Health & Wellness News

A recently released hospital performance report shows a significant increase in hospital mortality rates from 2017 to 2022. The Pennsylvania Health Care Coalition on Cost Containment releases the report each year.

A Muhlenberg College professor has launched a campaign this month to inform residents about the health risks of radon, as well as improve access to testing and mitigation. The Lehigh Valley is home to the highest radon levels ever recorded in Pennsylvania.

A comprehensive review by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine of scientific research looked at the health effects of cannabis and its compounds for a range of conditions.

PPL Electric Utilities offers tips to customers designed to keep them safe and warm during the winter season.

The CEO of St. Luke's University Health Network addressed the potential merger of competitor Lehigh Valley Health Network with Jefferson Health. CEO Rick Anderson sent a message to St. Luke's thousands of employees.

Is it COVID-19, RSV, or the flu? Doctors are saying it could be any of the three or even whooping cough. Respiratory illnesses are on the rise following the holiday season and there may not be a reprieve for a while.

January is National Radon Action Month, and officials from the American Lung Association are offering a limited supply of free radon test kits for commonwealth residents, including those in the the Lehigh Valley.

Resources for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren are limited. A Pennsylvania nonprofit is working to change that in the new year.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The 75,000-square-foot St. Luke’s Sportsplex features more than two dozen indoor courts and almost the same number outside.

The most popular names have been a constant the past few years, according to the major health networks. But one trend that emerged in 2023 in the Lehigh Valley seems to be tied to sports — specifically, the success and popularity of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taylor Swift also may be having an impact.

New therapies for sickle cell disease could be available in the Lehigh Valley next year. The FDA approved the treatments earlier this month for people 12 and older. The disease disproportionately affects people who are Black and of certain other descents.

In light of a recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Browne is partnering with Lehigh Valley Health Network to host a vaccine clinic in Center City Allentown on Aug. 19.

Lehigh Valley Health Network is now offering COVID-19 booster shots to some people with weakened immune systems.

Anxiety from COVID-19 may have people questioning whether they have the virus or just a common cold.

Northampton County is hoping to help small businesses emerge from the pandemic with a new round of grant funding from the federal government that totals $15 million.

A “Code Orange” air quality alert is now in effect across the Lehigh Valley.

The Bethlehem Area School District has added a new position to address the social and emotional needs of students and staff. The move comes as schools bring kids back to full-time in-person learning this fall.

Coronavirus restrictions are easing up and many people are getting back to their favorite activities.

About 37% of ticks in Pennsylvania are the kind that carry Lyme disease, according to the Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania at East Stroudsburg University.

No masks will be required at the region’s Catholic schools this fall according to word from the Diocese of Allentown in a letter sent to parents on June 30

Summer travel is picking up as more people get vaccinated. The American Automobile Association (AAA) expects travel to hit pre-pandemic levels over the next few months.

Summer’s here and meteorologists forecast the Lehigh Valley may experience another heat wave in the coming days. Temperatures may push 90 degrees.

The Pennsylvania Dept of Aging says the isolation during the pandemic has made seniors more vulnerable to forms of financial abuse so the agency has launched a task force to look into these crimes.