Archive
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UW-Health: Number of overdose cases seen in emergency departments remains large
posted January 9, 2023In the Dane County area, Public Health Madison & Dane County provides naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdose, and education to help people prevent overdose.
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Animal control frees coyote stuck in Dane Co. basement
posted December 29, 2022Two Dane Co. animal services officers are being credited with helping a scared coyote escape the basement of a home that was still being built.
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How the cold can impact rapid COVID-19 tests
posted December 29, 2022Earlier in December, the Biden administration again made free COVID-19 tests available to the public.
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‘A perfect storm’: Flu, respiratory viruses put strain on Madison hospitals
posted December 14, 2022Respiratory viruses are spreading rapidly across the country and state, and Madison hospitals are feeling the strain and fighting to stay below capacity limits.
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Hospitals facing long wait times, ask those with mild respiratory illnesses to stay home
posted December 14, 2022Local healthcare providers joined together Monday to ask some people to stay home instead of visiting urgent care clinics and emergency departments.
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City of Madison leaders discuss public safety, community initiatives
posted December 9, 2022City of Madison officials held a briefing Thursday where they discussed public safety in the community.
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Madison community reacts to State St. shooting
posted December 7, 2022Cindy Grady, the violence prevention supervisor at Public Health Madison and Dane County, said community engagement is one of the best ways to keep the community safe for everyone.
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Health department looking for dogs who bit someone on the Ice Age Trail
posted December 7, 2022Public Health Madison and Dane County is looking for information about two dogs that bit someone at about 3:40 p.m. Sunday on the Ice Age Trail near Highway D in the town of Montrose.
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CARES team responds to 935 calls in first year; only 3% referred to police
posted November 30, 2022A new emergency response team aimed at reducing police contact with people in mental health crisis has reported its first year of results, and the city will host a public meeting to gather community input.
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RSV surge contributes to record Emergency Department visits at American Family Children’s Hospital
posted November 14, 2022In the first few weeks of October, more than 350 pediatric patients at UW Health Kids tested positive for the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
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Health officials warn rat population 'exploding' in one east Madison neighborhood
posted November 2, 2022Residents in Madison's Emerson East neighborhood are currently facing a big problem no one ever wants to deal with — rats.
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“We lost a generation of elders.” Panel tackles lasting impacts of COVID on health disparities
posted October 19, 2022The lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will be felt for decades to come, and some of those impacts aren’t fully understood yet, according to a panel of health care practitioners and public health experts...
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Free breast cancer screenings available for people with limited income, insurance
posted October 19, 2022October is breast cancer awareness month and Public Health Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) is urging that people take the month as a reminder to get screened.
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New partnership allocates grants to maternal and infant healthcare
posted October 5, 2022Wisconsin Partnership Program grants aim to support community efforts aimed at promoting health equity among diverse populations
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Wisconsin's new COVID-19 testing strategy emphasizes rapid results
posted October 5, 2022People getting tested for COVID-19 at community sites might now receive results sooner than before, as health officials have started to emphasize rapid antigen tests.
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Get updated COVID-19 boosters, state health officials say
posted September 8, 2022Wisconsin health officials are urging people 12 and older to get updated COVID-19 boosters, reformulated to protect against omicron subvariants, now that the new shots have started arriving in the state.
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New Omicron-targeted COVID boosters are arriving in Madison. Here’s what you need to know.
posted September 8, 2022The new Omicron-targeted boosters have started to arrive in Wisconsin, according to the state health department, and they will continue to arrive at pharmacies, clinics and health centers over the next several days and weeks.
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What you need to know about at-home COVID-19 tests and expiration dates
posted September 8, 2022Health officials say some at-home COVID-19 tests are okay to use past the expiration date printed on their packaging.
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PHMDC waiting for state health officials’ approval for COVID-19 booster targeting variant strains
posted September 2, 2022Dane County health officials are waiting for the state Department of Health Services’ cue before it begins giving out COVID-19 booster shots that also target the Omicron variant strain.
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PHMDC, MMSD host virtual session on school safety
posted September 2, 2022Public Health Madison & Dane County's Violence Prevention Unit is partnering with Madison Metropolitan School District's (MMSD) Office of School Safety to host a virtual session on school safety Wednesday.
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Organizations raise awareness after drug overdose spike in Dane County
posted September 2, 2022Dozens of people joined organizations at Olbrich Park on Wednesday to raise awareness and remember those lost due to drug overdoses.
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Wisconsin DHS warns of overdose death increase linked to drugs laced with fentanyl
posted August 19, 2022Health officials are warning Wisconsinites about an increased number of deaths caused by drugs laced with synthetic substances such as fentanyl.
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The State of the Lakes, Summer 2022 Edition
posted August 19, 2022If you live in south-central Wisconsin, chances are you have spent time at one of the lakes along the Yahara chain of lakes, which includes Lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa.
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A look at where monkeypox vaccines are going in Wisconsin
posted August 12, 2022As monkeypox vaccines become more available in our area, some health departments are expanding their vaccine clinics while others wait to get vaccines in the first place.
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PHDMC holds panel discussion for preventing violence
posted August 12, 2022Madison Public Health and Dane County officials are creating awareness on violence prevention.
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What you need to know about the new COVID-19 variant
posted July 18, 2022Nearly two-and-a-half years since the coronavirus pandemic began, a new highly infectious and transmissible variant has emerged, but cases and hospitalizations are remaining stable locally and statewide at the moment.
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Infectious disease experts in Madison answer questions about monkeypox
posted July 18, 2022Six cases of orthopoxvirus, presumed to be monkeypox cases, have been confirmed in Wisconsin as of Friday afternoon, according to the state’s Department of Health Services.
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'Not a time for panic': Dane County health chief hints at mask recommendations, urges calm
posted May 23, 2022Madison and Dane County officials said they might bring back mask recommendations should COVID-19 metrics hit thresholds set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Dane Co. mask advisory possible if COVID levels reach ‘High’, but no mandate
posted May 23, 2022Providing an update on the status of COVID-19 in Dane County Friday, public health officials said it is unlikely they reinstitute a mask mandate because the tools to fight the pandemic have changed.
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Experts: Try generic baby formula, avoid home recipes amid national shortage
posted May 18, 2022Grace Voegeli-Smith is the mother of twin boys who were born prematurely eight months ago. She relies on a specialty baby formula to keep them fed, a formula that's been in low supply amid the nationwide shortage.
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‘It’s just such a relief’: Local community activist, PHMDC react to $1 million violence prevention effort
posted May 18, 2022Public Health Madison & Dane County announced it will be awarding $1 million over the next two years to programs within the community that work to stop violence before it happens.
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Madison health experts warn parents not to water down baby formula
posted May 11, 2022Supply demands and recent Similac recall make it harder to find baby formula to feed developing infants.
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Dane Co. reports higher 2022 case rate than Wisconsin, but lower death rate
posted May 9, 2022New data released Thursday indicate Dane County has had a higher COVID-19 case rate than the state of Wisconsin so far this year, but a lower death rate.
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MMSD extends masking requirement; district to re-evaluate status every two weeks
posted May 9, 2022Students will continue to be required to wear masks in Madison school district buildings, according to the latest guidance from Madison Metropolitan School District officials.
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UW Health psychologist provides insight on coping with COVID-19
posted May 9, 2022COVID-19 is often contracted after exposure to people we know, such as co-workers, friends and family.
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Public encouraged to report at-home COVID-19 test results to paint better picture of where communities stand
posted May 9, 2022With the number of COVID-19 cases rising, so are sales of at-home COVID-19 tests.
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COVID-19: Dane County cases grow, bumped to medium-level transmission
posted April 26, 2022Dane County is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, pushing the county into medium levels of transmission, according to new Centers for Disease Control data.
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Moderna's combination COVID booster appears more protective against variants, company study finds
posted April 20, 2022A booster shot that includes the original Moderna vaccine plus one directed at the beta variant protects well against a range of coronavirus variants, a new company study has found.
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Feds will appeal mask ruling only if mandate still needed
posted April 20, 2022The Justice Department said Tuesday it will not appeal a federal district judge’s ruling that ended the nation’s federal mask mandate on public transit unless the CDC believes the requirement is still necessary.
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Masks will continue to be required in Madison School District through May
posted April 20, 2022The Madison School District will keep its current mask mandate for students, staff and visitors while inside school buildings in place until May, the district announced Friday.
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COVID-19 deaths in Dane Co. appear to be on a downward trend
posted April 5, 2022COVID-19 deaths in Dane County appear to be decreasing Friday as cases remain low.
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City of Madison: COVID-19 variant less likely to spread to omicron patients
posted April 5, 2022The BA.2 COVID-19 sub-variant, a descendant of the omicron variant, has been identified in Wisconsin, although research points to positive signs for potential patients.
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City meetings slowly moving to in-person as Dane County sees summer restart
posted April 5, 2022Madison is slowly moving from online to in-person committee meetings after two years of nearly exclusive online sessions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics at Alliant Energy Center closing April 3
posted March 23, 2022The COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics at the Alliant Energy Center will close on April 3, Public Health Madison and Dane County said Tuesday.
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‘New phase of pandemic’ encouraging but Spring Break travel next hurdle
posted March 21, 2022As Covid-19 cases continue to drop across the state, local health experts said one thing they’ll be watching closely is the impact Spring Break travelers could have on the declining numbers.
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DHS launches 'Thank You Tour' to recognize local health departments, COVID-19 heroes
posted March 21, 2022State health officials kicked off a statewide appreciation tour to honor local health departments for their tireless work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Overdose Alert System Saves Lives
posted March 21, 2022Letter to the Editor: Thanks to the staff at Public Health Madison and Dane County for implementing their new overdose spike alert system.
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Dane County’s average COVID cases per day drops again, low level of community spread
posted March 7, 2022Dane County health officials say the two-week average of COVID-19 cases continues to fall as they keep an eye on the numbers following the expiration of the indoor mask mandate.
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Some Madison businesses to continue mask requirement after mandate expires
posted March 7, 2022Some Madison businesses will continue to require masks after Dane County’s mandate expires Tuesday, March 1.
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More than 60% of Dane Co. residents 5+ are up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations
posted March 7, 2022As Dane County’s mask order lifts Tuesday, local health officials report over 3 in 5 residents ages 5 and older are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.