It’s been a year since a measles outbreak began in West Texas, and international health authorities say they will meet in April to determine if the U.S. has lost its measles-free designation

Only one in five Illinois residents has received the flu vaccine, and far fewer have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine as of the end of November, according to the state Department of Public Health

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website has been changed to contradict the longtime scientific conclusion that vaccines do not cause autism, spurring outrage among a number of public health and autism experts

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hand-picked vaccine advisory committee on Thursday recommended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adopt new restrictions on a combination shot that protects against chickenpox as well as measles, mumps and rubella

From Capitol News Illinois: Illinois is among a growing list of states that are issuing their own vaccine guidelines that could supersede those of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Former CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry said a Kennedy adviser dismissed data on the hepatitis B shot administered to newborns as biased because it might support keeping the shots on the childhood vaccination schedule

State health officials have announced the first human case of West Nile Virus in Will County for 2025. Mosquitoes with the virus have been found in 11 communities across the county.

U.S. regulators approved updated COVID-19 shots Wednesday but limited their use for many Americans — and removed one of the two vaccines available for young children

Investigators identified a 30-year-old man from suburban Atlanta on Saturday as the person who opened fire on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, killing a police officer

In addition to the state-required vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has a recommended timetable for other vaccinations that can prevent serious illness in children and adults

The Will County Emergency Management Agency issued a heat advisory as the heat index is expected to exceed 100 degrees beginning Wednesday. Cooling centers can found throughout Will County.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday removed every member of a scientific committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to use vaccines and pledged to replace them with his own picks

Some doctors and public health leaders called the move concerning and confusing

The U.S. saw a small increase in measles cases this week, an indicator that outbreaks are slowing down, though exposures at a busy airport in Colorado and a Shakira concert in New Jersey are keeping public health experts on their toes

Annual COVID-19 shots for healthy younger adults and children will no longer be routinely approved under a major new policy shift unveiled Tuesday by the Trump administration

The termination pulls back $125 million in funding for IDPH and 97 local public health departments

Between 2012 and 2018, there was a 34.6% increase in the occurrence of mental health diagnoses among children ages 4 to 17, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The CDC has issued warnings about outbreaks of Norovirus this winter. What to watch for in Will County.

Public health officials and wildlife rescuers are warning residents to be wary of birds who may seem ill amid suspected cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in migratory waterfowl.

The CDC has reported a sharp rise in whooping cough cases this year, including across Illinois. Will County health officials are seeing the highest number of cases since before the pandemic.

E. coli food poisoning linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states, including Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri, federal health officials said Tuesday

The Will County Health Department has the new 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine is now available at 3 clinics across the county.

A national tour addressing the maternal health crisis in the U.S. made its latest stop in Joliet.

The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat advisory for portions of northern and central Illinois including Will County where temperatures are expected to break 100 degrees Monday.

Policies and procedures have been implemented by the Illinois Veterans’ Home in La Salle “out of an abundance of caution,” following possible cases of an infectious disease, an Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs spokesperson said.

Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois.

In the U.S., about 35 percent of U.S. adults and 33 percent of children have been vaccinated against flu, current CDC data indicates. That's down compared to last year in both categories.

Back to school means back to the doctor for some, as three viral respiratory illnesses – influenza, RSV and COVID-19 – are again expected to dominate seasonal sickness trends this year, and area health officials say to expect an uptick in October.

Monday marked the return of free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government, a move that comes amid an uptick in patients hospitalized with the virus.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday endorsed the new shots for everyone 6 months of age and older. The agency’s director is expected to sign off on the panel’s recommendation. The vaccines could be available this week.

Illinois public health officials are warning residents of a multistate outbreak of salmonella and a flour recall linked to Gold Medal branded flour, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Two cases have been reported in Illinois.

U.S. cases of a dangerous fungus tripled over just three years, and more than half of states have now reported it

Disease investigators have linked the infections, including some found in blood, urine and lungs, to EzriCare Artificial Tears. Many of the patients said they had used the product, which is a lubricant used to treat irritation and dryness.

In October, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a national shortage of Adderall, noting one of the main manufacturers of the drug was experiencing delays and there was not sufficient supply to meet demand.

The nation’s top public health agency is relaxing its COVID-19 guidelines and dropping the recommendation that Americans quarantine themselves if they come into close contact with an infected person

The cause of a rare hepatitis in children is not yet identified. Contact your pediatrician if you notice any symptoms.

The CDC is offering a color-coded map — with counties designated as orange, yellow or green — to help guide local officials and residents. In green counties, local officials can drop any indoor masking rules. Most counties in northern Illinois are green on the CDC's map.

CDC data shows states with higher rates of fully vaccinated residents have significantly lower COVID-19 per capita mortality rates.

Illinois schools will soon follow federal quarantine and isolation guidance for pupils who test positive for COVID-19, the Illinois State Board of Education announced Friday, a week after the agency cautioned schools against the plan.

Days after federal health officials announced changes to recommended guidance on COVID-19 isolation and quarantine, the Illinois State Board of Education announced Friday that guidance won’t apply to Illinois schools.

Valley Hi failed to separate roommates after one would test positive five different times. They paid a $16,250 fine for improperly following COVID-19 guidance for long-term care facilities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has endorsed COVID-19 booster shots for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans

County health department officials said in the statement that the agency supports the CDC’s recently released guidance advising that individuals wear a mask in public, indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission regardless of vaccination status.

A month ahead of Halloween, the Illinois Department of Public Health released its official COVID-19 related guidance for the holiday.

A vote on the controversial NorthPoint project in Joliet is being postponed indefinitely because of concerns regarding coronavirus.