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Wednesday,  May 14 , 2025
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Tagged Articles:
Dr. Alan Melnick

PeaceHealth urges community to consider other care options due to high patient volumes at emergency department

January 15, 2025, 2:23pm Business

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center’s emergency department is experiencing unprecedented patient volumes due to the rise of respiratory illness cases in Clark County. Read story

Clark County has 406 cases of whooping cough — the highest number in Washington

November 12, 2024, 4:33pm Clark County Health

Clark County is experiencing an alarming spike in whooping cough and chickenpox cases among children — outbreaks that health officials say could’ve been prevented. Read story

Clark County Public Health Director Dr. Alan Melnick, pictured here in 2020, says lead is a “silent poison. Public Health’s hazard assessment program works in partnership with health providers to identify lead exposure cases.

Clark County Public Health presentation discusses the dangers and health effects of lead

Clark County Public Health Director Dr. Alan Melnick, pictured here in 2020, says lead is a “silent poison. Public Health’s hazard assessment program works in partnership with health providers to identify lead exposure cases.

September 25, 2024, 3:40pm Clark County Health

The Clark County Board of Health wants to eventually increase lead testing across the county, especially within low-income communities. Read story

Clark County Public Health warns against rising cases of whooping cough as kids return to school.

Whooping cough on rise in Clark County; return to school could boost surge

Clark County Public Health warns against rising cases of whooping cough as kids return to school.

August 28, 2024, 6:05am Clark County Health

Clark County Public Health warns of a surge in local cases of whooping cough could grow more severe as kids return to school. Read story

Drug overdose deaths increased by about 20 percent in 2023 over 2022, according to preliminary data from the state of Washington.

Overdose deaths in Clark County soared in 2023, with use of fentanyl and meth together a major issue

Drug overdose deaths increased by about 20 percent in 2023 over 2022, according to preliminary data from the state of Washington.

August 1, 2024, 3:13pm Clark County Health

Overdose deaths in Clark County increased 21 percent in 2023 over 2022, with the use of fentanyl and methamphetamine together causing many of the deaths. Read story

Graffiti covers the walls of a jail cell at the Clark County Jail.

As fentanyl use increases, Clark County Jail grapples with opioid withdrawals

Graffiti covers the walls of a jail cell at the Clark County Jail.

April 17, 2024, 6:06am Clark County Health

As fentanyl use increases, the Clark County Jail is grappling with more people experiencing withdrawal from drug use while in custody. Read story

Tyler Clary, Vancouver water engineering program manager, discusses PFAS contamination in the Vancouver water supply at the 78th Street pumping facility in January.

What to know about PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’ in some Vancouver, Clark Public Utilities’ water sources

Tyler Clary, Vancouver water engineering program manager, discusses PFAS contamination in the Vancouver water supply at the 78th Street pumping facility in January.

March 27, 2024, 6:06am Clark County Health

There’s an old adage that nothing lasts forever, except perhaps true love and diamonds. Now we can add per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, to that short list. In recent years, both the city of Vancouver and Clark Public Utilities have discovered PFAS, more commonly known as “forever chemicals,” in… Read story

Dr.

Clark County Public Health officers Melnick, Krager resign Cowlitz County roles

Dr.

December 28, 2023, 7:24pm Clark County Health

Cowlitz County Health Officer Alan Melnick and Deputy Health Officer Steve Krager elected to resign effective Sunday after the Cowlitz County Board of Health voted not to renew the county’s contract with Clark County Public Health. Read story

Martha Petifer, left, puts a leash on her dog, Odyssey, while her partner Clint Austin watches at The Outpost Safe Stay Community, where she has lived since February. Petifer suffered a stroke and broken back in January.

For people in Clark County experiencing homelessness, health care can be out of reach

Martha Petifer, left, puts a leash on her dog, Odyssey, while her partner Clint Austin watches at The Outpost Safe Stay Community, where she has lived since February. Petifer suffered a stroke and broken back in January.

September 16, 2023, 6:05am Clark County Health

A numbness washed over Martha Petifer as she packed up her belongings after being evicted from her apartment. Read story

Tram Nguyen, an intern with Safeway, foreground, prepares doses of COVID-19 vaccine for visitors in line such as Peggy and Bob Swenson of Camas, background, at the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds on Tuesday morning, January 26, 2021.

Melnick: Make anyone 16 and older eligible for COVID-19 vaccine

Tram Nguyen, an intern with Safeway, foreground, prepares doses of COVID-19 vaccine for visitors in line such as Peggy and Bob Swenson of Camas, background, at the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds on Tuesday morning, January 26, 2021.

March 24, 2021, 4:32pm Clark County Health

On Wednesday evening, Washington formalized a directive from President Joe Biden to make all adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, but Clark County’s top health official thinks the state should discuss accelerating that timeline. Read story