On July 16, Alaska became part of the national measles epidemic when measles was diagnosed in an unvaccinated Kenai Peninsula teenager who acquired the illness while traveling in the Lower 48. Most of us today haven’t experienced measles firsthand and some wonder, “What’s the big deal?” Some people may have forgotten how serious measles […]
(Fairbanks) — An abundance of hares reported this week, including dead hares with Tularemia and voles covered in ticks, could mean diagnosis of the summer’s first cases of Tularemia in local pets aren’t far behind. “Tularemia outbreaks in dogs and cats that come in contact with sick hares occur in the Fairbanks North Star Borough […]
(Anchorage, AK) — The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and the Municipality of Anchorage are warning Anchorage residents of a recent spread of mumps, and encouraging residents to update their vaccinations if necessary. Several new mumps cases have been diagnosed in the past few months, and there are now 13 confirmed cases of […]
According to a release from the Center for Disease Control, Norton Sound was again struck by suspected Walrus-related Trichinellosis from eating under-cooked Walrus meat, bringing the outbreak to a total of ten since August of 2016. The incidences this year and in 2016, mark the first time in 23 years that the parasite, from Walrus, […]