public health

With vaccine skepticism on the rise, immunization rates in decline and public funds disappearing, the country faces its largest measles outbreak since 2019.

Kansas has so far identified 37 measles cases this year — mostly among children — and the first Missouri measles case of the year was reported just last week. Dr. Sarah Boyd of Saint Luke's Health System says vaccinating is the best way to prevent contracting the airborne virus.

The Trump administration canceled more than $12 billion in public health grants last month. Local public health departments are worried about what that will mean for Kansas Citians.

Kansas City-area public health departments are scrambling to make up for lost funds since the Trump administration canceled over $12 billion in federal health grants last month. Local agencies have been forced to lay off staff and halt research projects.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed Senate Bill 29, but the veto was overridden by the Republican-dominated House and Senate. It opens health officials to lawsuits over quarantine decisions and removed their authority to ban public gatherings.

Utah's governor recently signed a bill into law banning the addition of fluoride into the state's public water systems. City councils in Rolla and Hannibal have proposed banning fluoride in response to unsubstantiated claims from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services without warning canceled more than $12 billion in grant funding to states. Those funds, including millions for Missouri and Kansas, paid for public health basics like vaccines for children, infectious disease tracking, and funding for mental health and addiction treatment.

The new case is in Stevens County in southwest Kansas. It’s unclear if it is connected to outbreaks in New Mexico and Texas.

Emails show health department officials argued over basic things like office space during a major tuberculosis outbreak in the Kansas City area. Some staff think the tension set back the tuberculosis response — or at least made it more difficult.

Emails show behind-the-scenes conflict as the Kansas City-area tuberculosis outbreak grew to one of the largest in U.S. history. The county's health director is no longer with the agency as of Tuesday.

Fewer Kansas Citians are dying of drug overdoses for the first time in over a decade. A local public health worker and a community paramedic joined KCUR's Up To Date to explain what’s contributed to the turnaround and what needs to happen to keep this trend going.

Concerns about an outbreak of avian influenza have increased nationwide. Two Kansas health experts discuss how to limit its spread, and why public health risk still remains low.