November 2, 2015 - The Texas Department of State Health Services announced today that commercial and recreational oyster harvesting in most areas of Texas coastal waters will be closed on Nov. 1 due to excessive rainfall or red tide, depending on the area. Normally, the public can harvest oysters from Nov. 1 through April 30.
September 4, 2015 - The Texas Department of State Health Services is urging people to follow national guidance issued today not to eat recalled cucumbers that may be contaminated with Salmonella, a bacteria that can make people sick.
The guidance was issued in connection with a multi-state Salmonella Poona outbreak that appears to be linked to imported cucumbers from Mexico distributed by Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce, a California company.
May 21, 2015 - The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting the state’s first case of West Nile illness this year and reminding people how to protect themselves from the mosquito-borne virus that causes it.
A patient in Harris County has been diagnosed with West Nile neuroinvasive disease, the more serious form of illness. DSHS won’t release additional personal details in order to protect the patient’s identity. To reduce the chances of a mosquito bite that can transmit West Nile virus, people should