Health

Per the Maryland Department of Health: Maryland Department of Health has confirmed and reported a positive case of locally acquired malaria in a Maryland resident who lives in the National Capital Region. The individual was hospitalized and is now recovering. They did not travel recently outside of the United States or to other U.S. states with recent locally acquired malaria cases.

“Malaria was once common in the United States, including in Maryland, but we have not seen a case in Maryland that was not related to travel in over 40 years,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Laura Herrera Scott. “We are taking this very seriously and will work with local and federal health officials to investigate this case.”

Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office:   Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following the statement after Wednesday’s ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirming portions of a district court’s order limiting access to mifepristone, a drug which is widely used for medication abortion:

“Mifepristone has been a safe and effective tool in safeguarding people’s reproductive rights for over two decades. Any attempt to limit the availability of this crucial abortion medication undermines the rights and health of people across our nation. The court ruling retains unnecessary restrictions which make mifepristone less accessible, disregarding the importance of ensuring safe and timely access to reproductive healthcare. We will continue our fight against those restrictions, which are stayed by the Supreme Court. Medication abortion has allowed countless individuals to exercise their autonomy and make personal decisions about their own bodies. The court’s decision to curtail its availability threatens to push people towards riskier alternatives and diminishes their ability to make their own informed choices.

Per the State of Maryland: The Maryland Department of Health has launched health.maryland.gov/vaccines, which lists vaccination clinics offered by local health departments statewide, including children’s back-to-school and COVID-19 clinics. The new site will also list flu vaccination clinics when available. Health officials urge parents to take advantage of these vaccination clinics or talk to their health care provider about staying up-to-date on their children’s routine vaccinations as the new school year approaches.

Maryland maintains specific vaccination requirements for participation in child care and public schools, and parents statewide have done a great job keeping their children protected with required vaccinations. In 2022-2023, Maryland reported vaccination rates of 98-99% of all students reporting. For more information about how Marylanders can protect themselves against preventable disease with vaccinations, visit health.maryland.gov/immunization.

In Maryland, nearly 30,000 women with children have substance use or opioid use disorders, according to the National Survey of Drug Use and Health. This pilot program, which is slated to enroll 750 women, is funded by a three-year, $900,000 per year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This money will fund additional recovery support coordinators, pregnant parenting women navigators, and family support coaches to help enrolled women navigate administrative barriers.

Engage and enroll families in the Strengthening Families program so they can identify and build on evidence-based factors that support the whole family.

Per the Maryland Department of Health: Following Governor Wes Moore’s proclamation of August as Immunization Awareness Month in Maryland, the Maryland Department of Health has launched a social media campaign urging parents and caregivers to make sure their children are up to date on their back-to-school vaccinations. The campaign will take place across the Department’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.

“Our children deserve the best protection we can give them against preventable diseases, so we urge all parents to keep their children updated on their vaccinations, especially those required for school enrollment,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Laura Hererra Scott. “We want to start the new school year with every child healthy, happy and ready to learn.”

Per the State of Maryland:  Governor Wes Moore is today urging Marylanders to take appropriate precautions as extreme weather conditions are expected beginning Thursday. According to the National Weather Service, a heat advisory has been issued for central, northeast, and southern Maryland, with temperatures expected to reach 100 degrees and heat index values expected to reach approximately 105 degrees. Temperatures approaching 100 degrees are also forecast for Friday and Saturday. 

“The health and safety of Marylanders is our  top priority,” said Gov. Moore. “Take preventative measures to deal effectively with this week’s high temperatures and look out for those in your community during these extremely hot summer days.”