UPDATE, July 25 On Thursday, July 20 all parties in this case agreed to a court order with conditions to end isolation and electronic home monitoring for this patient. The patient has tested negative in 3 consecutive acid-fast bacillus (AFB) tests, meaning she is no longer infectious. We will continue to work with her to […]
Spread the word: Get tested for syphilis
You may see our ad campaign soon on YouTube, TikTok, or a billboard. The message is simple: If you’re 45 or younger and have sex, you need to get tested for syphilis. Syphilis is sharply increasing in Pierce County. Our cases more than quadrupled from 58 in 2016 to 711 in 2022. The state and nation are also experiencing […]
We are working with DOH to investigate a cluster of foodborne listeriosis cases
We are working with Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Thurston County Public Health and Social Services to investigate 5 cases of the foodborne illness listeriosis in Western Washington. Four of the cases are in Pierce County. One is in Thurston County. All 5 patients were hospitalized and 3 died. All the cases were in […]
Marine Beach Warning Advisory at Tacoma’s Titlow Beach
Don’t swim or wade at Titlow Beach in Tacoma. Tests of water we sampled July 17 and 19 show high levels of bacteria that increase your risk of gastrointestinal illness if you contact it. We posted advisory signs and will continue to monitor bacteria levels there. When bacteria levels no longer show increased risks to […]
We are investigating first case of Candida auris diagnosed in Washington
A Pierce County man was diagnosed July 13 with colonization due to Candida auris (C. auris), a multidrug-resistant fungus that can cause serious infections. This is believed to be the first locally acquired case in Washington. C. auris is a type of yeast that can cause severe illness, especially in those suffering from serious medical conditions who have […]
The Board of Health July 19 Meeting Agenda
The Board of Health will hold a Study Session on July 19 (3-5 PM). Access the agenda and access instructions here.
Woman recovering from rare tickborne disease in Pierce County
A Puyallup woman in her 40s was diagnosed in June with a tickborne disease called anaplasmosis. She was hospitalized and is recovering at home. She spent time in wooded or brushy areas in Puyallup and Eatonville during the time she was likely exposed and did not travel outside of Washington. State officials previously found low […]
Data breach exposed Food Worker Card records
On June 1, 2023, the Department of Justice informed us an unauthorized person accessed our Washington State Food Worker Card online training (Do it Right! Serve it Safe!) database. The breach occurred around Nov. 18, 2018. The unauthorized person shared user account information for 1.5 million people on an online forum, including: Last week we […]
Dr. Anthony Chen officially retires as Director of Health
After more than 14 years leading Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Dr. Anthony L-T Chen officially retired last week from his position as Director of Health. Our Board of Health plans to honor Dr. Chen for his years of outstanding service to our community at an upcoming meeting, just as the Pierce County and Tacoma councils did last month. Through […]