Disease surveillance — {STATE.name}
Respiratory virus levels, disease-outbreak surveillance, and weekly communicable-disease counts from CDC RESP-NET and MDHHS. The three feeds answer one question together: what's circulating in {STATE.name} this week?
Washington Respiratory Virus Level — Flu, COVID-19, RSV Surveillance
Source: CDC NREVSS · MDHHS Communicable Disease · WastewaterScan · live via /api/publichealth
CDC and MDHHS surveillance of flu, COVID-19, and RSV activity in Washington. Weekly trend data, hospitalizations, and wastewater levels.
CDC and MDHHS track three main respiratory viruses each week: influenza (flu), SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), and RSV. They use a combination of test-positivity rates, hospital admissions, emergency-room visits, and (newer) wastewater surveillance. Levels are reported as Minimal, Low, Moderate, High, or Very High. Peak respiratory season is December through February.
- Wash hands often. Cover coughs. Stay home when sick.
- Get a yearly flu shot — Washington offers free vaccines at most pharmacies and county health departments.
- Update your COVID-19 vaccine annually if you're 65+, immunocompromised, or pregnant.
- Older adults and infants should ask about RSV vaccines (Arexvy, Abrysvo, Beyfortus for infants).
Washington Disease Outbreaks — MDHHS Reportable Conditions
Source: MDHHS Bureau of Epidemiology and Population Health · MDSS · live via /api/publichealth
Active disease outbreak investigations in Washington — measles, hepatitis A, foodborne illness, and other reportable conditions tracked by MDHHS.
Washington law requires healthcare providers and labs to report 90+ specific diseases to the state — including measles, hepatitis A, tuberculosis, salmonella, E. coli O157, Legionnaires', and Lyme disease. MDHHS investigates clusters and posts outbreak updates when public action is warranted (e.g., a restaurant exposure or a campus measles case).
- If you think you've been exposed to an outbreak, contact your county health department — most have a 24-hour nurse line.
- Make sure your routine vaccines are current (MMR, Hep A, Tdap, varicella).
- For foodborne outbreaks: keep receipts and a list of recent meals — public health investigators will need them.
- Report a possible outbreak: call your county health department (use https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs to find yours).
Washington Communicable Disease Surveillance — MDSS Data
Source: Washington Disease Surveillance System (MDSS) · MDHHS
Washington Disease Surveillance System (MDSS) tracks 90+ reportable communicable diseases. Weekly case counts by county for measles, hepatitis, Lyme, salmonella, and more.
The Washington Disease Surveillance System (MDSS) is the secure web-based platform that healthcare providers and labs use to report 90+ legally reportable conditions to the state in real time — from common infections like Lyme and salmonella to rare ones like Creutzfeldt-Jakob and anthrax. Aggregate reports are released weekly. MDSS data is what drives public-health response when a case cluster emerges.
- Suspect a reportable illness? Your doctor or lab will file it for you.
- For unusual illness clusters (e.g., 3+ people sick after the same event): call your county health department directly.
- Tick-bite illnesses (Lyme, anaplasmosis): see https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/communicablediseases/ticks-michigan
- For travel-related concerns or international exposures, the CDC Travel page covers risks by destination.