San Joaquin County Health Digest

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.

The California Department of Health Care Services has granted $15 million to provide more mental health services to the homeless, whose numbers, according to the recent point-in-time count, have doubled over the last 2 years.

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.

In a July 19 statement, the Ripon Consolidated Fire District announced it was suspending ambulance services because of a shortage in staffing.

Swimming is allowed again at Lodi Lake following closure due to bacteria alert.

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.

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

Stockton Police reported a local woman was injured by a falling bullet fire on July 4.

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.

The San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District reported mosquitos sampled from Stockton tested positive for West Nile virus.

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.

Kaiser has submitted plans to expand its Manteca emergency facility.

Sutter Health announced plans to open new facilities in Manteca, Lathrop and Tracy.

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.

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

More than 6,000 residents live outside the targeted 5-minute accident, fire and police response-time zone in southwest Manteca.

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

A ribbon-cutting was held April 25 to celebrate the opening of the Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic at 6505 South Manthey Road in French Camp.

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.

Disputes between insurers and providers can lead to entire hospital systems suddenly leaving the plans.

After bringing his story all the way to the University of California Board of Regents, a disabled UC Berkeley student has prompted the UC to ensure emergency evacuation chairs are in every multi-storied building in the 10-university system.