Vaccination rates across the U.S. have seen a downturn in recent years, including in Illinois. The state's Department of Public Health wants families to know what immunizations are required for school-aged children

Unintentional drownings are the No. 1 cause of accidental deaths for children ages 1 to 4 years old in the U.S. and No. 2 for children of all ages, the Illinois Department of Public Health reports.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has posted the 2025 first quarter report of nursing home violations. Four facilities were cited for having the most severe violations.

The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District recently recognized five of its members who graduated from McHenry County College’s paramedic program.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said coordinated efforts with health departments across the state helped prevent further spread of the measles outbreak this spring.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has identified 16 ZIP codes in Kane County that are high-risk for lead exposure. Lead poisoning is the top environmental illness in children, primarily caused by lead-based paint in older homes, according to the IDPH.

The first mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus this year in Will County were found in Joliet.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is encouraging the public to be aware of ticks to prevent the spread of Lyme disease during these warm weather months.

All three Republican members of the Illinois congressional delegation voted in favor of the bill, despite a last-minute plea from Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker who warned the bill will result more than 330,000 Illinoisans losing Medicaid coverage.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued a reminder to residents to stay safe when handling food and enjoying the water over the hot holiday weekend.

There are now 1,350 high-risk ZIP codes in Illinois for lead exposure, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Beaches in Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills and elsewhere in McHenry County temporarily closed due to elevated levels of bacteria in the water.

West Nile has been detected in 17 counties across Illinois. A county is considered positive for West Nile virus if a mosquito, horse or human from that county tests positive for the virus.

Drug overdose deaths in the Chicago area mirror a statewide and national trend showing a sharp decline from 2023 to 2024.

The Illinois Department of Public Health advises private well owners to have their water tested for elevated PFAS levels, especially if they live near communities whose public wells were found to have excessive quantities of the "forever chemicals."

“Rabies is a preventable disease that can be fatal if not treated properly,” said Alpesh Patel, chief epidemiologist for the Will County Health Department. "We want our residents to be informed of the potential dangers of rabid animals and stay away from bats."

The Illinois Department of Public Health has detected the first mosquitoes of the season to be positive with West Nile virus were found over the weekend in Rockford.

The state of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Public Health created the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership as part of the Children’s Mental Health Act in 2003.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has launched a new data dashboard to help school officials and the public monitor any outbreaks of measles, should one occur in Illinois.

The Will County Health Department is waiting to see how the Trump administration's decision to terminate federal grants on infectious disease prevention will impact local health concerns.

Tuberculosis still takes lives, but Sunny Hill Tuberculosis Clinic in Will County has come a long way since 1925.

Illinois recorded an 8.3% drop in overall drug overdose deaths in 2023, a rate double the national decline, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported Thursday.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture issued a 30-day suspension, effective immediately, on the exhibition or sale of poultry at swap meets, exhibitions, flea markets and auction markets in response to the ongoing threat of H5N1 avian flu

The Illinois Department of Public Health last week reported an increase in the state’s respiratory illness level from moderate to high, fueled by an anticipated early winter surge in hospital admissions.

Illinois law dictates that all children residing in a Pediatric Lead Poisoning High-Risk ZIP code area, which includes Dixon, Sterling and Rock Falls, are to be automatically screened for blood lead levels at 12, 24 and 36 months of age.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced a number of new laws and rules designed to strengthen the public health system went into effect on Jan. 1. One of those targets better follow up on lead testing in children.

Allure of Pinecrest, 414 S. Wesley Ave. in Mt. Morris, was fined $50,000 for an “AA” violation and $2,200 for a "B" violation. An “AA” violation is given when a condition or event at a facility directly contributes to a resident’s death.

Bird flu has been reported in Woodstock waterfowl and in numerous locations around Illinois. Officials advise the public on how to stay safe if they see dead birds.

Illinois public health officials are warning residents of a rise in whooping cough cases this winter. They're also urging Illinoisans to get vaccinated against respiratory illnesses to prevent severe cases.

The State Board of Health, a division of IDPH, is primarily responsible for any changes to Illinois’ vaccine requirements, even if recommendations change at the federal level

Typical food-borne illness symptoms can begin anywhere from hours to days after a meal, last from a few hours to a few days, and include fever, stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is reminding the public that along with fall, October brings the start of the traditional respiratory virus season.

As part of National Food Safety Education Month, the La Salle County Health Department will host a food service seminar discussing safe food handling.

The year's first human case of West Nile Virus has been detected in Will County.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed multiple bills expanding reproductive rights in Illinois on Wednesday, including codifying a federal law that allows medical professionals to perform an abortion in response to a clinical emergency.

The Will County Health Department issued a warning Friday that mosquitos have tested positive for West Nile Virus in multiple Will County communities, though no human cases have yet been reported.

After two rabid bats were discovered recently in Will and Cook counties, health officials are warning to residents to avoid exposure to the deadly virus.

After rabid bats were found in Will and Cook counties, public health officials stress that if a bat is found inside a home, it is important to try and cover it with a container and contact animal control so it can be tested for rabies.

DeKalb County public health officials released information this week regarding how the community can learn to protect themselves from ticks and Lyme disease, part of their “Fight the Bite” campaign for Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

The Illinois Department of Public Health urges well-owners to regularly test wells for contaminants to maintain the safety of their drinking water.

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.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration emphasizes that the commercial milk supply is safe because of the pasteurization process, which destroys bacteria and viruses in milk. No cases of H5N1 influenza have been reported in Illinois, according to the IDPH.

Court proceedings will move forward for 32 families who lost loved ones in the COVID-19 outbreak at the state-run La Salle Veterans’ Home in November 2020.

Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to create a new state agency to oversee Illinois’ various early childhood programs moved forward on Friday after the state Senate’s unanimous approval. It was one of 244 bills that cleared the Senate this week.

Administrators at Marklund Hyde Center say they are investigating a case of abuse against a resident of the Geneva nursing home campus.

The advisories are based on routine testing conducted by the Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program, which was updated last fall to include testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals.”

The IDPH alerted healthcare facilities, especially hospital emergency departments, to be on a lookout for patients who present symptoms similar to botulism following a cluster of two cases reported in Illinois of people who received injections in La Salle County of Botox.

Nearly 60% of those falling sick are children age 4 and younger, Chicago Department of Public Health records show. Three cases were reported in suburban Cook, Lake and Will counties; the rest involve Chicago residents.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued a warning going into the holidays to take extra health precautions as COVID-19, flu, and RSV numbers continue to rise.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Illinois Department of Public Health announce Illinois has awarded $3.5 million in funding to 19 applicants across the state to support post-pandemic child and adolescent health.