Seattle/LocalHealthGuide

2007 was a slightly safer year in Seattle and King County, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s office.
According to the Medical Examiners 2007 annual report, deaths due to homicide fell in King County from 91 in 2006 to 76 in 2007 and deaths due to suicide fell slightly, from 227 to 223.
Most homicides [...]

Did you know that at Denny’s an order of three slices of french toast with syrup and margarine contains 1,261 calories?
Well, these and other shockers will be posted on the menus of local chain restaurants beginning January 1st. 
 The information will include the calorie, saturated fat, carbohydrate and sodium content of the restaurants’ meals.
The information is [...]

West Nile virus is now established in Eastern Washington and is making inroads into the Western Washington, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
There were only three confirmed human infections in the state this year, officials report.
One case was in King County, but that person had recently travelled to Western Washington and probably became [...]

Reports that some of this winter’s influenza viruses are resistant of the drug Tamiflu underscores the importance of getting your flu shot, say Public Health - Seattle & King County officials in a health advisory.
The warning was issued in response to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention that a [...]

Cold weather moving into western Washington at the end of the week will bring a chance of snow and weekend temperatures dropping into the 20s at night. 
Officials from Public Health - Seattle & King County have issued tips to help you keep safe in cold weather.
Among their warnings:
“Never use a gas or charcoal grill, hibachi, [...]

Flu season typically kicks in this month, Seattle health officials warn, so the best time to get your flu shot is now.
And for those of you who are shy of needles there is now a painless nasal vaccine that is simply sprayed into each nostril.
Flu is often mild but can be severe, even fatal, health [...]

Seattle health officials have developed a 12-page comic book on pandemic flu that tells the story of one family’s experience of the 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed an estimated 20 million people world wide.
“No Ordinary Flu” is written for readers of all ages. It illusrates what to expect should a pandemic strike again and tips [...]

Washington is the 10th healthiest state in the U.S.A., according to a new report.
The report, America’s Health Rankings, has been compiled for 19 years by the United Health Foundation.
Vermont was ranked the healthiest state followed by Hawaii, New Hampshire, Minnesota and Utah.

Louisiana was found to be the least healthy state, followed by Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and [...]

   Varicella (Chickenpox) Virus

An outbreak of chickenpox has hit Salem Woods Elementary School in Monroe, Washington, and Snohomish Health Officials say children who have not been fully immunized against chickenpox should stay home.
To date, sixteen children have come down with the highly contagious viral infection. 
“Although generally a mild illness,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, Health officer and [...]

  MRSA

Infection control measures advocated by the Seattle Times in its series on infections in Washington hospitals by the antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA are not supported by the current evidence, Seattle & King County health officials say.
In the series, the Times reports that Washington hospitals have failed to introduce aggressive infection control measures targeting the antibiotic-resistant bacteria known [...]