HIV cluster update: No new cases in past week

September 7, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

The investigation and public health response for the cluster of HIV cases in north Seattle among heterosexuals who use injection drugs continues. Most importantly, we have not identified any new cases of HIV transmission in the past week. We did determine that one case diagnosed in early 2018 is linked to the cluster. Therefore, the […]

Public Health investigates HIV infection in heterosexuals who inject drugs

August 30, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

Public Health – Seattle & King County has recently identified an increase in the number of new HIV cases among heterosexuals who inject drugs in King County. HIV infection is typically much less common among heterosexuals in King County than among men who have sex with men (MSM). But the risk for HIV infection increases […]

Staying involved helped one man out of homelessness, and empowers others

June 21, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

by Rekha Ravindran, Health Care for the Homeless Network Over the past decade, Greg Francis has moved into stable housing after living unsheltered – and he still remembers vividly what it was like to live unsheltered. “It was tough,” he says. “It felt like someone else was controlling my life. So I came up with […]

The unique niche (and diverse roles) for Public Health nurses

May 9, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

When nurses come to work at Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC), they come with a purpose. “The nurses who choose public health as their practice are strongly rooted in service. They want to be of service to those who are vulnerable,” says Amy Curtis, a Registered Nurse who leads recruiting efforts for […]

Meningococcal (bacterial) meningitis case in shelter resident

March 20, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

A resident of a homeless shelter in Seattle tested positive for bacterial meningitis (meningococcal disease) on March 18. The patient, a man in his 60s, is hospitalized and his condition is improving. The bacteria that causes meningococcal disease spreads through direct contact with infectious saliva or respiratory droplets (e.g. being coughed, sneezed or spit on, […]

Rising number of homeless deaths reflects increasing numbers of people needing shelter and care

March 5, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

If we’re ever asked to consider that we might die someday, most of us probably hope it’s at home or doing something we love. For people experiencing homelessness in King County, 72 percent die in unfortunate public places, ranging from crawl spaces under buildings, to parked cars, to public parks. In 2017, the King County […]