WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks- newborn dies in Kings Co.

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/03/24/2080549/7-confirmed-cases-of-whooping.html

7 confirmed cases of whooping cough in Kittitas

Health officials say there are seven confirmed cases of pertussis or whooping cough in Kittitas County
The Associated Press
Published: 03/24/12 10:16 am Updated: 03/24/12 10:16 am


YAKIMA, Wash. ? Health officials say there are seven confirmed cases of pertussis or whooping cough in Kittitas County

The Yakima Herald-Republic ( http://is.gd/KqhNFK) reports there are also 11 other probable causes of the illness also known as pertussis in Kittitas County...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/03/25/2452703/whooping-cough-cases-on-the-rise.html

POSTED: Sunday, Mar. 25, 2012
UPDATED: Sunday, Mar. 25, 2012
Whooping cough cases on the rise across state
By Michelle Dupler, Tri-City Herald

Whooping cough cases are on the rise across the state, with almost six times as many cases in the first 11 weeks of 2012 as the same time period in 2011.

State health officials have reports of 463 cases through March 17, compared with 82 by this time last year.

Pertussis cases also are on the rise in Benton and Franklin counties, which have seen 19 cases so far this year...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://tdn.com/news/local/st-john-r...cle_bfbcb6ca-776b-11e1-b08c-001871e3ce6c.html

St. John responding to pertussis outbreak
By The Daily News The Daily News Online
Posted: Monday, March 26, 2012 10:46 am

St. John Medical Center on Monday announced several steps in response to a "significant" worsening of the area's pertussis outbreak.

Effective immediately, the hospital is asking nonessential health care workers and visitors to stay away from the facility. Visitors or workers showing symptoms of pertussis may be asked to leave.

In addition, patients showing signs of pertussis may he placed in isolation.

According to the hospital, Cowlitz County has experienced a significant amount of pertussis this year, with 30 cases reported in the past month. This continues a trend from 2011, when the number of pertussis cases was up nearly sixfold over 2010...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Washington-headed-for-whooping-cough-record-3438408.php

Washington headed for whooping cough record
DOUG ESSER, Associated Press
Updated 01:43 p.m., Tuesday, March 27, 2012

SEATTLE (AP) ? The number of pertussis ? whooping cough ? cases in Washington has risen to more than 500 cases and will likely set a record in 2012, a state Health Department spokeswoman said...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/04/03/2093530/wa-health-secretary-updates-pertussis.html

WA health secretary updates pertussis outbreak

Washington state's top health official says whooping cough disease has reached epidemic levels in the state.
The Associated Press
Published: 04/03/12 11:03 am Updated: 04/03/12 11:03 am

SHORELINE, Wash. ? Washington state's top health official says whooping cough disease has reached epidemic levels in the state.

Health Secretary Mary Selecky says the 640 cases reported in 23 counties so far this year puts the state on a pace to have the highest number in decades...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=31229

4/6/2012 11:55:00 AM
Whooping cough considered 'epidemic' in Jefferson County
By Allison Arthur of the Leader


Jefferson County?s rate of whooping cough cases is enough to be considered an epidemic.

?It?s not stopping,? said Jean Baldwin, Jefferson County Public Health Director. ?It?s classified as an epidemic because we are seeing more cases than we expected.
As of Wednesday, April 4, there were 25 confirmed cases of whooping cough ? also known as pertussis ? in Jefferson County. That?s compared to one case in all of 2011...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.ncwtv.com/three-confirmed-cases-of-whooping-cough-in-chelan-and-douglas-counties-940/

Three confirmed cases of Whooping Cough in Chelan and Douglas counties
April 9, 2012 3:14 pm

(Wenatchee, WA) As of this morning we have three reported cases of pertussis (whooping cough) in our area. Cases are in both Chelan and Douglas Counties. Two cases are in children and one case is in a young adult...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.nwcn.com/home/?fId=146703005&fPath=/news/local&fDomain=10212

10 percent of Silver Lake Elementary School out sick
by TERESA YUAN / KING 5 News
NWCN.com

Posted on April 9, 2012 at 12:36 PM

It's back to school Monday for many spring breakers, but even before vacation, schools like Silver Lake Elementary in Everett saw 10 percent of its student body out sick.

Snohomish County Health District officials can't say for sure what's behind the high number of absentees. They are tracking a health epidemic countywide: perstussis, also known as whooping cough.

"It's a tremendously serious disease for us and we're definitely in a middle of an epidemic," said Tim McDonald, Snohomish County Health District spokesman.

Whooping cough has hit Marysville the hardest in Snohomish County; 69 cases have been reported so far this year - 32 in Arlington and 25 cases in Everett...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/apr/17/whooping-cough-epidemic-still-spreading/

Whooping cough epidemic still spreading
Health officials advise vaccination; disease is dangerous for infants
By Marissa Harshman
Columbian Staff Reporter

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The number of whooping cough cases statewide is nearing 1,000 as Clark County numbers creep toward 100.

The Washington State Department of Health?s latest report, released Tuesday, shows 897 cases of whooping cough from Jan. 1 through April 14. That compares with 105 cases during the same time period last year.

In Clark County, 83 cases of whooping cough have been reported as of Tuesday, said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer. That compares with 94 local cases in all of 2011.

In the last week, 121 more cases have been reported statewide, with 17 more cases reported in Clark County.

The whooping cough incidence rate is also climbing across the state.

The incidence rate in Clark County -- 16.3 cases per 100,000 people -- is higher than the state rate of 13.3 cases per 100,000 and is ninth-highest in the state. Skagit County in northwest Washington continues to report the highest incidence rate -- 134.1 cases per 100,000, which is significantly higher than any other county in the state, according to the state health department...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.vashonbeachcomber.com/news/147819325.html

Pertussis outbreak appears to slow on Vashon, health care professionals remain concerned

By SUSAN RIEMER
Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Reporter
April 17, 2012 ? Updated 2:10 PM

Pertussis is at epidemic levels in Washington state, and 19 cases have been reported on Vashon since Dec. 1, when public health officials first noticed an increase in the respiratory illness throughout the county.

No new cases have been reported in April on Vashon, according to Dr. Jeff Duchin, the chief of Communicable Disease Control at Public Health ? Seattle & King County. While this is good news, he said, it does not mean that the illness has stopped spreading on the Island, as only a small number of cases are diagnosed and reported...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.bainbridgereview.com/news/148725495.html

Whooping cough cases now number more than 1,000
April 24, 2012 ? 11:29 AM

The whooping cough epidemic in Washington has now passed 1,000 reported cases, state health officials said Tuesday.

The total ? 1,008 as of April 21 ? is more than last year's total and is the highest number of cases since 1,026 were reported in 2005.

Officials said the state was on pace to top 3,000 cases in 2012...

...A total of 26 cases have been reported in Kitsap County...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/apr/24/whooping-cough-epidemic-continues-record-pace/

Whooping cough epidemic continues record pace

By Marissa Harshman
Columbian Staff Reporter

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

...In the last week, 111 new cases have been reported across the state. In Clark County, no new cases have been reported in the last week, leaving the total at 83, according to Clark County Public Health...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/04/24/2119544/whatcom-countys-whooping-cough.html


Whatcom County's whooping cough rate among the highest in state epidemic
RALPH SCHWARTZ; THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Published: 04/24/12 5:23 pm | Updated: 04/24/12 5:23 pm

...Whatcom County has reported 70 cases so far this year, compared to 54 in 2011 and 25 cases in 2010...

...The latest significant occurrence of the disease in Whatcom County was in 2004, when more than 300 cases were reported.

This year, the incidence rate for whooping cough in Whatcom County ranks fifth in the state, behind Skagit, Jefferson, Kittitas and Cowlitz counties. Whatcom ranks first among the 10 counties with a population of 150,000 or more.

The disease rate is high in the county because a greater percentage of parents are opting out of having their children get the pertussis vaccine, county public health nurse supervisor Joni Hensley said. The rate of exemptions taken by students in kindergarten through 12th grade has increased from 4.8 percent in 1997-98 to 9.3 percent in 2010-11, Hensley said...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/40-cases-of-Whooping-Cough-in-the-Tri-Cities-148977925.html
(Click above for video)

40 cases of Whooping Cough in the Tri-Cities
By Melanie Tubbs Published: Apr 25, 2012 at 5:34 PM PDT

TRI-CITIES, Wash. -- The state-wide Whooping Cough epidemic is hitting home. We're now experiencing the biggest outbreak seen in the state in more than 60 years.

Dr. Amy Person explains, "We've had 40 cases in Benton and Franklin County..."

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/18150...trol-washington-state-whooping-cough-epidemic

CDC asked to help control Washington State whooping cough epidemic
Posted: May 04, 2012 5:36 PM EDT Updated: May 04, 2012 5:36 PM EDT

Source: NewsCore
SEATTLE -- Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said Friday she has asked the Centers for Disease Control to send a team of disease investigators to help contain an epidemic of whooping cough in Washington State...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.dailyastorian.com/news/n...cle_c25bbfb0-2c7c-5cd3-8702-fc09458f1380.html

Feds Probe Washington's Whooping Cough Epidemic
Posted: Monday, May 7, 2012 7:13 am
by RUDE LUNA
Oregon Public Broadcasting

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has sent two epidemiologists to Washington State.


The investigators will try to find out what's causing the state's rapid rise of whooping cough cases...

 

[Emily]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

I hope the CDC will examine the possibility of woodsmoke exposure as a factor driving this whooping cough resurgence that seems to be disproportionately effecting northwestern states. It seems that in WA state, the counties with the biggest whooping cough problem are those with the biggest air quality impact from woodsmoke.

I experienced a marked decrease in my own respiratory system health after moving from a county less impacted by woodsmoke to one that is more impacted. Filtering indoor air and avoiding outdoor exposure has helped, but there is the tradeoff of losing beneficial exposure to outdoor light when you can't exercise outdoors. Also, effective air filters are expensive and it is impossible for people who work outdoors to avoid outdoor pollution.

Regulatory air quality monitors are few and far between and don't pick up extreme local exposures in towns and suburbs in homes proximal to other homes using wood as a primary heat source. Studies have shown that even indoor air quality of non-woodburning homes is impacted.


With our long, dark, damp and chilly to cold winters with frequent regional and even very local inversions that cause smoke to hug the ground, people are exposed to woodsmoke pollution for lengthy periods of time. The exposure does not end even in the summer for areas where yard waste, land-clearing and prescribed burns are allowed. Also the terrain is hilly in much of western WA, and this creates heavy exposure for people living uphill from wood burning homes. To an extent that can be compared to actually living in a neighbor's chimney. Australia has setback limits limiting wood burning in such hilly areas, but terrain impact is not recognized here yet.


This study has gathered a lot of references about the impact of woodsmoke exposure upon various health factors, including respiratory health:
The Hyper-Immune Human Female: The Etiologic Role of Sleep Deprivation, Early Pregnancy Factor, Lactation and Woodsmoke Stressors

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.nwcn.com/home/?fId=150666765&fPath=/news/local&fDomain=10212

Skagit County hardest hit in state by whooping cough
by GLENN FARLEY / KING 5 News
NWCN.com
Posted on May 8, 2012 at 2:40 PM
Updated today at 2:46 PM

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. - In Skagit County, the rate of whooping cough isn't just a little higher than other counties around the state. It's three times higher than the next hardest hit county based on per-capita numbers.

The last official count places the rate of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, at 196.1 incidents per 100,000 people. That's way over the 71.7 reported out of Jefferson country. New numbers are due out from the state health department Tuesday aftrnoon ...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://greenlake.komonews.com/news/health/746686-whooping-cough-forces-emergency-closure-blanchet

Whooping cough forces emergency closure of Blanchet
Submitted by Michael Harthorne, KOMO Communities Reporter
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012, 1:44pm

After more than 150 students called in sick Tuesday, Bishop Blanchet High School has declared an emergency closure for at least the next two days.

According to a letter May 8 letter sent to parents, Principal Kristine Brynildsen-Smith consulted with the Seattle/King County Health Department and the Catholic Schools Department before making the decision to close Blanchet for at least Wednesday and Thursday...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Re: WA: 2012 Whooping cough outbreaks

Source: http://www.nwcn.com/home/?fId=150793445&fPath=/news/local&fDomain=10212

Free whooping cough vaccines at Snohomish Co. pharmacies
by KING 5 News
NWCN.com
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 9:48 AM
Updated today at 10:28 AM


The Snohomish Health District has partnered with more than a dozen pharmacies to provide free or reduced whooping cough vaccines to low income families or those without health insurance...