Chase County Health Department

08/03/2026

National Breastfeeding Month

08/02/2026

🟢Harmful algal blooms (HABs) release toxins that can be harmful to humans and animals.
🚤🐕HABs can be deadly to your dog.
🟡⭕Avoid water with foam, scum, paint-like streaks, unusual colors, a foul odor, or if decaying algae, dead fish or wildlife are seen on the shoreline.
🟡⭕Avoid water bodies with active HAB advisories
Dogs can be exposed by:
- Swimming in or drinking contaminated water.
- Licking algae or contaminated water from their fur.
- Eating algal mats or contaminated fish.
- Inhaling contaminated droplets.
🐶🚿Rinse your dog with clean water after swimming.
If you think your dog may have been exposed:
- Remove your dog from the water immediately.
- Prevent your dog from licking its fur and paws.
- Rinse your dog thoroughly with clean water while wearing gloves.
🔴 Seek IMMEDIATE VETERINARY CARE and tell your vet that HAB toxin exposure is suspected and which body of water was visited.
The signs of HAB poisoning in a dog include:
- Loss of appetite and energy
- Vomiting, excessive drooling
- Diarrhea
- Stumbling, tremors, convulsions
- Difficulty breathing
- Rash, hives, skin irritation
🚨KNOW IT. AVOID IT. REPORT IT. 🚨
🔗 Check to see if your lake, stream or pond is on the list of advisories for harmful algal blooms at kdhe.ks.gov/HAB
Lake advisories are posted on Fridays, from April-October.
📢 If you notice a harmful algal bloom, report it to KDHE at 855-422-5253, or at kdhe.ks.gov/HAB
🔗 Learn more about HABs: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c070c80592934730834c194280300ecb

08/02/2026

08/02/2026

🦟Kansans are currently at HIGH risk of being bitten by West Nile Virus carrying mosquitoes. Most people don't develop any symptoms, but when they do symptoms can range from mild flu-like illness with fever, headache, body aches, rash, vomiting and diarrhea, to severe illness. Some people develop neurological infection, causing brain damage and even death. Each year, dozens of Kansans develop neuroinvasive West Nile virus disease. Preventing mosquito bites prevents disease.

🟠DRESS: Wear long sleeved, loose-fitting shirts and pants. Avoid the outdoors at dusk and dawn. Keep window and door screens in good repair. Use mosquito netting on strollers and playpens.
🟠DRAIN: Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Eliminate mosquito breeding habitats by tipping and tossing standing water at least twice a week. Empty water from buckets, tires, tarps, toys and other containers. Refresh bird baths and pet water bowls every three days. Keep wading pools empty when not in use and drill drainage holes on tire swings. Check for hidden water sources like clogged gutters and plant saucers. If you have a pond, consider stocking mosquito-eating fish. Treat standing water that can't be drained with appropriate larvicides.
🟠DEET: Use EPA-registered repellents. Apply permethrin to clothing and gear. Store insect repellents safely out of reach of children.

🔗Check out KDHE's West Nile Virus (WNV) risk level in your area. It is updated on Fridays during mosquito surveillance season (June to October): https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1519/West-Nile-Virus
🔗KDHE's West Nile Virus Dashboard: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1937/West-Nile-Virus-Data
🔗EPA-registered repellents: https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents
🔗Learn more about mosquito bite prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/prevention/index.html

08/02/2026

A big Thank You to Brenda Wessel and her four Chase County pool lifeguards (Easton, Bella, Maddex and John Paul) for helping sign up the kids for drawing for four life vests from Chase County Safe Kids! Congratulations to Stella and Maggie for winning the life jackets!

07/29/2026

🥵Did you know that extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the US and in Kansas?
Heat-related illnesses include heat rash, sunburn, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

☀️☀️PREVENT heat-related illness:
💧Stay hydrated. Drink fluids before you feel thirsty and check your urine – if it's dark you need to drink more fluids. Avoid dehydrating fluids like alcohol, coffee and sugary drinks.
🆒 Stay in air-conditioned spaces as much as possible.
🏃‍♂️‍➡️Pace outdoor physical activity and schedule heavy labor or exercise early morning or evening, if possible.
🍉Eat lighter meals.
👵🏽Check on the vulnerable, e.g., the elderly, the very young, the disabled and the unhoused.
🧴Prevent sunburn.
🚘Never leave anyone in cars.

⭕⭕SYMPTOMS of heat-related illness include:
😵‍💫Feeling faint and dizzy.
🥴Headache.
🤮Nausea and vomiting.
😥Heavy sweating, or no sweating.
😣Muscle cramps.

🩺🩺FIRST AID for heat exhaustion and heat stroke:
🌳Move to a cool and shaded area.
👚Remove as much clothing as possible.
💧Drink liquids if able. Don't give liquids to someone if they are confused.
🌡️Cool quickly by:
💦Bathing in cold water or ice if available.
🫗 Wetting the skin and clothing.
🧊Putting cold, wet cloths and/or ice on head, neck, armpits and groin.
🍃Circulating air.
🔴🚨🚑HEAT STROKE IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY – CALL 911🚨🚑🔴

Heat-related illness: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/heat-stress/about/illnesses.html

What to look for: https://www.cdc.gov/heat-health/about/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fextreme-heat%2Fabout%2Findex.html

07/29/2026

Add a blood lead test to your back-to-school checklist. A simple blood test is the only way to know if your child has been exposed to lead. Ask your doctor if your child should be tested during the next check-up.

Learn more: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1107/Childhood-Lead-Poisoning-Prevention

07/29/2026

Free Desk!!

07/22/2026

The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline offers a text messaging feature. If you prefer texting over talking on the phone, this may be the perfect option for you. Text 1-833-852-6262 to connect with a trained counselor who can provide support, resources and information on maternal mental health. Whether you’re a new or expecting parent, or supporting a friend, family member, client or patient, the Hotline is here for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help – The Hotline is just a text away.

07/22/2026

BE TICK AWARE
- Ticks are common in Kansas, and a natural part of the environment. If you spend
time outdoors you will encounter ticks.
- Ticks can carry diseases that make people and animals sick. These include
Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and the red meat allergy,
Alpha-Gal Syndrome.
- Take measures to prevent tick bites.
- Perform careful tick checks on yourself, children, and pets.
- Watch out for symptoms for 30 days after a tick bite. See your doctor right away
if you develop fever, headache, rash, fatigue, or any symptoms suggestive of
tickborne disease. Early treatment can prevent severe illness.
Learn more about ticks in Kansas here: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/2241/Ticks


¡CUIDADO CON LAS GARRAPATAS!
- Las garrapatas son comunes en Kansas y forman parte del entorno natural. Si pasa tiempo al aire libre, se encontrará con garrapatas.
- Las garrapatas pueden transmitir enfermedades que afectan a personas y animales. Estas incluyen:
Ehrlichiosis, tularemia, fiebre maculosa de las Montañas Rocosas y la alergia a la carne roja,
Síndrome alfa-gal.
- Tome medidas para prevenir las picaduras de garrapatas.
- Revise cuidadosamente si usted, sus hijos y sus mascotas tienen garrapatas.
- Esté atento a los síntomas durante 30 días después de una picadura de garrapata. Consulte a su médico de inmediato si presenta fiebre, dolor de cabeza, sarpullido, fatiga o cualquier síntoma que sugiera una
enfermedad transmitida por garrapatas. El tratamiento temprano puede prevenir enfermedades graves.
Obtenga más información sobre las garrapatas en Kansas aquí: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/2241/Ticks