Health & Wellness News

Federal health officials say 31 babies in 15 states have been sickened in a growing outbreak of infantile botulism tied to ByHeart infant formula. ByHeart recalled all of its products sold throughout the U.S. No deaths have been reported. Health officials say parents and caregivers who have the formula in their homes should stop using it immediately and dispose of the product. Botulism is a rare but serious disease that can cause paralysis and death. Symptoms can take weeks to develop. The most recent case was reported Nov. 11.

In just two weeks time, 75 businesses, organizations and individuals contributed $677,000 to address food insecurity throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley.

Easton City Council approved a resolution that will let the city seek a $750,000 grant to help in the rehabilitation of the Heil Park Pool on South Side.

For this year’s event, set for Sunday, officials are cutting out single-use water bottles and trading plastic medal packaging for paper, among other sustainability initiatives.

With SNAP benefits delayed in November and the holidays approaching, Lehigh Valley residents can help or get help. Here's where to find food pantries, volunteer opportunities, and donation info.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, has organized a food drive while pinning the ongoing government shutdown on Senate Democrats. SNAP benefits that help feed millions of low-income Americans are hours away from expiring.

The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation have launched a $500,000 fundraising campaign to strengthen food access and deliver rapid relief to families in need.

In the Lehigh Valley, 105,000 people rely on SNAP benefits for food assistance. One in four of them is a child. When federal safety nets falter, the charitable food network becomes the community’s last line of defense. It requires collaboration, leadership and shared purpose.

About 400 Allentown families came to The Salvation Army for The Give Back resource event Wednesday, where they received shelf-stable food, daily necessities, and more, just as federal assistance benefits are about to be cut off.

The move announced Monday affects patients at LVHN hospitals and offices in the Lehigh Valley – those properties that were providing care before Jefferson Health’s acquisition of LVHN last summer.

The St. Luke’s D&L RaceFest signups are open, offering participants a chance to qualify for the prestigious Boston Marathon.

The Lehigh Valley International Airport on Friday debuted GoodMaps, a smartphone-driven, audio guidance app for passengers with physical and emotional challenges.

GOP statehouse heads nix special session on statewide school mask requirement

Keeping students safe and healthy is a challenge as they return to in-person learning amid delta variant threat

Gov. Tom Wolf is asking Pennsylvania's legislature to quickly approve a new statewide mask mandate for schools because his administration is worried that students returning to schools are going back to an unsafe environment.

On Aug. 25, Gov. Tom Wolf wrote a letter requesting the state legislature return to Harrisburg to work on legislation that would require mask-wearing in K-12 schools and child care centers.

The CDC reported a 62% increase in the number of children being admitted to Pennsylvania hospitals in the past week bringing the total number of children hospitalized statewide this month to over 1,600.

People who need food in Allentown will soon have one more healthy option. After one year in Easton, the Vegan Food Pantry is moving.

Mental health Therapist Susan Grubb of Elizabethtown, Dauphin County, is the only woman from Pennsylvania featured in “Women Who Shine” by Kate Butler.

The Bethlehem Area School District is giving students and parents COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the new school year. The vaccine clinics are a way to bring children up to speed on their shots.

As the delta variant sweeps through, Pennsylvania reported more than 3,400 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, an increase of nearly 50% in one day and the biggest spike since May.

All students in the Bethlehem Area School District will be required to wear masks this fall.

Pennsylvania’s shortage of at-home nurses for children with complex medical needs has left parents to fend for themselves.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is trying a two-pronged approach to keep K-12 school environments safe from a recent surge in COVID-19 cases.