In the United States, extreme heat is the primary cause of weather-related deaths, posing a significant threat to public health.

Here's a Q&A with Dr. Maureen Miller, a researcher for the study, which found that in one year, vaccine uptake rose from 44% to 76% in target communities.

An air quality alert is in effect for New York City from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday. Young children, elderly people, and those with respiratory diseases are advised to avoid strenuous activities.

As climate change drives up temperatures and the risk of heat-related illnesses in New York, public health leaders and researchers are paying more attention to heat surveillance.

Last year, the NYC Health Department identified an alarming trend: Overdose is the city’s leading driver of pregnancy-associated death.

A budget bill passed in the U.S. House this week proposes sharp cuts to Medicaid, which about half of New York City residents rely on for health care coverage.

The reduction in deaths is promising but tenuous, as racial disparities widen and uncertainty around federal funding could imperil progress.

The rate of such deaths has been stagnant for years, and clinicians and advocates say reducing mortality requires not only public education, but also addressing systemic issues like poverty and overcrowded housing.

Public health experts and advocates say that Health and Human Services regional offices, like the one in New York City, form the connective tissue between the federal government and locally based services.

The grants from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation come as New York braces for an estimated shortage of nearly 40,000 nurses by 2030.