental threats.
Posted inCity Hall
Audit claims fraud by contractor for city health department
In a report released Thursday, the Office of the City Auditor detailed its investigation into allegations that a nonprofit contractor for Austin Public Health “committed fraud by misrepresenting over $1.1 million in financial transactions across three contracts” with the health department between December 2020 and September 2021. The Central Texas Allied Health Institute (CTAHI) had […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin Public Health offers $50 gift cards for COVID vaccinations and boosters
Anyone who gets a Covid-19 vaccine or booster shot at an Austin Public Health vaccination event will be eligible to receive a $50 Visa gift card, the agency said Monday. APH said it hopes the incentive will be helpful to people who would have to take unpaid time off from work to get vaccinated. The agency […]
Posted inPublic Health
Homeless Austinites report conditions improving at shelters
Results from a recent client survey indicate that the new operator of the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless is making progress in efforts to turn around the downtown men’s shelter. The December survey of ARCH and Southbridge shelter residents found that strong majorities feel safe, that their needs are being met, and that staff […]
Posted inAustin
Austin opens centers for people impacted by the winter storm to get help
Lee esta historia en español. Austin residents recovering from last week’s winter storm can now access free resources and support at different locations across the city each day this week. At a news conference Wednesday, Austin Public Health Director Adrienne Sturrup said the whole community is feeling the effects of this disaster, but Black and […]
Posted inPublic Health
Downtown Alliance praises ‘transformation’ of ARCH under new management
Just months after the management switch-up at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, the Downtown Austin Alliance is praising what it calls “transformational change” at the downtown men’s shelter. The alliance’s safety and hospitality committee toured the facility in early December to learn about recent improvements made by Urban Alchemy, the California-based nonprofit now in […]
Posted inPublic Health
County gets creative to counter ‘staggering’ number of fentanyl deaths
In the first half of this year, from January to June, 118 people in Travis County died from an overdose of fentanyl. This equaled the number of fentanyl-related overdoses from the entirety of last year. The outsized opioid-overdose figures spurred county leaders’ announcement of a public health crisis in May, which brought with it a host […]
Posted inPublic Health
Travis County secures nearly 10,000 doses of life-saving overdose drug naloxone
Travis County has secured a bulk order of the life-saving drug naloxone in an effort to prevent opioid deaths. The shipment comes after the county issued an emergency declaration triggered by a record-high number of overdoses related to fentanyl last year. At an announcement Monday, Austin Public Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes said the county had secured […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin Public Health expands eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine
Austinites at risk of contracting monkeypox are now eligible for the vaccine, health officials said Monday. Previously, the vaccine was limited to people directly exposed to the virus or diagnosed with the disease. “We are really just classifying anyone at risk,” said Dr. Christina Madison with Wellness Equity Alliance, one of the health care organizations […]
Posted inPublic Health
Update shows slow but steady rise of monkeypox in Travis County
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, there are just over 15,000 confirmed cases of the monkeypox virus in the United States, and about 1,280 of those cases are in Texas. Travis County currently has 76 presumptive cases of monkeypox and 34 confirmed cases, according to Austin Public Health, bringing the total number […]
Posted inPublic Health
County acknowledges lag on monkeypox vaccine supply
As of yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control is reporting 992 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Texas, 88 of which are in Travis County (nine confirmed and 79 “presumptive”). On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted to approve a continued declaration of disaster related to the virus. “While they’re labeled as presumed cases, pretty […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin-Travis County officials issue emergency order in response to monkeypox outbreak
Local leaders issued an emergency order Tuesday in response to the monkeypox outbreak in Austin-Travis County. Since the first case in Travis County was reported on June 23, the number of monkeypox infections has risen to 68, including nine women and two children. There are currently 702 cases in Texas, according to the Centers for […]