Sacramento County Health Digest

Sacramento County health officials announced that Fentanyl poisoning is now the leading cause of death among adults ages 18-45.

The chemical, used for decades, can harm babies’ developing brains. Farmworkers and people living near fields are most at risk. The EPA issued a rare emergency order.

A look at the hottest July ever recorded in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys and what's to come.

About 80 Californians die every year after contracting Valley fever, a fungal disease that typically affects the lungs. A recent outbreak was traced to a music festival in Kern County.

After years of delay, a new California regulation to protect indoor workers from extreme heat is now in effect.

The first two human cases of West Nile virus this season were reported in Yuba and Stanislaus Counties.

Construction has begun on the 14-story expansion of the UC Davis Medical Center on Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento.

California State Hospitals can bill patients for the care they receive during confinement. The charges often run in the tens of thousands of dollars, putting vulnerable people in debt for years.

Sacramento County approved a $26 million contract with Behavioral Health Bridge Housing to provide housing and services for homeless people with substance abuse or behavioral mental health issues.

The Sacramento Homeless Union reports that two unhoused men have died so far in July during a relentless heatwave.

Taking advantage of new state funds, some California healthcare providers are starting to offer what their homeless patients really need: housing.

The reason the City of Sacramento stopped water deliveries to local homeless during a dangerous heatwave.

It's mosquito season, and West Nile virus has been detected in Yolo, Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties. CapRadio presents a guide to staying safe.

On June 26, the Yolo County Mosquito Vector Control District reported mosquitos sampled from Dunnigan tested positive for the West Nile virus.

A profile of the Showers by Touchstone mobile shower program and its founder, Mark Lytal.

Almost 400 suppliers, two-thirds in communities of color, don’t meet safety and reliability standards. Fixing them would cost billions.

Even when suicidal, California firefighters struggle to find medical help and navigate the workers’ comp morass to pay for it.

As COVID infections increase, CapRadio provides answers to frequently asked questions.

The Sacramento County Civil Grand Jury released a report on June 14 finding the safety of foster youth was not prioritized.

Over the last decade, nearly 50 maternity wards have closed across California, with more than half shutting down in just the last four years.

For families seeking affordable health insurance, the state’s health insurance marketplace, Covered California, can provide major relief. But if they’re not careful, they can get hit by an unexpected federal tax bill.

The Citrus Heights City Council heard concerns expressed at a recent meeting about the increase in feral cats locally, many sick and starving, and some possibly carrying a deadly virus.

In its May 14 meeting, the Sacramento City Council unanimously approved a plan to encourage residents and businesses to replace gas appliances with electric.

Mosquito vector control agencies are preparing for mosquito season in San Joaquin and Sacramento counties.

Sacramento is among the top 10 most polluted cities in the nation in terms of ozone and particle pollution, the nonprofit organization said in its 2024 State of the Air report.

Dozens of members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, including vocational nurses, social workers, kitchen and janitorial staff, picketed outside the Sutter Center for Psychiatry

Newsom-backed bill would allow Arizona abortion providers to practice in California as the Republican-led state restricts access.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new ad blasts GOP efforts to make it harder for people to leave states with abortion bans and seek treatment elsewhere.

Water suppliers say the costs will be massive, with rates increasing for many consumers. Known as the “Erin Brockovich” chemical, hexavalent chromium is found statewide.

Chinese Hospital, located in the heart of this city's legendary Chinatown, struggles with many of the same financial and demographic challenges that plague small independent hospitals in underserved areas across the country.

These professionals provide essential services, but their pay and working conditions do not reflect their value, and their health suffers.

Evictions have exacerbated homelessness nationwide, increasing the rate of homeless infants and toddlers. Most of those children are not enrolled in early education programs.