Illustration of a bat silhouetted against the moon.
Infectious Disease, Public Health, Rabies

Rabid Bat Found in Renton

Anyone who might have had contact with this bat (even if not bitten) could be at risk and should seek medical evaluation immediately or call Public Health at 206-296-4774 to determine if rabies preventative treatment is necessary.

Child Health, Fitness, Injury Prevention, Orthopedics

More children are getting ACL injuries – here’s what could be done to prevent them

One particularly nasty sporting injury is damage to the ACL – the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee, which attaches the thigh (femur) and shin (tibia) bones. ACL injuries have rocketed among children in England, and our research suggests that one cause of this is that children are not developing basic movement skills, such as jumping and hopping.

Illustration of a Florida beach with palm trees and a burning sun.
Health News

Climate change poses health risks. But it’s hard to fight when state policy ignores it.

Climate change is making Florida hotter and increasing the risk of flooding and severe storms. Increasingly, the state should expect “adverse public health outcomes, such as heat-related illness and mortality, especially among more vulnerable populations,” according to the state climatologist’s office at Florida State University.

But Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has opposed many efforts to address the causes and public health effects of climate change. As a result, Florida cities, counties and nonprofits have had to assume a greater role in dealing with higher temperatures — without sufficient money and resources to do so, many argue.

Illustration of an automobile accident on a rural road.
Health News

Data Shows Rural Disparities in Traffic Deaths

Rural counties experience more traffic deaths per capita compared to their urban counterparts, due in part to slower emergency response times, higher speed limits, and risky driving behavior like not wearing seatbelts.