CDPH Weekly Media Brief, 03/05/2026

Jump Ahead

• End of Meningococcal Outbreak
• Woman and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
• National Nutrition Month
• Healthy Chicago Podcast

CDPH Declares Meningococcal Outbreak Over

Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) is declaring the end of Chicago's recent outbreak of meningococcal disease. Two incubation periods of meningococcal disease (20 days) have gone by without detecting any new cases after 10 cases were identified in January and February. No epidemiological links were found between any of the cases. In total, CDPH has provided 800 doses of meningococcal vaccine to shelter residents and healthcare providers, and will continue to provide vaccines through the end of March, along with outreach and education to high-risk populations.

Infectious disease surveillance for meningococcal disease will continue. Meningococcal disease is a reportable disease in the City of Chicago, meaning any case identified in a City hospital or healthcare setting will be reported to CDPH and trigger an appropriate public health response. For more information on meningococcal disease, see the FAQ page on the CDPH website.

*CDPH experts are available for interview opportunities to discuss how containment of the outbreak was achieved

Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Almost 20 percent of Chicagoans living with HIV are women. Women and girls might not be at the forefront of the discussion around HIV and AIDS, but with nearly 1 in 5 new HIV cases in Chicago among females, it's important to call attention to the impact HIV and AIDS have on women and girls.

Tuesday, March 10 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Now in its 21st year, this awareness day provides a space to discuss HIV and AIDS, while highlighting efforts to improve HIV prevention, treatment, and care services for women and girls.

HIV uniquely affects women's health in ways that it does not with men. For instance, women have a higher risk of getting HIV when having vaginal sex than men. Some health problems, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and vaginal yeast infections, are more common, more serious, or harder to treat in women with HIV. Additionally, HIV and AIDS disproportionately affect Black/African American women, who face infection rates up to 10 times that of white women.

CDPH's PrEP Now Chicago website was produced to speak directly to Black women and provide a space where Black women could learn about PrEP, a powerful HIV prevention tool, and to empower every woman with the knowledge and resources to protect herself. CDPH's Sexual Health Clinics provide a welcoming space where women can get tested, get treatment, and get needed information and resources on HIV and AIDS.

National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, a time to recognize that it is essential to have consistent access to affordable, culturally appropriate, and healthy food. Programs like WIC play a critical role in helping families put healthy habits into practice.

CDPH supports 14 WIC clinics across the city, ensuring families have convenient access to services in their own communities.

In addition, the Greater Lawn West 55th Street WIC clinic is partnering with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to provide free fresh fruits and vegetables to WIC and behavioral health clients. Once a month, the Depository drops off produce at the WIC clinic, where volunteers and staff work together to bag and distribute it to clients.

The monthly produce varies depending on availability and season but may include sweet potatoes, onions, leafy greens, cabbage, avocados, pineapples, mangos, apples, melons, oranges, and more. Distribution takes place on the second Wednesday of each month from 9:30 am to 11:00 am. The next distribution will be on March 11.

For more information about WIC clinics, please visit chicago.gov/WIC.

Healthy Chicago Podcast

On a new episode of Healthy Chicago Podcast, Grace Adams (CDPH) and Jaime Groth Searle (The Southwest Collective) discuss Open Air Chicago and how it can be utilized by community members across the City.

Listen or Watch on the service of your choice!

In the summer of 2025, CDPH and University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health installed 277 sensors throughout Chicago, making it the largest community air monitoring network in the United States and the second largest in the world. Recently, the partnership publicly launched the air sensor data at Open Air Chicago.

Learn more about getting involved with the Southwest Collective on their website, and explore air quality in your Chicago neighborhood area by visiting the Open Air Chicago map.

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