Latest news with #FranciscoVelazquez
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Flu, whooping cough in full force as dual outbreaks spread in Spokane County
Feb. 28—Spokane County is facing a dual outbreak, with more influenza infections in the first two months of 2025 than entire seasons from the past several years and the state's highest number of whooping cough cases. The rise of flu in the Inland Northwest mirrors the uptick of cases seen across Washington and much of the United States. Through Feb. 22, there have been 524 hospitalizations and 23 deaths in Spokane County related to the flu during the 2024-25 flu season. Cases of the respiratory virus peaked last month — jumping from 133 hospitalizations in December to 228 in January. Through the week ending Feb. 22, there were 148 hospitalizations in February. At its height, flu accounted for 8.3% of all hospital visits in Spokane County during the week ending Feb. 1. As of Feb. 22, that has fallen to 4.8%. The more than 500 flu hospitalizations already exceed the number of such visits in any year since before the 2020-21 flu season when cases dramatically lowered amid COVID-19 lockdown efforts. Nationally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified the flu as "high severity" for all age groups, which it has not done since the 2017-18 season. Spokane flu cases are slightly outpaced by statewide data showing the disease at 4.9% of hospitalizations through Feb. 22 versus 4.8% locally. There have been 177 influenza-related deaths statewide this season. Spokane Regional Health District health officer Francisco Velazquez said influenza was in "full force" in Spokane. "We were talking about this very high peak of flu. Now we're doing better, but we're not out of the woods," Velazquez said. The SRHD leader also speculated that the number of flu cases is likely much higher than what the health district can report. "That rise that we saw was a lot of the sicker patients in the emergency room. But there's a curve of people that never made it to the emergency room or were diagnosed," he said. It is also not too late to receive a flu vaccination, Velazquez added. The shot can still provide protection against contracting the virus and lessen symptoms if infected. Spokane County also remains in a whooping cough outbreak, with 101 cases reported so far this year. That's the most cases of any county, beating out even King County, where only 60 people had fallen ill with the sickness also known as pertussis. Per capita, Spokane also has one of the highest rates of whooping cough cases of any county in Washington at 18.2 cases per 100,000 residents, second only to Adams County at 18.9. It also far outpaces the state average of 5.5 cases per 100,000 residents. Velazquez said he anticipates whooping cough to continue at that rate for the near future. "We do believe that this is going to continue cycling up and down probably for several weeks, if not a couple of months. And unfortunately, that means we will see more cases," he said.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Washington sees first whooping cough death in over a decade
This story was originally posted on Health officials have confirmed the first pertussis, also called whooping cough, death in Washington since 2011. The Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) announced, via a news release Wednesday, a Spokane County resident under the age of 5 died in November 2024. Officials said the death was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week. SRHD stated that although whooping cough was confirmed as the cause of death, there were other factors involved, such as the child did not complete the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP) vaccine series. It added that pertussis is a preventable disease through vaccines. Pertussis, according to health officials, can cause severe coughing fits, often followed by a 'whooping' sound when the person inhales. The disease can be especially dangerous for infants, young children and people with compromised immune systems. Health officials stated whooping cough can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, seizures, brain damage and death. CDC: Washington saw 2,232% spike in whooping cough cases in 2024 Vaccine recommendations regarding whooping cough SRHD urged residents to verify their family is up to date on pertussis vaccinations to help stop the spread of the disease, noting 92-94% of the population needs to be up to date on their vaccinations to achieve community-wide protection. DTaP vaccines are recommended for children at 2, 4, 6 and 15-18 months old and then again at 4-6 years old. A Tdap booster shot is then recommended for those aged 11-12 and every 10 years thereafter. Expecting mothers should receive a Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, ideally between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation, to protect newborns, officials stated. 'We are deeply saddened by this loss and extend our condolences to the family,' Dr. Francisco Velazquez, health officer for Spokane County, said via the release. 'This death serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vaccination, especially for those who are most vulnerable, including infants and young children. We encourage all community members to make sure their vaccinations are up to date, as the best way to protect yourself and others from pertussis is through immunization.' SRHD said it is working with healthcare providers to increase testing for people with whooping cough signs and symptoms. It also said it is ramping up efforts to provide information and resources on vaccination and disease prevention to the community. 'We all play a role in keeping our community healthy, and vaccination is one of the most important steps we can take to prevent the spread of pertussis,' Velazquez said via the release. For more information on vaccines, visit SRHD's website.
