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Page last reviewed: May 18, 2024
News Releases
Additional testing has detected mercury inside the Walmart located at 10750 Westview Drive. The chemical was previously found outside the Walmart and two nearby businesses, a Sonic Drive-In and Shell convenience store, on Dec. 15.
A mercury spill in the area of Westview Drive and the West Sam Houston Parkway is contained and there is no immediate threat to the public. A small amount of the chemical was spilled outside of at least three businesses.
Hundreds more Houston homes will be made lead safe thanks to a new grant awarded to the Houston Health Department. The $9.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is the largest the federal agency has ever awarded to a local health department for home lead-based paint hazard reduction.
A weeklong awareness effort to curb the growing misuse and addiction to prescription pain medication in the region, where deaths in Harris County associated with opioid overdose are up 135% since 2013, was announced today at Houston City Hall by officials of the Houston Health Department, area municipalities and the University of Houston at Sugar Land in partnership with HCA Houston Healthcare.
The Houston Health Department is working to address the opioid crisis before it becomes an epidemic in the city. Two recent grants, the first of their kind awarded to the health department, focus on reducing overdose deaths, referring people to treatment, providing education and improving data collection.
The City of Houston has activated its Public Health Heat Emergency Plan. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory expected to remain in effect for Houston until 7 p.m. Thursday and additional advisories are possible through the weekend.
As the peak months of mosquito season approach, the Houston Health Department reminds residents to take precautions against mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile Virus.
While Houston is experiencing a nice break from the intense summer heat and humidity this week, residents will have more options to keep cool when the temperatures begin to climb.
The Houston Health Department is partnering with the Judah Brown Project to raise awareness about the risk of childhood drowning, educate parents and caregivers about reducing the risk, and link people to additional resources.
The Houston Health Department (HHD) recommends residents begin taking precautions against high temperatures to avoid heat-related illnesses. High heat indices are expected in the Houston area the next few days.