Officials warned of a rising tide of respiratory illnesses, potential measles exposure and the growing impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at a Thurston County Board of Health meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Before a discussion on the issue, Health Officer Dr. Dimyana Abdelmalek and Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) Director Dr. Jen Freiheit submitted a report flagging multiple public health concerns in the county and state.
A confirmed measles case was reported in an Alaskan traveler who passed through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Jan. 10.
Officials say two additional exposures have been identified in Snohomish County.
“At this time, no measles cases have been identified in Thurston County,” the report stated.
Alongside the measles concerns, the county is grappling with one of its worst flu seasons.
According to the report, emergency department visits from influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) exceed alert thresholds.
Abdelmalek confirmed the rising cases.
“We are seeing high levels of respiratory illness,” she said. “Influenza and RSV have remained above alert thresholds for multiple weeks.”
Statewide, flu and RSV have contributed to 43 influenza-related deaths and 11 RSV-related deaths this season. COVID-19 hospitalizations are lower but still a concern, with 244 virus-related deaths statewide.
Board Chair Beth Harvey called the flu outbreak unprecedented.
“You can tell Jen, it’s the worst influenza season I’ve ever seen,” Harvey said. “Lots of pneumonia. There has been a baby who died of pertussis in our state this year, and I’ve had a severely affected little one as well.”
Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is also on the rise. The officials warned that bacterial illnesses like Mycoplasma pneumonia also contribute to the surge in sickness.
“If you’re sick, stay home,” Abdelmalek urged. “Stay home until you’re fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications and your symptoms have improved.”
Abdelmalek stressed residents should wear masks, maintain hand hygiene and protect vulnerable populations, including infants, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.
Commissioner Rachel Grant echoed concerns, particularly for people with weakened immune systems.
Grant noted that her perspective shifted after experiencing it firsthand, which prompted her to become more vocal about the issue.
Grant shared that at a recent gathering, she asked attendees to wear masks if they had any symptoms, even mild ones or from the previous day. She stressed that masks are not a sign of fear or strangeness, but a way to protect others.
A highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak was confirmed at a Franklin County poultry farm, adding to national concerns over bird flu transmission.
“If it came to Thurston County first, we would have to take some kind of action,” Abdelmalek said.
Abdelmalek explained that the Washington State Department of Agriculture leads the response, and coordinates with state and local health agencies.
To date, Washington has recorded 11 human cases of HPAI out of 67 nationwide.
The CDC maintains human-to-human transmission has not been observed, but monitoring continues.
“A lot of our role is in monitoring folks who may have been exposed,” Abdelmalek said.
Abdelmalek added, “The incubation period is about 10 days. If someone develops symptoms, we’d arrange testing and liaise with local health providers.”
Freiheit also issued guidance for residents.
"There are not any labs that are testing song birds, so people should dispose of any dead song birds they find in their yards, not to save it for public health," Freiheit said.
In terms of blood supplies, a "Code Red Emergency" was issued by the Washington Department of Health due to plummeting blood donations following severe cold weather.
Officials urged residents to donate immediately via Vitalant, Bloodworks Northwest or the American Red Cross.
On top of rising disease cases, federal health data disruptions hamper health officials’ ability to monitor real-time information and track outbreaks effectively.
“At the time of writing, we hadn’t had an MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report),” Abdelmalek revealed. “It’s a publication of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) that we use. So that was a bit of a shock, suddenly, we had no access to that data.”
Vaccine information sheets also briefly disappeared from federal websites.
“By law, we have to give those out,” Harvey noted. “For a few days, the vaccine sheets were missing, and then they were changed. We have before-and-after versions to compare.”
Amid the public health crisis, Freheit is pushing forward with public health programs, such as workshops, support groups and resources to help residents navigate the crisis.
The following events are scheduled to take place:
BOH is encouraging residents to get vaccinated immediately for COVID-19, influenza and RSV to help reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization.
“It is not too late to get vaccinated,” Abdelmalek stressed. “For influenza, if you start treatment in the first 48 hours, it can decrease severity and lower the risk of pneumonia.”
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct a quote from Dr. Jen Freiheit in the "Avian flu hits state" section of the story.
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BevBassett
I'm curious to know how it Makes America Great Again when the CDC stops publishing the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) of communicable infectious diseases for the first time in 60 years. Stopping the MMWR was only one item on the Trump agenda of making infectious diseases go away by not tracking them anymore. Government-supplied information about these diseases was also taken down. Much more was done to cripple and destroy our public health systems since Trump took office.
People who believe that vaccines are bad will now enjoy a country where we'll be lucky if they are even still available. This puts people's health at great risk, especially children, elderly, those with chronic co-morbidities/conditions. But knowing exactly who is getting sick and/or dying of infectious diseases will keep the issue out of sight and out of mind for those lucky enough to remain healthy.
RFK Jr vaccinated his own children, but was responsible for other people's children not taking vaccinations that would have kept them from dying. RFK Jr's greatest source of income in past years has been from litigating against drug companies. If he is confirmed, and there's little to no doubt in my mind that he will be confirmed, he will be responsible for the death of millions.
Hard to see how America will be Great as a result...
Thursday, February 13 Report this
peterpumpkinhead
Bev - Unfortunately MAGA is not about making America great, it’s about turning our liberal democracy into some kind of weird oligarchic, theocratic, authoritarian regime. It’s going to be a disappointing wake up call to MAGA supporters when inflation rears its ugly head, unemployment rises, and the government programs they benefit from dry up and disappear. It’s truly astounding that so may people bought into this BS.
Thursday, February 13 Report this
wildnature
HEAR, HEAR Bev and Peter!
Thursday, February 13 Report this
LauratheBruce
Eat healthy foods. Think healthy thoughts. Build your immune system with Echinacea, Elderberry, Vit C, Garlic, etc. Be kind to yourself and others. Don't let fear lead you to do things that may harm you. Research. Seek the truth. Listen to your inner wisdom. Revel in Beauty and InJoy!
Thursday, February 13 Report this