The Current is our monthly communicable disease newsletter for healthcare providers.
September 2022
July 2022
Monkeypox
Monkeypox is a viral disease causing rash and sometimes flu like symptoms. For current information, please visit our monkeypox page.
Polio Update
The CDC announced that poliovirus found in an unvaccinated adult in New York and in wastewater samples from nearby communities indicate the virus is transmitting in the region. The poliovirus in New York comes from the oral polio vaccine, which uses a live, weakened version of the virus and is no longer used in the U.S. Spread of vaccine-derived poliovirus occurs when local immunity is low enough due to unvaccinated individuals to allow transmission of the original wekaned virus in the oral vaccine. Island County Public Health urges unvaccinated individuals to get vaccinated. Please talk with your healthcare provider or contact us for help finding vaccination locally. Learn more about poliovirus here.
We work with healthcare providers and community partners to prevent and control communicable diseases in Island County.
Healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, clinical laboratories, and veterinarians are required to notify public health at their local health jurisdiction of suspected or confirmed cases of certain diseases, referred to as notifiable conditions. The State Department of Health maintains a notifiable conditions page that includes disease references. When reporting a notifiable condition, inform the patient that Public Health will be following up with them directly. If the patient is infectious, counsel them on how to prevent the spread of disease to others.
NOTICE: For suspect case reporting, complete the Intake Form and send to our confidential fax. For lab confirmed cases, immediately call 360-914-0837 or 360-678-8246. For current information, please visit our monkeypox page here.
Posters for Notifiable Conditions
We recommend that providers print applicable posters, which include reporting timelines:
WAC 246-101 adopted under Chapter 43.20 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) outlines the legal reporting requirements and timelines in Washington State. For conditions not immediately notifiable, send information to our fax number. Contact below staff directly for immediately notifiable conditions. For reporting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), please use the STI Report Form.
FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES CALL 911.
Contact
Rabies
Cris Matochi, Living Environments SupervisorPhone: (360) 679-7309Email: c.matochi@islandcountywa.gov
Shellfish
Ann Prusha, Environmental Health SpecialistPhone: 360.499.4416Email: a.prusha@islandcountywa.gov
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Jen Krenz, MS, MPHPhone: (360) 914-0037Email: j.krenz@islandcountywa.gov
Megan Works, RNPhone: (360) 678-8281Email: m.works@islandcountywa.gov
Other Communicable Disease
Mary Brennan, RN Phone: 360.678.8482Email: M.Brennan@islandcountywa.gov
Melanie Davis, RN Phone: 360.678.8246 or 360.499.4023Email: m.davis@islandcountywa.gov
After Hours
Shawn Morris, NDPhone: 360.914.0837Email: s.morrisnd@islandcountywa.gov
If unavailable contact the Washington State Department of Health:1(877) 539-4344 (24/7) or (206) 418-5500 (24/7)
8 a.m. - 4:30 pm
