December
December 20 - Department opens flu shots to all South Dakotans
December 13 - State Vital Records office to close for remodeling
December 10 - Health Department expands risk groups for flu vaccine
December 9 - South Dakota's uninsured rate lower than national average
December 6 - Flu vaccine still available for children
December 3 - High percentage of South Dakotans with diabetes gets needed care
December 2 - Health Department urges South Dakotans to “Stop It, Don’t Spread It” with influenza and other infectious diseases
December 1 - South Dakota’s electronic vital records and screening system national leader
November
November 23 -SD sees highest number of whooping cough cases in decades
November 23 - South Dakota detects first influenza of season
November 10 - More flu vaccine shipped to South Dakota
November 4 - State awards rural hospitals $230,454 to improve health care
November 4 - Governor announces more flu vaccine available for nursing home residents
November 3 - State nurse recruitment program makes first round of payments
November 2 - State gives equipment to help schools track child obesity
November 1 - More flu vaccine available in South Dakota but gaps remain
October
October 20 - Health Department receives federal grant to target obesity
October 18 - South Dakota current vaccine supply more than 120,000
October 14 - Chamber, Retailers join Health Department in urging flu shots go to high risk
October 6 - Health Department, vaccine providers assess state’s influenza vaccine supply
October 6 - Healthy South Dakotans urged to forego flu shots to reserve vaccine supply for high risk
October 4 - Human West Nile cases at 46
September
September 27 - Health Department urges flu vaccinations
September 24 - Human West Nile cases reach 44
September 17 - Four more West Nile cases reported
September 15 - October named Breast Cancer Awareness Month
September 10 - South Dakota reports 3 human West Nile cases
September 10 - Parents urged to immunize children as whooping cough increases
September 8 - South Dakota reports first West Nile death
September 3 - State urges increased physical activity, fruit & vegetable consumption to help reverse childhood obesity trend
September 3 - South Dakota reports 5 human West Nile cases
August
August 31 - South Dakota human West Nile disease cases reach 25
August 26 - Five human West Nile disease cases reported
August 19 - Three more human West Nile disease cases reported
August 13 - Human West Nile cases reach 15
August 13 - Health Department distributes donated DEET repellent in Rapid City
August 10 - Pennington & Minnehaha County mosquito pools positive for WNV
August 6 - More human West Nile cases reported
August 3 - Human West Nile cases reach 11
July
July 30 - West Nile in 15 South Dakota counties
July 29 - State awards hospitals $1.4 million for preparedness effort
July 28 - TB case identified at State Penitentiary
July 28 - Health Department urges meningitis immunization for college students
July 27 - SD reports three human West Nile cases, 1 blood donor detection
July 23 - Two human West Nile cases, first positive mosquitoes and more positive birds reported in South Dakota
July 16 - South Dakota reports three WNV bird detections; one blood donor positive
July 14 - State urges sickle cell disease screening for all South Dakota newborns
July 14 - SD awarded $150,000 to plan comprehensive cancer control program
July 7 - State promotes DEET usage to prevent West Nile; arranges coupon offer with 3M™ for discounted purchase
June
June 30 - Health Department helps rural hospitals target heart disease
June 23 - South Dakota reports second West Nile case
June 17 - South Dakota reports first West Nile positive bird
June 14 - Health Department awards $170,000 for abstinence education
June 8 - South Dakota reports first human West Nile in 2004
May
May 18 - South Dakotans need to take precautions against West Nile Virus
May 12 - State names Avera St. Luke’s new provider for Children’s Special Health Services Program
May 11 - SD animal rabies increase in 2003;cattle and dogs account for most domestic rabies
May 7 - Gov. Rounds announces more than $900,000 in mosquito control grants
May 4 - Recruitment incentive program accepting applications for health professionals
May 3 - Stroke third leading killer in South Dakota
April
April 27 - Health Alert: Cheesecake questioned in McLaughlin death
April 19 - Risk of tick-borne illness increases in spring
April 8 - State’s immunization rate reaches 81 percent
April 7 - South Dakota’s Ryan White funding increases
April 6 - South Dakota Tobacco Advisory Committee established
April 5 - Gov. Rounds urges South Dakotans to prevent WNV
April 1 - State provides $50,000 in diabetes education grants
March
March 26 - Nasal spray recalled due to contamination
March 26 - South Dakota marks Public Health Week
March 18 - SD Health Care Commission to meet
March 16 - New WIC income guidelines released
March 12 - South Dakota reports 20 tuberculosis cases in 2003
March 10 - CDC entomologist featured speaker at South Dakota West Nile seminar
March 4 - State Health Department’s Sioux Falls offices move to new location
February
February 26- State launches web site for mosquito control grant program
February 25 - State unveils mobile public health laboratory
February 24 - Consumption advisory issued for Lake Roosevelt largemouth bass
February 13 - Eat red for heart health on Valentine’s Day
February 13 - South Dakota's infant mortality rate declining
February 12 - Women urged to get screened for heart disease during February Heart Month
January
January 29 - State plans West Nile mosquito control conference
January 27 - Schools receive height and weight equipment to track child obesity
