TX Health Services News & Alerts

Great Value Dino Nugget Recall — Lead Contamination Warning

The Texas Department of State Health Services is warning consumers not to eat Great Value brand frozen dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets (29-oz bags, best by Feb 10, 2027, lot code 0416DPO1215, establishment P44164) due to potential high-level lead contamination detected by routine public health sampling. The nuggets were distributed through Walmart stores nationwide. The affected packages have been pulled from stores, but consumers who still have them should throw them away or return them to the store of purchase. Lead exposure presents the greatest risk to children under six and pregnant women.

Public Health Alert: Warning Against 7-OH Products

Texas health officials have issued a warning against the use of products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a chemical found in kratom. The alert highlights a significant increase in reported exposures and serious health issues linked to concentrated 7-OH products, urging the public to avoid them.

Health Advisory: Raising Awareness About New World Screwworm

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issued a health advisory on September 26, 2025, alerting public health professionals, human health clinicians, and the public about New World screwworm (NWS), a parasitic fly whose larvae infest live tissue of warm-blooded animals and humans. NWS was eradicated from the United States in the 1960s but has recently spread through Central America and was detected in Mexico beginning November 2024, prompting state and federal agencies to prepare for possible reintroduction. No recent human or animal cases have been identified in Texas, but clinicians are advised to consider NWS in patients with travel to endemic areas presenting with painful, foul-smelling wounds with visible larvae, and to immediately report all suspected cases to their local health department.

Texas DSHS Prohibits Sale of Consumable Hemp to Minors

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has adopted emergency rules prohibiting the sale of consumable hemp products to individuals under 21 years of age. These rules are effective immediately and implement Governor Greg Abbott's executive order GA-56, with potential penalties including license revocation for violations.

Texas Pertussis Cases Surge; CDC Recommends Vaccines

Texas DSHS reports more than 3,500 pertussis cases through October 2025, roughly four times the number reported for the same period last year. Cases increased from 340 in 2023 to 1,907 in 2024, with over half occurring in November and December. Approximately 85 percent of cases this year have occurred among children, and about one-third of babies under 12 months old with pertussis require hospitalization. The alert provides recommendations for clinicians, public health authorities, and the public, including vaccination guidance, testing protocols, treatment options, post-exposure prophylaxis criteria, and disease reporting requirements under Texas law.

Texas DSHS Issues Measles Alert for West Texas

The Texas Department of State Health Services issued a notice on January 27, 2026, regarding three confirmed cases of measles in non-Texas residents who traveled through West Texas. The alert urges the public to remain vigilant and provides potential exposure locations and dates.