The Rhode Island Department of Health is recommending that the swimming areas at Easton’s Beach in Newport and Briar Point Beach in Coventry reopen after bacteria counts returned to safe levels. The recommendation comes two days after the department advised closing the swimming areas at both beaches, along with Oakland Beach in Warwick, because of […]
Environment & Health
Posted inEnvironment & Health
RIDOH recommends closing swimming areas at three Rhode Island beaches, including Easton’s Beach
The Rhode Island Department of Health is recommending the closure of swimming areas at three beaches, including Easton’s Beach in Newport, because of high bacteria counts. The recommendation also applies to Oakland Beach in Warwick and Briar Point Beach in Coventry, the department said. State health officials will continue to monitor and review beach water […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Rhode Island issues another air quality alert for Thursday
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has issued a statewide air quality alert for Thursday, June 11, forecasting ground-level ozone that will reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups. It is the third such alert the department has issued in under a week, as a stretch of warm summer weather continues to drive elevated ozone. […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Officials warn against contact with Newport’s Almy Pond over algae bloom
The Rhode Island Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Management are advising people to avoid all contact with Almy Pond in Newport because of a harmful algae bloom. The agencies said all recreation at the pond, including swimming, fishing, boating and kayaking, is high risk and should be avoided. The bloom is caused […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
RIDOH recommends reopening swimming area at Easton’s Beach
This story was originally published at 5:01 p.m. on May 29. It has been updated with news of the reopening. The Rhode Island Department of Health is recommending that the swimming area at Easton’s Beach reopen after bacteria counts returned to safe levels, the agency said Monday. The recommendation reverses a closure issued late last […]
Posted inCity & Government
DEM reopens 462-acre Portsmouth shellfishing area for first time since 1975
A 462-acre shellfishing area along the Portsmouth shoreline just south of the Mount Hope Bridge will reopen for the first time since 1975, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced. The area has met water quality and shellfish sanitation criteria and will be upgraded from prohibited to approved for harvest on May 23. DEM […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Rhode Island Department of Health reminds residents to take precautions during extreme heat
The Rhode Island Department of Health is reminding residents to take safety precautions during the ongoing heat. When it is very hot and humid, sweating isn’t enough to cool the body, and body temperature can rise quickly, the department said. High temperatures can cause heat stroke, heat exhaustion or heat cramps. Certain populations are at […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
RI health officials urge tick and mosquito bite prevention as warmer weather arrives
With warmer weather settling in across the state, the Rhode Island Department of Health is reminding residents to take steps to prevent tick and mosquito bites when spending time outdoors. State officials said avoiding bites is the most effective way to prevent the spread of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
DEM closes Lower Providence River shellfish area after 800,000-gallon sewage discharge in East Providence
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has closed the Lower Providence River conditional shellfish area, known as Area 16E, after a break in an East Providence sewage line discharged roughly 800,000 gallons of untreated sewage into the river. The closure took effect immediately and will remain in place until further notice, DEM said in […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about dental cleanings and prevention
I’m a big fan of prevention, understanding that everyone dies of something, and not all health problems are preventable. That said, it’s crazy how our fears about illness and death overwhelm our better judgment from time to time, and how people with a service to sell sometimes let their ambition get in front of the […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Boil water notice lifted for Stone Bridge Fire District customers in Tiverton
The precautionary boil water notice issued last week to Stone Bridge Fire District customers has been lifted, the Rhode Island Department of Health announced. The advisory was issued April 24 after a water main break threatened to cause a loss of pressure across multiple areas of the system. The Stone Bridge Fire District, which serves […]
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Rhode Island confirms second measles case of 2026 in patient seen at Middletown urgent care
A woman in her 20s has tested positive for measles after being treated at Brown University Health Urgent Care in Middletown, marking the second confirmed case of the highly contagious illness in Rhode Island this year, state health officials announced Saturday. The Rhode Island Department of Health said the patient had recently traveled from outside […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Six animals test positive for rabies in Providence County, health officials warn
At least six animals in Providence County have tested positive for rabies over the past six weeks, the Rhode Island Department of Health said Friday, prompting a renewed warning to residents to steer clear of wildlife and keep pet vaccinations current. Since March 12, three raccoons in Burrillville, one bat and one coyote in Lincoln, […]
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Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about what insurance companies want – and a little about our politics
I was asked to look at a few bills about primary care that were presented this week for hearing in the legislature. One of these bills allows physicians to charge administrative or operational fees to support their overhead. Another allows physicians to charge optional fees for non-covered services. Another keeps insurers from requiring physicians to […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Beyond the Labels: How the Rhode Island state Ombudsman helps keep the person at the center of care
Person-centered care is in the headlines a lot. But before we had that language, care was often designed around tasks and diagnosis. Necessary, but incomplete. Over time, something important can get lost and a person’s identity can quietly be replaced by a label, shrinking the value of the individual and what matters to the person. […]
Posted inCity & Government
EPA honors Rhode Island drinking water project among nation’s best
A drinking water infrastructure project in Scituate that brought safe, reliable water to 23 elderly residents has earned national recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA this week named the consolidation project at the Scituate Housing Authority’s Rockland Oaks Senior Housing Community, Scituate High School and Scituate Middle School as one of five […]
Posted inCity & Government
Sen. Euer’s bill to protect contraceptive coverage regardless of federal law heard in committee
Legislation that would require Rhode Island health insurers to cover contraceptives at no cost, independent of federal law, was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer, who represents Newport and Jamestown, is aimed at preserving contraceptive coverage for Rhode Islanders even if the Affordable Care […]
Posted inCity & Government
DEM to resume prescribed burns across Rhode Island state lands this week
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management plans to resume prescribed burns on state lands this week, with low-severity fires planned at locations across seven communities, weather permitting. DEM’s Forest Fire Program is targeting parcels at Durfee Hill Management Area in Glocester, Arcadia Management Area in Exeter, Nicholas Farm Management Area in Coventry, Big River […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island Department of Health launches “Better State of Healthy” campaign during National Public Health Week
The Rhode Island Department of Health has launched a new public awareness campaign called “Better State of Healthy,” timed to coincide with National Public Health Week. The campaign features stories from public health professionals about the scope of RIDOH’s work and how to access the department’s resources and services. Materials include videos, social media content […]
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Expecting a baby? South County Health has you covered with free classes
These free classes are one of the many ways South County Health supports the health and well-being of mothers, babies, and families throughout the region. Classes fill quickly and are open to all participants—including those who are not South County Health patients, and regardless of where you plan to deliver. Newport sessions will be held […]
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Rhode Island sees spike in drug overdoses, health officials issue statewide alert
Rhode Island health officials are warning the public after a spike in non-fatal drug overdoses last week surpassed a statewide threshold for the first time since 2023. The Rhode Island Department of Health reported 55 people received care at emergency departments for suspected drug overdoses between March 10 and March 16 — exceeding the state’s […]
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How doula support enhances the pregnancy journey
Considering Doula support for your pregnancy journey? Join us for Meet the Doulas at South County Health. Register Today > For many expectant parents, preparing for birth involves choosing an obstetric provider, attending prenatal visits, and creating a plan for delivery. Increasingly, families are also considering the support of a doula—a trained professional who provides […]
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Rhode Island conserves 70 acres at Gull Cove in Portsmouth using oil spill settlement funds
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has conserved 70 acres of coastal land at Gull Cove in Portsmouth, using $880,000 in funding from the Bouchard B-120 oil spill settlement. The property includes significant salt marsh habitat and coastal uplands along the northwestern shoreline of Gull Cove, an intertidal estuary adjacent to the Sakonnet River. […]
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How Midwives support women through the reproductive years
At South County Health’s Center for Women’s Health, Certified Nurse Midwives are among the providers caring for patients with clinical expertise and compassion, empowering women to make informed choices about their health. When people hear the word midwife, they often think of childbirth. While midwives are experts in pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care, their role […]
Posted inOpinion
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about paying for medical school
Before I describe the incredible cost of medical school, I want to mention how I paid for my medical education. I didn’t. You did, and I am very grateful for that. Like about 1800 other American medical students in 1979, I was lucky enough to get a National Health Corps Scholarship, which paid my tuition, […]