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The American Red Cross declares a national blood supply crisis as donations fall to a four-year summer low.

The American Red Cross has declared a national blood supply crisis, marking the second time in its 150-year history that donation levels have reached such a low point. The agency, the nation's largest single provider of blood products, reported that supplies have fallen to a four-year summer low, with inventories of type O positive blood—the most commonly transfused blood type—dropping below a one-day national supply. Health workers attribute the shortage to a combination of extreme heat, poor air quality, and widespread foodborne illnesses, which have dampened donor turnout during a period when hospital demand typically increases. The American Red Cross is urging all eligible donors to make appointments immediately, noting that only three additional donors at each blood drive can resolve the crisis. To address the shortage, the agency is actively limiting the shipments of type O blood to individual hospitals. The American Red Cross is offering movie ticket vouchers for donors who give before July 31 and $20 Amazon gift cards for those who donate in August.

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