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11/20/25 Provider Alert: Case of H5N5 Influenza Confirmed in Washington
Current Situation On November 13, 2025, a Washington resident who has been hospitalized with respiratory illness symptoms since early November tested positive for influenza A H5, a type of avian influenza. Subsequent sequencing confirmed the patient was infected with H5N5 influenza virus. To our knowledge, this is the first known human case of H5N5. The…
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Urgent Notice: New Communicable Disease Fax Line
Communicable Disease Data Report, Health Alert, News and Alerts, News and Update, Notifiable ConditionsThe Communicable Disease department at the Yakima Health District has a new fax line to report notifiable conditions and communicable diseases. The new fax line is (509) 381-3526. The Yakima Health District investigates approximately 100 communicable diseases and conditions that are reportable to the local health jurisdiction. To report a notifiable condition, use the Notifiable…
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Uninsured Care Expansion Grant and Patient Resources for Individuals Experiencing Long COVID-19
Requested Actions Be aware the Health Care Authority (HCA) has received $35 million in federal resources for the provision of health care services for uninsured and underinsured individuals under 200 percent of the federal poverty level, regardless of immigration status. Be aware the University of Washington Medicine has a Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation and Recovery clinic to…
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Health Advisory: COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Update
01/05/2022 Requested actions Be aware the CDC has indicated the guidance released last week was intended for the general public, and they will be releasing additional I&Q guidance for some congregant settings soon. Be aware WA DOH recommends that people staying, working/learning in the following settings continue to follow existing DOH and CDC guidance until…
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12/14/21: Health Advisory: COVID-19 Updates for Providers
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Emerging Diseases and Conditions, Health Advisory, Health Alert, Immunization, Immunizations, News and Alerts, News and Update, Notifiable Conditions, Provider Resources, Schools, TravelCOVID-19 Updates for Providers Requested actions Be aware, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup recommend everyone 16 years or older get a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose at the recommended interval. This recommendation comes after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded its emergency use authorization (EUA) for Pfizer-BioNTech…
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Provider Alert – Boil Water Advisory for City of Selah
**Clinical leadership is expected to schedule time to review guidelines with staff** Provider Alert – Boil Water Advisory for City of Selah 12/10/2021 Actions Requested Screen patients for E. coli based on recent travel into or residence in City of Selah Symptoms of E. coli infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and…
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11/23/21 Health Advisory: COVID-19 vaccine booster doses available to everyone 18 years or older
Advisory or Update, Communicable Disease and Immunization Update, COVID-19, Immunizations, News and Alerts, Provider Resources, Schools, VaccineHealth Advisory: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses Available to Everyone 18 Years or Older Requested actions Be aware, following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) decision to update its emergency use authorizations (EUAs) to allow COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for everyone 18 years or older, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Western States Scientific…
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Alert: Insufficiently labeled delta-8 THC products cause for concern
Oct 14, 2021 An uptick in the accidental ingestion of delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) edibles by children and youth prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to release a health alert after many of those ingestions resulted in hospitalizations. For cannabis licensees, the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) issued an enforcement bulletin specifying that delta-8 products are not…
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9/27/2021 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Updates for Providers
Emerging Diseases and Conditions, Health Advisory, News and Alerts, Notifiable Conditions, Novel Coronavirus, Provider ResourcesRequested actions Be aware, Washington State is currently experiencing a shortage of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Adhere to National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines on the use and prioritization of MAbs. Be aware, on Sept. 24 the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a single booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty)…
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9/17/21 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Updates for Providers
Requested actions Do not administer or prescribe Ivermectin for prevention or treatment of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert about the rapid increase in Ivermectin prescriptions and report of severe illness associated with the use of Ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19. The evidence suggesting Ivermectin is safe or effective…
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9/14/21 – Health Advisory: Be vigilant for measles and polio among newly arrived refugees from Afghanistan
Requested actions Be vigilant for measles and polio in patients with compatible symptoms, especially among people who recently arrived from countries where measles and polio circulate, including Afghanistan. Be aware of immunization recommendations for people arriving from Afghanistan. Immediately report suspected cases of measles or polio. Background Afghanistan ranks seventh in the world for measles…
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8/26/21 Health Advisory: COVID-19 Updates for Providers
Emerging Diseases and Conditions, Health Advisory, Infection Control, Notifiable Conditions, Novel Coronavirus, Provider ResourcesRequested actions Be aware, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full authorization to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for people 16 years and older. Pfizer-BioNTech will now be referred to as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee). Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine continues to be available to people 12-15 years old and people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised through emergency use authorization (EUA). Be aware, monoclonal antibody treatment is…
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Ivermectin Should Not Be Used To Prevent or Treat COVID-19
August 26, 2021 The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) warns people should not take ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19, following today’s Health Alert Network advisory released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug used commonly in humans and animals. Although it is approved by the U.S. Food and…