Johnson County Department of Health

Johnson County will have 11 youth crisis stabilization beds. Only a handful of counties offer similar services.

Kansas health authorities identified about 450 close contacts of the infected student. More than 300 have been tested during clinics on October 12 and November 14.

Health officials announced an active tuberculosis case at Olathe Northwest High School in early October. Now, four other people tested positive for the bacteria.

An updated COVID-19 vaccine will be in Kansas City in the next few weeks. The shot combats newer variants more effectively and comes as case numbers creep up across the metro.

A fire at a recycling plant on Friday morning sent smoke billowing miles away, impacting air quality across the metro. By Saturday, fire fighters managed to control the fire and air quality levels in the area are considered "acceptable."

Director Sanmi Areola plans to resign in November. Data compiled by Kaiser Health News and the Associated Press show at least 303 state or local public health leaders in 41 states resigned, retired or were fired between April 1, 2020, and Sept. 12, 2021.

An ordinance proposed by Jackson County legislator Crystal Williams would return authority to the county health director. But Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has already threatened a lawsuit.

Biden administration officials announced plans for COVID-19 booster shots to be made widely available starting September 20. But local health departments and experts are scrambling to keep up with the latest guidance and research.

Local health agencies like the Kansas City Health Department are closing the mega-vaccine sites in favor of reaching out to individuals in smaller settings.

The FDA this week gave emergency use authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be administered to children in the 12-15 age range.

The first day of COVID-19 vaccine distribution Tuesday saw seniors lined up outside in freezing weather as they waited to get shots.

County health officials blamed the spread on adults in the community not following public health recommendations, like mask wearing and social distancing.