Caution and consultation are key to preventing outbreaks in schools

April 27, 2021.Reading time 9 minutes.

What happens when a positive COVID-19 case is identified in a school? Public Health investigates the possible outbreak and advises districts on how to prevent or contain them. Here is the story of one school’s partnership with Public Health to successfully minimize the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Outbreak Data Now Available Through Online Dashboard

January 14, 2021.Reading time 6 minutes.

Updated data on COVID-19 outbreak settings is now available on Public Health’s COVID-19 webpage. It provides a snapshot of the number of outbreaks that Public Health has identified across various settings such as worksites, long term care facilities and schools.

New cases, including one death, in hepatitis A outbreak

January 9, 2020.Reading time 11 minutes.

While our community has been fortunate in that to-date we have not experienced an outbreak on the scale seen in other large cities and states across the country, we have seen a recent increase in hepatitis A cases in King County, including one death associated with hepatitis A.

Norovirus 101

January 3, 2020.Reading time 8 minutes.

If you’ve been following local news in recent weeks, you may have seen stories about outbreaks of norovirus – a highly contagious virus that causes rapid onset of vomiting and diarrhea. Norovirus is the most common cause of acute, or short-term, gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines) in the country and is responsible for […]

Multiple cases of E. coli potentially associated with King County Evergreens restaurants

November 26, 2019.Reading time 9 minutes.

Update (December 16, 2019): We’ve identified additional cases in the E. coli outbreak potentially linked to meals at King County Evergreens restaurants during November 5-11, 2019. This outbreak appears to be over. For more information, view the foodborne illness disclosure for this outbreak. Update (December 6, 2019): We’ve identified additional cases linked to this outbreak. […]

Local E. coli cases connected to national outbreak

November 22, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

Update 12/24/19: Two additional King County residents have tested positive for E. coli infections genetically linked to the national outbreak connected to romaine lettuce from the Salinas, California growing region. Both infection were in adults, and both people became ill on December 1, 2019. As a reminder, consumers are directed to avoid all romaine lettuce from the Salinas, […]