Baltimore City Health Department

Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen hit the ground running in her new position. WMAR reporter Kelly Swoope sat down for a one on one interview with Dr. Wen.

Baltimore City Health Commissioner Leana Wen, M.D. has extended the Code Blue Alert through Friday, February 20.  This is the seventh Code Blue alert for Baltimore this winter.

"In the 1930s, outbreaks swept through every corner of Baltimore. Tens of thousands of children grew sick with fever and a tale-tell rash..."

Baltimore's health commissioner and a group of leading physicians Monday called on parents to vaccinate their children against the measles, warning that "the Disneyland outbreak raises the real risk that measles may come roaring back. "We have come too far to let that happen," the group said in a statement it released Monday. "...Make sure your child is up-to-date on all vaccines. This protects your child and will help safeguard all children in our community. Vaccines are more than individual choice; they are our obligation to one another."

With predicted low temperatures and wind chills as low as the single-digits, Leana Wen, M.D., Baltimore City Health Commissioner, is declaring a Code Blue for Monday, February 2 and Tuesday, February 3. “The very cold temperatures that we’ve been experiencing recently will continue to be with us for the next two days, and the Baltimore City Health Department along with other city agencies will be working to ensure the safety of Baltimoreans,” Dr. Wen said.   “We want to make sure all residents know how to protect themselves from cold weather emergencies.”

Measles was nearly eliminated across the country nearly 15 years ago, an immunization victory over a highly contagious respiratory virus that once injured thousands and killed hundreds every year. Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore's new health commissioner, criticized a movement by some parents who refuse to vaccinate their children, citing concerns of possible side effects.  Read more here.

An overdose-reversing drug that is a linchpin in Baltimore's plan to combat heroin overdose deaths has more than doubled in price over the past year, causing health leaders to worry their efforts to control a public health crisis could be derailed. "There are very few diseases for which there is a complete cure that can stop death," said Dr. Leana Wen, the city's newly minted health commissioner. Read more here.

Dr. Leana Wen was among the many community leaders at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield’s annual CareFirst A Salute to Our Community Partners event.

With predicted low temperatures in the teens and single-digit wind chills, Leana Wen, M.D., Baltimore City Health Commissioner, is declaring a Code Blue for January 30 & 31. This is the third Code Blue alert for Baltimore this season; previous declarations covered January 7 – 9 and January 27-28 (total of five days).

The Baltimore City Health Department learned today that laboratory testing has confirmed that a 12-month-old Baltimore City resident does not have measles.  “We are very glad that this child doesn’t have measles,” said Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore City Health Commissioner. “This should be a wake-up call, however, for any parents or caregivers who have not had their children immunized.  Getting children vaccinated against all types of preventable diseases protects not only that child, but everyone around them.”