RABID BAT FOUND AT BALLARD INTERSECTION

August 24, 2017.Reading time less than 1 minute.

A rabid bat was found at the intersection of NW 73rd and 8th Ave NW in the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard on August 22nd. If you had any contact with a bat at this intersection on Tuesday or Wednesday, contact Public Health (206-296-4774) immediately for information on preventative treatment. Rabies can be life-threatening, but is preventable […]

Public Health Vet says, “Don’t kiss your chicks”

June 5, 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

2019 update: It’s not uncommon for us to see cases of salmonella associated with backyard poultry. We haven’t heard of any King County cases this year, but at least one person in Washington has become infected with salmonella after contact with pet hedgehogs. It’s a good reminder that even the cutest little animals carry germs […]

Zika Virus, One Year Later

June 1, 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s been just over a year since King County had its first diagnosed case of Zika virus infection. We caught up with medical epidemiologist Dr. Meagan Kay, DVM, to find out what we’ve learned about Zika virus since then, and what concerns health experts have now. At this time last year, Meagan, you were expecting […]

Suspected case of a rare disease linked to raccoon roundworms

May 8, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

UPDATE 05/9/17: Results came back from the CDC today indicating that the child tested positive for Baylisascaris. Original post from 05/08/17: Health experts suspect that a King County toddler may have contracted Baylisascaris infection, a very rare disease associated with accidental ingestion of roundworm eggs found in dirt or other substances that have been contaminated by raccoon droppings. […]

Rodents, your car, and hantavirus: What to do if you suspect rodents are living in your vehicle

April 21, 2017.Reading time 9 minutes.

Here at the Insider, we’ve been talking to Dr. Meagan Kay, Medical Epidemiologist, about the cluster of hantavirus cases that we’ve had in King County over the last several months. Meagan, what is hantavirus? Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare but sometimes deadly disease that people can get by breathing in hantavirus contained in […]

Two cases of hantavirus reported in King County since December, 2016: Be aware of health risks associated with deer mouse infestations

March 21, 2017.Reading time 9 minutes.

Hantavirus can cause a rare but deadly disease called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). In Washington State hantavirus is carried primarily by deer mice. Over the last several months, two people in King County have become ill with HPS, and one person died. A person gets HPS by breathing in hantavirus. This can happen when dust […]