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• District reports 1 in 6 students opted out of vaccines Play Video

  April 30, 2013 7:46 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - Immunization records shows one in six students in Academy District 20 opted out of at least one of their scheduled vaccines this school year. The district's exemption rate increased from 11 percent, or roughly one in nine students, the previous year. While official immunization rates are... more »

• Worst-ever West Nile virus outbreak takes Colorado

  August 31, 2012 12:27 AM

  It's the worst outbreak of West Nile virus in U.S. history, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The infection starts with a fever, then headaches, stiffness and flu-like symptoms, usually 3 to 15 days after being bitten. Just this year, 1,100 people were infected in 38 states.... more »

• Bat tests positive for rabies in Colorado Springs

  August 9, 2012 5:53 PM

  A wild bat found dead Monday afternoon near the sidewalk just outside the entrance of the Starsmore Discovery Center, 2120 S. Cheyenne Cañon Road, has tested positive for rabies. There are no reports of people coming in contact with the bat, and the likelihood of exposure to the public... more »

• El Paso County Public Health closed Friday

  July 21, 2011 6:36 PM

  The lights are on, but the doors locked. El Paso County Health wants everyone aware the offices will not be open for regular business on Friday July 22nd. Staff will be involved in training. more »

• Rabies becoming more of an issue in Colorado

  July 16, 2011 11:22 PM

  "I came over here to trim up my daisies," Heidi Reagan says as she walks towards her garden, but she found a surprise in her east Colorado Springs backyard. It was a dead skunk, and it's concerning to her because she's hearing about more animals getting rabies. "All of... more »

• Flu season is here

  January 3, 2011 3:59 PM

  The El Paso County Health Department says all indications show the spread of influenza is underway. Locally six people have been hospitalized, and more and more lab tests are coming back with positive results for the illness. Dr. Bernadette Albanese, the health department's medical director, says it's going to... more »

• Police, fire depts. use social media to get info out fast

  September 20, 2010 7:42 PM

  When fire broke out at a Colorado Springs apartment complex Monday, the first images from the scene appeared not on TV or the web site for the local newspaper, but rather on the fire department's Twitter page. It continues a rapid trend of emergency response agencies utilizing social media to... more »

• Health Department closed due to water main break

  September 20, 2010 5:03 PM

  The El Paso County Health Department closed half way through the day Monday, due to a water main break. The building is located at 301 and 305 S. Union Blvd. The reason for the closure: no clean water for handwashing or restrooms. WIC clinics held at other locations... more »

• Couple linked to rabid bat finally found

  August 31, 2010 11:42 AM

  The El Paso County Health Department has finally found the two people who dropped off a rabid bat at the Pikes Peak Humane Society on Aug. 15. Their health is being evaluated. "We are relieved that we are able to conduct a proper investigation of this situation," said Marigny... more »

• Video Released of Couple Who Left Rabid Bat at Humane Soc.

  August 19, 2010 6:32 PM

  The El Paso County Health Department has released surveillance video of a young duo that dropped off a rabid bat at the Pikes Peak Humane Society. CLICK HERE to view it. The young man and woman who dropped off the bat early Sunday morning may have come in contact... more »

• People who dropped off bat may have contracted rabies

  August 18, 2010 6:02 PM

  The young man and woman who dropped off a bat at the Pikes Peak Humane Society early Sunday morning may have come in contact with rabies, which is almost always fatal in humans. The bat was placed in an empty Miller Lite 9-pack cardboard container and left on a... more »

• Mosquitoes are biting - avoid West Nile Virus

  June 16, 2010 1:43 PM

  A combination or rainy and hot weather have provided perfect breeding conditions for mosquitoes. The El Paso County Health Department is warning you to take precautions against West Nile Virus. They recommend: · Wear insect repellant with DEET. · DRAIN standing water outside in tires, flower... more »

• Thursday Call-in Night: Pet health and rabies

  April 21, 2010 12:00 PM

  Do you have questions about your pet's health, or rabies that's been reported in El Paso County? If so, get your questions together for a News First call-in night. We'll have experts on hand to answer your questions. The phone numbers to call Thursday from 5-7 pm: ... more »

• El Paso county buildings not making the grade

  March 29, 2010 11:49 PM

  The latest financial report from El Paso county shows the county did slightly better than expected on the operational side of things. But when it comes to some aging buildings, the news isn't as positive. "Anytime we try to do anything proactive it could cost us a lot more money... more »

• Out of date: is it safe?

  February 18, 2010 8:01 PM

  How fresh is the food you buy? We shopped around at some local supermarkets and found various food items with expired dates, dents and broken seals. Suprisingly enough, most of it is legal to sell. Dr. Bernadette Albanese of the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment says... more »

• H1N1 vaccines unrestricted in the Springs

  December 5, 2009 7:16 PM

  Thousands show up for an H1N1 clinic in Colorado Springs. There were 3-thousand doses and no restrictions on who gets the vaccine. H1N1 vaccination clinics have drawn large lines, but they get longer when you allow anyone to get the shot. "I thought it would probably be... more »

• H1N1 swine flu vaccine priority groups

  October 13, 2009 6:04 PM

  As the impact of H1N1 swine flu continues spreading there are a lot people anxious to get immunized. Health department leaders want to emphasize that the first shipments are for groups considered high risk. The high priority groups are: health care workers and first responders, pregnant women, caregivers for... more »

• What to do if someone in your home gets H1N1

  September 8, 2009 10:49 PM

  Key Steps to Care for a Sick Person at Home (from the El Paso County Health Department): Keep the sick person away from other common areas of the house. For example, use a spare bedroom with its own bathroom, if possible. This reduces contact between other household... more »