Category Archives: Press Releases

FREE Mammograms are Available

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In New York State, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and is the second leading cause of cancer death. One in eight women will get breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. Many things affect a person’s chance of getting breast cancer, these are… Read more >

Onondaga County Health Department to Hold Monkeypox Vaccine Clinic on Thursday, September 29

The Onondaga County Health Department will be holding a monkeypox vaccination clinic for those in our community who are at risk or may be at future risk of contracting the disease. The clinic will offer both first and second doses. Those in need of a second dose must have received their first dose at least… Read more >

Additional Mosquito Pools Found Positive for EEEV and WNV, Spraying of Cicero Swamp Planned

The Onondaga County Health Department was notified today that mosquitoes collected from traps located in the Cicero Swamp area in the town of Cicero tested positive for virus. A mosquito pool from Route 298 was positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) and a pool from Island Road was positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). … Read more >

Area Teens Attend Summit at Keuka College

Focus on combating tobacco industry’s influence on youth Tobacco-Free CNY Reality Check youth from the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central (ITC) Ali Kareem and Michelle Tran joined more than 70 teens at Keuka College for this year’s Reality Check Youth Summit held each summer to gain leadership, self-empowerment, and team-building skills to produce change… Read more >

Mosquitoes Found Positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus

Onondaga County Health Department was notified by the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratory that mosquitoes from a trap located on Route 298 in the Cicero Swamp area in the town of Cicero have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV). EEEV is one of a number of viruses that can be… Read more >

First Case of Monkeypox in Onondaga County

The Onondaga County Health Department (OCHD) announced today that an Onondaga County resident has tested positive for the monkeypox virus. OCHD received the laboratory report of the positive finding on the evening of August 9, 2022. The patient has been in isolation and does not pose a risk to the public. OCHD Bureau of Disease… Read more >

Onondaga County Health Department to Hold Monkeypox Vaccine Clinic

The Onondaga County Health Department will be holding a monkeypox vaccination clinic for those in our community who are at high risk of contracting the disease. The Health Department has received a total of 600 doses of the monkeypox vaccine from the New York State Department of Health which includes 300 first and 300 second… Read more >

Mosquitoes Found Positive for West Nile Virus

The Onondaga County Health Department was notified by the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratory today that a mosquito pool from a trap located at Taft Road in the town of Cicero has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). This first positive finding of WNV in mosquitoes this year in Onondaga County… Read more >

Jamesville Beach Closed for Swimming Due to Visual Presence of Algal Bloom

The Onondaga County Health Department announced today that Jamesville Beach located in the Town of LaFayette is closed for swimming due to the visual presence of an algal bloom. Water sampling will be conducted to confirm there are no toxins before the beach is reopened. Please note that this does not affect the park’s other… Read more >

Rise in Opioid Overdoses in Onondaga County

Over the last few years, Onondaga County, like much of New York State, has seen a dramatic increase in opioid overdose fatalities, including 156 and 186 deaths in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Factors such as the proliferation of illicit fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, as well as their combination with methamphetamines, and cocaine, have driven this… Read more >