Two residents of Santa Clara County were infected by West Nile virus and are recovering at home after medical care, public health officials said Wednesday, the first confirmed human cases of the mosquito-borne virus this year in the Bay Area.

The two new cases in Santa Clara County were unrelated, and officials have not determined if either ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My neighbor recently had an X-ray after hurting their leg, and the doctor found a bone lesion that needs more testing. They're terrified it could mean bone cancer. It got me wondering: Does every bone tumor or bone lesion mean cancer?

ANSWER: Hearing that an imaging test found a bone tumor or bone lesion can be frightening. ...Read more

HAMPTON, Va. — West Nile virus was found on a mosquito Tuesday at Langley Air Force Base, according to a social media post by the base.

It was detected by Joint Base Langley-Eustis Pest Management. For treatment, ground fogging operations will start at about 7 p.m. Wednesday. This will be done with a truck-mounted “fogging” machine that ...Read more

MIAMI — At the UHI CommunityCare Clinic in Opa-locka, anyone without health insurance can get primary and specialty care, including free dental care, eye exams and prescription glasses. Fruits and veggies from a mobile grocery bus. And, starting in August, free ready-to-eat hot and healthy meals.

The clinic has seen an increase in patients ...Read more

FORT WORTH, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott raised the curtain on the third part of his plan to lower insurance costs for Texans. This section focuses on health insurance costs for small businesses and their employees.

In conversations with small business owners, Abbott said, he heard time and time again that the employers were having trouble ...Read more

The American Red Cross declared its second ever national blood supply crisis Monday, urging immediate donations as blood supplies fall to their lowest levels in four summers.

“It is dire,” said Nuriddin Ziyadinov, a regional executive officer at the Red Cross. “For us not to have the blood to be able to save lives, it will have ...Read more

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is pressuring U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune to address Sen. Mitch McConnell’s ongoing absence and encouraging others to join him in the effort.

During a live call-in broadcast that aired on SiriusXM Progress Wednesday afternoon, Beshear said it’s up to Thune to make sure the GOP members of the Senate have...Read more

DETROIT — The total number of reported cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan surpassed 10,000 on Wednesday as health officials continue to investigate the state's worst-ever outbreak of the parasitic illness.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 397 new cases of cyclosporiasis, which usually causes frequent, watery and ...Read more

When planning for retirement, state taxes on your 401(k), pension, and Social Security benefits should be part of your strategy.

Yet while some states offer no retirement taxes on any of these sources, a zero-percent tax rate can lose its shine if you can’t get a doctor’s appointment when you need one.

After all, an average 65-year-old ...Read more

As wellness trends increasingly emphasize “natural” living, a controversial practice known as drinking “raw water” has gained attention. Proponents describe raw water as untreated, unfiltered water collected directly from natural sources such as springs, streams or wells. Advocates claim it is more “alive,” mineral-rich, and free ...Read more

Q: My doctor just ordered an MRI scan with contrast dye. Is the dye safe?

A: Yes, MRI contrast dye is generally considered safe for most people.

Typically made with metal called gadolinium and injected intravenously, contrast dye is used in up to 45% of the 40 million MRI procedures done each year in the United States. It works by magnetically...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My dad’s favorite band is playing at a music festival this summer. I’d love to take him, but he has a heart condition. I know it could be kind of intense. Do you have any tips for making the experience safe for him?

ANSWER: Festivals can be surprisingly physically demanding. Hours spent standing, walking or dancing can put...Read more

The next foodborne illness outbreak could be much worse.

That’s the concern of food safety leaders across the U.S. who are raising alarms over federal cuts they say have made it harder to detect and stop the spread of foodborne illnesses, such as the recent outbreaks of cyclospora, which has sickened thousands in dozens of states. And they’...Read more

DENVER — A public health study found that Colorado children living within eight miles of an oil and gas well had an increased risk of developing leukemia, and the study’s authors determined current setbacks between well sites and houses may not be enough to protect kids.

The study, published in May 2025, sounded an alarm for communities ...Read more

This isn’t just a bad year for measles. It looks to be the start of a bad era. Confirmed measles cases just hit a 35-year high, and it’s only July. Together with last year, the number of cases has exceeded the combined total over the previous 25 years. The vast majority of cases stem from domestic outbreaks fueled by low rates of vaccination...Read more

BALTIMORE — A warming Chesapeake Bay may mean more days of swimming, but it brings a greater threat from a flesh-eating bacterium that thrives as the mercury rises.

Last year, the health department reported 11 deaths from Vibrio fulnificus — the so-called flesh-eating strain — including an outbreak tied to a Wicomico County crab feast. ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — As Pennsylvania grapples with a measles outbreak that has sickened 130 residents, state health officials are recommending some parents vaccinate young children early to provide extra protection against the highly contagious disease.

Children as young as 6 months who live in or whose parents plan travel to affected counties ...Read more

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is urging Sen. Mitch McConnell to either release more details on his health condition or resign from office.

In a letter sent to McConnell’s office Monday and obtained by the Herald-Leader, Beshear called for McConnell to “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to ...Read more