New Mexico Department of Health

The New Mexico Department of Health announced a McKinley county fox tested positive for rabies on Thursday, the first such case on record, and the eighth case of rabies in New Mexico this year.

In the lead up to World No Tobacco Day on May 31, the New Mexico Department of Health on Friday announced smoking rates have decreased across the state. At the same time, however, vaping rates have increased.

Here in New Mexico, we've managed to avoid the rotavirus cases that have been surging across the country. Kids have been hospitalized and health providers have said this year’s spike is concerning. Experts lay at least partial blame on declining vaccination rates elsewhere, but in the Land of Enchanment our vaccination rates have increased.

New Mexicans should prepare for a historic heat wave peaking this weekend. On Tuesday, the New Mexico Department of Health issued a warning advising residents to look out for signs of heat illness as the temperature jumps to levels the National Weather Service said usually arrive just before June.

Flu is hitting New Mexico hard this year and the Department of Health is urging residents to get a seasonal flu shot to help curb the spread and — more importantly — to stay safe. This time last year the flu represented about 7% of all emergency room visits. Now it's more than 10%.

Fewer people are dying of overdose in New Mexico. Monday the state’s Health Care Authority announced a decline in overdose deaths for the second consecutive year.

The New Mexico Department of Health announced Wednesday it will continue to recommend its full suite of childhood vaccinations despite a recent shakeup of federal vaccine guidelines. The announcement comes on the heels of an unprecedented change at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention slashing childhood recommendations from 17 to 11 total vaccines.

Although New Mexico’s measles outbreak is officially over, people could have been exposed to the virus by an out-of-state traveller who stayed at an Albuquerque hotel in late December. On Tuesday the Department of Health announced the exposure incident at the Quality Inn near Juan Tabo Boulevard and I-40.

Under new federal recommendations, it is now up to parents to decide to give their infants the hepatitis B vaccine when their mothers have tested negative for the virus.

The New Mexico Department of Health announced Monday that it “continues to strongly recommend” hepatitis B vaccinations for all newborns. The announcement comes after federal guidance issued Friday that it’s not necessary if the mother tests negative for the virus.