New year, new norovirus outbreaks: Let’s add ‘hand washing’ to the resolution list!

January 3, 2025.Reading time 9 minutes.

If you’ve been following the 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. It’s present year-round, but most outbreaks occur during November to April, when people are more regularly in close quarters indoors.

How to reduce your risk of foodborne illness and support permitted food vendors

September 6, 2024.Reading time 9 minutes.

Recently, we’ve seen an increase in the number of unpermitted mobile food vendors selling food in King County. We are urging people to avoid vendors operating without a Public Health permit for two reasons: 1) to protect yourself from potential foodborne illness and 2) to help support mobile vendors that are following food safety best practices.

Like Eating Oysters? Pay Attention to This Warning

March 25, 2022.Reading time 15 minutes.

We’ve recently received multiple reports of people getting sick with norovirus-like illness (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) after eating raw oysters in restaurants.

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 […]

Love oysters? Pay attention to this warning

March 28, 2017.Reading time 11 minutes.

This blog was originally posted on March 28, 2017. We are sharing it again to remind you of the risks of eating raw or under-cooked oysters. Want to know more about raw oysters? Check out our latest post on the topic here. UPDATE 05/9/17: Public Health – Seattle & King County has received additional reports of […]

Public Health investigating possible outbreak at a Lake Sammamish swimming beach

August 29, 2016.Reading time 6 minutes.

Update 9/2/16 Tibbetts Beach at Lake Sammamish is approved to reopen. Public Health is aware of 15 people who got ill after swimming at Tibbetts Beach on Friday, August 26th. Based on their symptoms, the timing between when they swam and became ill, and the duration of illness, we suspect that the likely cause was […]