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Brian Myszkowski/LehighValleyNews.comMembers of the Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force and community partners came to Moravian University Friday to educate students first-hand on how being distracted or impaired can severely impact the ability to drive safely. -
Cheyanne Mumphrey/AP PhotoFederal 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.
Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute now offers treatment for atrial fibrillation (AFib) with a new system that uses pulsed electrical fields to target problematic heart muscle cells instead of extreme heat or cold.
Health & Wellness News
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Northampton County and Northampton Community College will offer a free workplace safety training later this month aimed at employees of municipal governments, nonprofits and similar organizations. -
The funding, through the Livable Landscape program, was unanimously approved at the county council’s June 18 meeting.
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Legislators worked to establish penalties for xylazine use and trafficking in an attempt to lessen its presence in Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply. Some say doing so made way for a new, unclassified veterinary tranquilizer to take its place — medetomidine.
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Nearly a year after the Biden administration designated xylazine as an "emerging threat" to the United States, Gov. Josh Shapiro classified it as a schedule III drug, making unauthorized possession a crime in Pennsylvania. Experts say the move has partly served to clear the way for new illicit substances to enter the drug market.
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Proposed federal budget cuts would impact programs such as the free summer meal program for children in the Allentown School District.
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The $2.75 million payment to the federal government resolves allegations that a pharmacy technician stole controlled substances on about 40 occasions and the health network failed to institute proper controls.
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Despite not being approved for human consumption, veterinary tranquilizers are infiltrating the illicit drug supply in Pennsylvania. Harm reduction specialists and health care professionals say these overdoses can't be approached solely with naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal drug.
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A generous donation from a Lehigh Valley native and others funds free swim lessons for children and adults in the River Crossing YMCA's Safety Around Water, or SAW, swim education program.
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The bill would limit the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, beginning in 2026.
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Xylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.
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The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.
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More than 5,000 Pennsylvanians died from overdoses last year.
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Wintertime and the post-holiday doldrums can contribute to the condition.
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Skyrocketing COVID-19 case counts and beefed-up demand for testing prompted the extra hours.
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The omicron variant is fueling skyrocketing case counts across the U.S. -- and child hospitalizations are nearing record numbers.
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Folks are waiting in line for hours at testing sites across the Lehigh Valley.
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Hospitals in Scranton and York will receive more acute-care capacity and EMS support.
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A new behavioral health center for teens in crisis is set to open in the Easton area.
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The move is in response to a request by the Wolf administration for federal assistance.
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Knowing when and why to use a rapid test can help in limiting infections.
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The new unit will cut down on the time a teen has to wait for help.
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If stores have them, they're limiting how many customers can buy.
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The new variant is responsible for three quarters of all new cases in the U.S.
