The FDA says it is tracking five separate ongoing cyclospora outbreaks. The 15-state outbreak is by far the largest. No products have been linked to the other outbreaks, including one that has sickened 115 people.

Dr. Erica Schwartz becomes the 22nd leader of the CDC, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats. Her resume includes medical and law degrees, a stint as deputy surgeon general, and a leadership position at the U.S. Coast Guard.

While hospitals have so far not reported major disruptions to services, more frequent supply shortages show the need for contingency plans.

Mobile vaccination clinics will be held at community events and back-to-school fairs throughout suburban Cook County through mid-October. Vaccines for those ages 6 months to 18 years old will be provided at no cost, regardless of immigration or insurance status.

An outbreak of a diarrhea-causing parasitic infection has hit more than half of U.S. states, including in Illinois, which has 194 confirmed and probable cases as of Monday.

The Trevor Project, the leading nonprofit for suicide prevention in LGBTQ+ young people, may not be allowed to offer the service it had helped develop for the 988 Lifeline just a few years ago.

Global health organizations are racing to stem an Ebola outbreak in central Africa. While the immediate threat is still far away from Chicago, local specialists are working to ensure the city is prepared for all possibilities.

As of May 13, the World Health Organization reported eight confirmed cases related to the MV Hondius cruise ship, along with one inconclusive and two probable cases. Meanwhile, public health officials in Illinois reported a possible hantavirus case in Winnebago County that is unrelated to the cruise ship outbreak.

Gary Slutkin founded Cure Violence Global, formerly known as CeaseFire, an organization dedicated to training trusted community members to be violence interrupters. Interrupters work with those at risk of committing violence while providing alternative options and resources.

Three passengers have died and at least four people are sick in what health officials say is an outbreak of hantavirus, which usually spreads by inhaling contaminated rodent droppings.

At least 34 people in 13 states — including Illinois — have been sickened with salmonella poisoning traced to contact with backyard poultry, federal health officials said. Backyard poultry include birds like chicken, ducks, geese, guinea fowl and turkeys.

The network monitors disease outbreaks across the globe and prepares countries to respond to those outbreaks.

At least 100 people have died from the flu this season in Illinois, with 77 of those deaths occurring this month alone, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday it is no longer recommending that all children receive vaccines against: RSV, flu, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease and rotavirus. Instead, the federal government now only recommends protection against these diseases for certain children at high risk.

Flu activity in suburban Cook County jumped from “low” to “high” during the week ending in Dec. 20, according to health officials. Chicago’s public health department reported “high” levels of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for flu late last week.

The proposal is opposed not only by business groups but also labor organizations, including the Chicago Federation of Labor, which are concerned that the measure would snarl new and expanding businesses in red tape, preventing them from creating new jobs.