Health Wire

Health officials: Monkeypox likely spreading in King County

July 6, 2022, 5:04pm Health

The monkeypox virus continues to circulate in Washington state’s most populous county, which includes Seattle, and is now likely spreading between residents, local health officials said Wednesday. Read story

U.S. allows pharmacists to prescribe Pfizer’s COVID pill

July 6, 2022, 12:15pm Health

Pharmacists can prescribe the leading COVID-19 pill directly to patients under a new U.S. policy announced Wednesday that's intended to expand use of Pfizer's drug Paxlovid. Read story

Blue-green algae blooms have plagued Lacamas Lake.

Most Washington lakes under-monitored for poisonous algae blooms

July 5, 2022, 7:15am Health

For those coming into increasing contact with Washington’s lakes as they warm up throughout the summer, being aware of harmful algae blooms could save the life of their pet and prevent exposure to themselves. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, typically grows in lakes, rivers, ponds, estuaries and marine water,… Read story

Know signs of heat exhaustion, heatstroke

July 5, 2022, 6:05am Health

As the temperature rises in the summer, so does the risk of heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Over the past 30 years, extreme heat has claimed more lives in America than any other weather-related hazard, including flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes or lightning, according to the National Weather Service. Read story

Bobby the K-9 retriever dog sniffs sweat samples in a test to detect the COVID-19 coronavirus through volatile organic compounds, at the Faculty of Veterinary Science in Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

Dogs sniffing out long COVID

July 5, 2022, 6:03am Health

While researchers already discovered a trained dog’s nose can identify COVID-19 with its scent-detecting capabilities, dogs have now demonstrated they can also sniff out long-term virus symptoms — often called “long COVID” — in patients, researchers in Germany found. Read story

After Roe ruling, is ectopic pregnancy abortion legal?

Phoebe Kingsak, 23, listens to speakers at the Bans Off Our Bodies protest outside of the Tarrant County, Texas, Courthouse on June 25.

July 5, 2022, 6:02am Health

The overturn of Roe v. Wade leaves the decision of whether abortion is legal or not up to the states to decide. Concerns on what restrictions this will place on life-threatening cases have been voiced by medical professionals and local Texans alike. Read story

Monkeypox cases triple in Europe, WHO says, Africa concerned

FILE - This 2003 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows mature, oval-shaped monkeypox virions, left, and spherical immature virions, right, obtained from a sample of human skin associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. U.S. health officials are expanding the group of people recommended to get vaccinated against the monkeypox virus. They also say they are providing more monkeypox vaccine, working to expand testing, and taking other steps to try to get ahead of the outbreak. (Cynthia S.

July 3, 2022, 2:54pm Health

The World Health Organization's Europe chief warned Friday that monkeypox cases in the region have tripled in the last two weeks and urged countries to do more to ensure the previously rare disease does not become entrenched on the continent. Read story