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North Carolina health officials are warning that West Nile virus is spreading after two deaths were linked to the disease. The two deaths were adults from central North Carolina, according to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. Currently, 2026 is on pace to be the second-highest year on record for West Nile virus cases, after 2024, according to local ABC News affiliate WTVD. (Kekatos, 10/14)

The Arlington County Fire Department failed to provide adequate mental health support to its first responders following the fatal midair collision near Reagan National Airport in 2025, according to an internal memo obtained by The Washington Post. ... Many Arlington County Fire Department responders exhausted the department’s workers’ compensation therapy sessions and have since paid out-of-pocket costs for continued care, according to the memo. First responders have reported experiencing increased depression, family strain, alcohol use and sleep disturbances, the memo says. (Scott, 10/14)

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Gerber Products Co. and its parent company, Nestlé USA Inc., alleging the Gerber baby food products contain dangerous levels of toxic metals, according to a Wednesday press release from his office. “Gerber promised parents its food was safe and rigorously tested. Its own tests showed toxic metals in the food. When a company makes promises about what parents feed their babies, I will hold it accountable to ensure those promises are kept,” Paxton said in the release. (Chakraborty, 10/14)

Minnesota is bracing for the Trump administration to cut more of its Medicaid funding — permanently. The state’s top Medicaid official is concerned Minnesota could lose hundreds of millions of dollars for claims it’s already paid out. If that comes to pass, Minnesota would be forced to claw the money back from doctors, hospitals and other people who care for the low-income people in the program. (King, 10/14)

Forgoing normal treks to Rouses and Walmart, Annamarie Gonzales and her neighbors walked a few paces from their Guste High Rise apartments and funneled into a food-filled trailer. Inside, shelves and refrigerators filled with staples such as red beans, cornbread mix, fresh fruit and dairy lined its interior. A departure from its grand opening on Sept. 18 with Mardi Gras Indians and a brass band, the grocery popup’s second appearance at the affordable living complex drew a small, but growing crowd of walker-bound residents. (Perdomo, 10/14)

51��Ƶ Health News: What Texas Reveals About The Obstacles To Getting Hospital Financial Aid

Aimee Carlock needed surgery in August 2025 to treat severe pain and bleeding from her uterus. But first, she needed to come up with $5,500. Texas Health Resources, one of the state’s largest nonprofit hospital systems, told her it wouldn’t schedule the procedure unless she paid up front, Carlock said. The self-employed house cleaner didn’t have the money. “I panicked because I live paycheck to paycheck,” she said. “I have no extra money whatsoever.” (Evans, 10/15)

51��Ƶ Health News: 7 Takeaways From An Investigation Into Financial Aid At Texas Hospitals

Most hospitals offer financial assistance to patients who struggle to afford their bills, often referred to as charity care. But many people are stymied by cumbersome aid applications. Others don’t even know help exists. Hospitals have the ability to proactively screen patients to see if they’re eligible for aid and, if so, automatically wipe out or reduce their bills — a process known as presumptive eligibility. (Evans, Craven McGinty and Levi, 10/15)