The Southern Nevada Health District is pleased to announce it will begin accepting passport applications on behalf of the U.S. Department of State on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. United States citizens planning international travel can apply for their passports Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Health District's main location at 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV, 89107. The Passport Office is co-located with the Birth and Death Certificate program.

The Southern Nevada Health District is investigating two cases of Legionnaires' disease reported in guests who stayed separately at Harrah's Laughlin Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, Nev., in November 2017 and March 2018. The hotel is assisting in the investigation, and the Health District is working with the property to notify current and past guests dating back to Oct. 15, 2017. Guests who stayed at Harrah's Laughlin Hotel & Casino during this timeframe and experienced symptoms up to 14 days after their stay can report their illness to the Health District using a survey posted on its website at www.snhd.info/survey2018.

The Southern Nevada Health District reported 123 heat-related deaths among Clark County residents in 2017, an increase from 78 reported deaths in 2016. Heat-related deaths typically occur between May and September.

The Southern Nevada Health District is updating its Food Handler Safety Training Card program. Effective July 1, 2018, Food Handler Safety Training Card applicants will be required to complete testing at a Southern Nevada Health District location during business hours to obtain their cards.

More than a million people in the United States are living with HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of those, many are not aware they are infected. Testing is the only way to know for certain. The perfect date? National HIV Testing Day, Wednesday, June 27.

While leaded gasoline or paint with lead are no longer available in the United States, children are still exposed to sources of lead in their homes. As part of the U.S. Department of Urban Development's (HUD) annual National Healthy Homes Month, the Southern Nevada Health District has collaborated with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and other community partners to raise awareness and reduce lead poisoning in children.

The days are long and barbecues and pool parties are the norm! Summer weather has officially arrived in the Las Vegas Valley. This Memorial Day weekend, the Southern Nevada Health District is offering tips and information to help residents and visitors stay healthy and safe during the long, hot summer while enjoying their favorite activities.

Millions of Americans may have chronic viral hepatitis and not know they are infected. National Hepatitis Testing Day is an opportunity for the public to get tested. The Southern Nevada Health District is offering FREE hepatitis C testing on Friday, May 18 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at its Mobile Health Clinic which will be at its main location at 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107. For additional information, contact the Sexual Health Clinic at (702) 759-0708.

Each year the Southern Nevada Health District reports cases of mosquito-borne illnesses and the positive disease results from its county-wide mosquito surveillance activities. This year, the Health District is kicking off its surveillance season with "Mosquito Monday," an event on Monday, May 14 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 280 S. Decatur Blvd. to raise awareness of mosquito activity and to encourage the public to "Fight the Bite!"

John “Rob” Phoenix, APRN, founder of the Huntridge Family Clinic, is well-known for the exceptional service he provides to the LGBTQ community. Today, the Southern Nevada Health District recognized Phoenix for this service, and his partnership with its Office of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance.

Due to increased flu activity this season, the Southern Nevada Health District’s Office of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance is working with the Health District’s Vital Records program and the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health to review and update previously reported cases of flu. Based on this review, the number of reported deaths for Clark County this season has been updated to 48.

The Southern Nevada Health District will open its first Dental Health Clinic for children and adults on April 23, 2018. Services will be provided by appointment only and available Mondays at the Health District’s Main Public Health Center and Wednesdays at its East Las Vegas Public Health Center.

As rates of sexually transmitted diseases continue to remain high across the United States and in Clark County, the Southern Nevada Health District is partnering with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation during STD Awareness Month to offer testing for HIV and STDs through its mobile testing unit at locations throughout the valley. This year’s theme is “Treat Me Right,” a call for health care providers and patients to work together to foster more trusting relationships and more open communication to promote increased access to care, testing, diagnoses, and treatment.

“Wanted: Leaders for a TB-Free United States. We can make history. End TB” is this year’s theme for World TB Day, commemorated every March 24. It is the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced he identified M. tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for the disease.

In an effort to encourage colleges and universities to adopt smoke-free policies, the tobacco prevention youth group, BreakDown, will launch its month long initiative called “The Next Step” on Wednesday, March 21, to commemorate the annual Kick Butts Day observance. The Next Step is an effort to mobilize students at 10 local high schools to support smoke-free college and university campuses nationwide.

The 2018 County Health Rankings, released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI), ranks Clark County as the 10th healthiest county in Nevada, down from 6th in last year’s ranking. The full report is available at www.countyhealthrankings.org. The Southern Nevada Health District presented findings for Clark County at a community event today along with representatives from the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health and State Senator Pat Spearman.

A briefing of the 2018 Nevada County Health Rankings. The County Health Rankings are released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI).

La Encuesta Nacional de Examen de Salud y Nutrición (NHANES, por sus siglas en inglés), el estudio más extenso del estado de salud y nutrición de la población de Estados Unidos se pone en marcha en el Condado de Clark a partir del 22 de febrero de 2018.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the most comprehensive survey of the health and nutritional status of the U.S. population is coming to Clark County beginning on February 22, 2018. Why Clark County?

There are more than 470,000 African Americans living with HIV. In 2014, among new HIV diagnoses in African Americans, only 72 percent of them were linked with medical care within one month. Wednesday, Feb. 7 marks the annual observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day to encourage African Americans to learn their HIV status.

Love your heart and it will love you back! February is American Heart Month, and the Southern Nevada Health District is offering free blood pressure screenings from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its main location, 280 S. Decatur Blvd. on Friday, February 2 and at its East Las Vegas Public Health Center, 570 N. Nellis Blvd on Friday, February 16.

The Southern Nevada Health District’s public health centers will close at 2:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 29 and will be closed Monday, Jan. 1, 2018.

With flu activity increasing and family and friends gathering for the holidays, now is a great time to get a flu vaccine if you haven’t already been immunized.

On Dec. 1, the Southern Nevada Health District and its partners will commemorate World AIDS Day with a series of events that encourage people to get tested and learn their HIV status.

The Southern Nevada Health District is reporting an increase in flu activity in Clark County as well as the 2017-2018 season’s first flu-related pediatric death.

The Great American Smokeout, which debuted in 1976, is an opportunity for smokers to kick the habit for at least one day with the hope that it could lead to a permanent change. The American Cancer Society has designated Thursday, Nov. 16 as this year’s Great American Smokeout.

In the United States, more than 30 million people are living with diabetes and each year 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association. In November, American Diabetes Month is a time to remember the disease remains the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

The Southern Nevada Health District encourages the Valley’s Hispanic residents to learn their HIV status and to get tested as part of National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), Saturday, Oct. 14.

Tis the season! The calendar is rolling into flu season and the Southern Nevada Health District is now offering flu immunizations at its clinics.

A fear of falling is a very real fear for many older adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2.8 million older adults each year are treated in emergency departments due to injuries sustained in a fall. That means one in four adults will experience a fall and of those, fewer than half will discuss it with a health care provider.

September is National Preparedness Month, and this year’s theme – Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. You Can. – has never resonated more as multiple states recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma and hundreds of thousands of people prepare for the potential impact of more storms.

With the click of a keyboard or the swipe of a mobile screen, Southern Nevadans now have access to more healthy tips and programs right at their fingertips. The Southern Nevada Health District is pleased to announce it has launched a newly redesigned www.GetHealthyClarkCounty.org website with new and updated information.

In 2015, there were 298 opioid-related deaths among Clark County residents. In acknowledgement of those deaths, the Southern Nevada Harm Reduction Alliance (SNHRA) is participating in its first International Overdose Awareness Day beginning at 7 p.m., Thursday, August 31 at Stupak Park, 300 W. Boston Ave.

The Southern Nevada Health District is reporting the second case of West Nile virus in a Clark County resident in 2017.

With just days before the first day of school, the Southern Nevada Health District and Immunize Nevada will host the “Give Kids a Boost” event from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12 at the Health District’s 280 S. Decatur Blvd. location.

The Southern Nevada Health District’s Vector Surveillance Program will be conducting a mosquito control operation in the 89032 ZIP code area during the early morning hours of Saturday, August 5, as part of its comprehensive strategy to control the Aedes mosquito population.

The need for vaccinations does not end in childhood. Vaccines are recommended from infancy to adulthood based on age, lifestyle, occupations, travel destinations, medical conditions, and vaccines received in the past. National Immunization Awareness Month was created to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all age groups.

The Southern Nevada Health District’s Vector Control Program continues to identify Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Clark County. In response, the agency will conduct a secondary mosquito control operation during the early morning hours of Saturday, July 29 in its ongoing efforts to reduce the invasive Aedes mosquito population.

The Southern Nevada Health District now has a Spanish-language version of its Road to Diabetes Prevention program on its Viva Saludable website.

El Distrito de Salud del Sur de Nevada ahora tiene la versión en español de su programa “El Camino Hacia la Prevención de la Diabetes” en su sitio web Viva Saludable.

The Southern Nevada Health District was honored with the Model Practice Award at the 2017 Annual Conference of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). The award celebrates local health departments for developing programs that demonstrate exemplary and replicable best practices in response to a critical local public health need.

The Solid Waste Hearing Officer, under authority granted in Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 444.629, conducts monthly hearings to settle cases involving illegal dumping and other solid waste matters.

The first day of school for Clark County School District students is Monday, Aug. 14. For parents rushing around to prepare for back-to-school, immunizations are available at the Southern Nevada Health District.

What’s your status? National HIV Testing Day is an opportunity for everyone to learn his or her HIV status. The Southern Nevada Health District encourages all Southern Nevadans to get tested.

The Southern Nevada Health District’s Vector Control Program continues to identify Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the 89032 ZIP code area. In response, the agency will conduct a secondary mosquito control operation during the early morning hours of Saturday, June 17 in its ongoing efforts to reduce the invasive Aedes mosquito population.

The Southern Nevada Health District completed its first mosquito control operation during the early morning hours on Friday, June 9 in an effort to reduce the invasive Aedes mosquito populations.

The Southern Nevada Health District is investigating two cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported in guests who stayed separately at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV in March and April. The hotel is assisting in the investigation and taking steps to provide information to past and current guests of the property.

On May 31, the Southern Nevada Health District’s Vector Surveillance Program identified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the 89032 ZIP code area of Clark County, which was the first time the mosquito has been detected in Southern Nevada.

The Southern Nevada Health District’s Vector Surveillance Program identified the first West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes of the season in the 89011, 89110, and 89146 ZIP codes.

Last month, the City of North Las Vegas became the first municipality in Clark County to adopt a comprehensive Complete Streets Policy that includes the 10 elements recommended by the National Complete Streets Coalition, and the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) adopted its Regional Bike and Pedestrian Plan. These accomplishments are part of an ongoing partnership with the Southern Nevada Health District to make Southern Nevada streets and roads more walkable, bike friendly and interconnected, and safer.

El Distrito de Salud del Sur de Nevada y la Oficina de Prevención de Enfermedades Crónicas le invita a unirse al “Reto de Verano Sin Soda”. El Reto comienza el 4 de junio y termina el 13 de agosto de 2017.

The Southern Nevada Health District received confirmation that the first Aedes aegypti mosquitoes identified in Southern Nevada have tested negative for the Zika virus.

The Southern Nevada Health District’s Vector Surveillance Program has identified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the 89032 ZIP code area of Clark County. The identification was made on May 31, 2017 and is the first time the mosquito has been detected in Southern Nevada.

Memorial Day weekend serves as the unofficial kickoff to summer, and the Southern Nevada Health District is offering tips for residents and visitors to stay safe and healthy this summer while enjoying all their favorite activities.

Hepatitis is a leading cause of liver cancer and affects millions of people in the United States, many of whom are not aware they are infected. May is Hepatitis Awareness Month and a reminder and opportunity to discuss hepatitis risk factors.

The Southern Nevada Health District is reporting its first human case of West Nile virus in Southern Nevada in 2017.

The Southern Nevada Health District has confirmed norovirus as the cause of an outbreak in one local school. School officials made the decision to self-close so that in-depth cleaning could be conducted.

El Distrito de Salud del Sur de Nevada hace un llamado a los fumadores en Nevada a dejar de fumar o usar productos de tabaco el jueves, 11 de mayo de 2017.

Encouraging kids to eat more fruit and vegetables and to be physically active is the annual goal of the Coaches Health Challenge.

Today, Dr. Laura Culley, UNLV School of Medicine Associate Dean for Community Engagement, was named the Southern Nevada Health District’s Public Health Hero for her efforts to develop a Mobile Health Collaborative. The award is presented each year to an individual or an organization whose efforts positively impact the health and well-being of the community.

Immunize Nevada is honoring the Southern Nevada Health District’s MeeKee Chong-Dao, RN and Lynda McCloskey, RN for their efforts to ensure Southern Nevadans, especially children, are vaccinated against preventable diseases. Both will be honored at the upcoming Silver Syringe awards, an annual event during National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 22-29.

The Southern Nevada Health District, Immunize Nevada, Junior League of Las Vegas, and Health Plan of Nevada are commemorating National Infant Immunization Week with the annual Community Baby Bash Immunizations & Health Fair on Friday, April 28 from 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the 280 S. Decatur public health center.

In an ongoing effort to reduce the transmission of bloodborne infections and their related health complications to people who share needles, the Southern Nevada Health District and Trac-B Exchange, in collaboration with the Nevada AIDS Research and Education Society (NARES), launched Southern Nevada’s first comprehensive needle exchange program, including a delivery component brand new to the United States-vending machines.

Syphilis was nearly eliminated in the United States as recently as the early 2000s; it is back and thriving with increases in rates among women, men, newborns, among all age groups, regions, and nearly every race and ethnicity nationwide. April is STD Awareness Month and this year’s focus is this syphilis resurgence and the importance of testing and treatment.

The Southern Nevada Health District has been working with the sports nutrition store, Nutrition Rush, to ensure it is operating appropriately and following the guidelines that fall within the Health District’s regulatory authority.

In an effort to increase access to healthy foods and beverages, the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation (DETR) and the Southern Nevada Health District developed a Nutrition Standards Policy for DETR’s Business Enterprise Program (BEN). The BEN program provides clients of DETR’s Bureau of Services to the Blind and Visually Impaired with training and on-the-job-experience managing businesses in public buildings.

Each year, March 24 is recognized as World TB Day. It is the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced he identified M. tuberculosis, the bacteria responsible for the disease.

March is National Nutrition Month, and in keeping with this year’s theme, the Southern Nevada Health District is encouraging everyone to “Put Your Best Fork Forward.” The annual observance was created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and serves as a reminder that every bite counts.

The Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) was first introduced in August, and significant progress has been made since that time. The Southern Nevada Health District and its partners developed the plan to address public health disparities with an emphasis on three focus areas: access to care, policy and funding, and chronic diseases.

Touro University Nevada and the Southern Nevada Health District celebrated the opening of its newest facility in Henderson at 874 American Pacific Drive on the Touro campus. The Health District clinic is open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Friday, and provides immunization services, including vaccines for infants, children, adolescents, and adults.

Wednesday, March 15 is national Kick Butts Day, a nationwide initiative sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids to stop tobacco use by children and young adults.

Tuesday, Feb. 7 marks the annual observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day to encourage African-Americans to learn their HIV status. This year’s theme is “I Am My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper, Fight HIV/AIDS.”

Love your heart . . . it will love you back. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Nevada, accounting for 26.7 percent of deaths in the state in 2015. February is American Heart Month, and the Southern Nevada Health District is joining the national Million Hearts™ campaign to prevent more than one million heart attacks and strokes in the United States.

The Southern Nevada Health District continues to report increased flu activity in Clark County.

Beginning Monday, February 6, the Southern Nevada Health District’s East Las Vegas Public Health Center at 560 N. Nellis Blvd., Suites D-1 and E-12, will offer services Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The Southern Nevada Health District’s public health centers at 280 S. Decatur in Las Vegas, 830 Hafen Way in Mesquite, 55 Civic Way in Laughlin, and the Environmental Health Division programs at the City Las Vegas’ Development Services offices at 333 S. Rancho will close at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23.

The Southern Nevada Health District encourages everyone to spread good cheer and happiness this holiday season, not foodborne illnesses. Family feasts and gatherings with friends are a significant part of many traditions, and food safety is the most important ingredient everyone should be adding to their holiday meals.