The Alameda County Public Health Department sends out Health Alerts, Advisories, and Updates regarding communicable disease outbreaks, immunization updates, and other public health concerns to Alameda County clinicians and other partners. See recent releases below.
Sign up for
Subscribe today to AC Alert, Alameda County’s 24/7 notification system, to begin receiving emergency alerts.
Health Care Provider AC Alert Registration Form: Health Updates, Advisories, and Alerts, as well as other pertinent information, are sent out to healthcare providers and other relevant contacts in Alameda County through a Public Health-specific subscription in AC Alert. Healthcare providers can register to receive these communications.
Main AC Alert Registration Form: All Alameda County residents are encouraged to register themselves for AC Alert messages from several Alameda County agencies via other subscription options.
Advisory
| ADVISORY: | provides important information for a specific incident or situation; may not require immediate action. |
April 08, 2019 |
Advisory |
Measles in Alameda County Situation Update for Alameda County:
Clinicians are requested to consider/suspect measles in patients with a rash and fever ≥101°F (38.3°C) regardless of travel history. Ask about measles vaccination and exposure to known measles cases, international travel, or international visitors in the three weeks prior to illness. Please see complete Clinician Guidance in the full Health Advisory. |
February 28, 2019 |
Advisory |
CDPH Measles Clinical Guidance Measles continues to circulate in much of the world, including Europe, Asia and Africa. International travel, domestic travel through international airports, and contact with international visitors can pose a risk for exposure to measles. Recent measles outbreaks in other states have sparked concern about the risk to Californians. However, to date, all measles cases in the current Clark County, Washington measles outbreak were exposed locally, with little risk to Californians unless they travel to Clark County. While providers should consider measles in patients with fever and a descending rash, measles is unlikely in the absence of confirmed measles cases in your community or a history of travel or exposure to travelers. This guidance discusses which patients should be prioritized for measles testing |
January 31, 2019 |
Advisory |
Discharge Guidelines for Patients Experiencing Homelessness Effective January 1, 2019, California Health & Safety Code Section 1262.5 requires general acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals and special hospitals to offer the following to patients experiencing homelessness prior to discharge:Screening or referrals “for infectious disease common to the region, as determined by the local health department” Immunizations appropriate to their “presenting medical condition” The full advisory provides joint guidance to hospitals within the local health jurisdictions of Alameda County and the City of Berkeley to comply with Section 1262.5. |
January 23, 2019 |
Advisory |
Third Case of Rifampin/Penicillin-Resistant Strain of RB51 Brucella from Consuming Raw Milk On January 23, 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory regarding Brucella RB51 exposures from consuming raw milk. The CDC reports on three confirmed cases of brucellosis from Brucella RB51 as well as exposures in 19 states, including California. The full health advisory can be found at the link below. Per Title 17 section 2500,2505, suspected and confirmed cases of Brucellosis are immediately reportable to the local public health department. To report cases to Alameda County Public Health Department, contact: Acute Communicable Diseases Section: 510-267-3250 M-F 8:30am-5pm. Weekends and afterhours: 925-422-7595 |
November 14, 2018 |
Advisory |
Unhealthy Air Quality (Updated Nov. 16) The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) has an ongoing Spare the Air alert - updated on Wednesday, November 14th through Tuesday, November 20th. The Bay Area is continuing to experience heavy smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County. Air quality continues to be unhealthy through much of the region. |
November 14, 2018 |
Advisory |
Wildfire Smoke: Ongoing Spare the Air Alert The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has an ongoing Spare the Air alert updated on Wednesday 11/14th through Friday 11/16th. The Bay Area is continuing to experience heavy smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County. Air quality continues to be unhealthy through much of the region. While air quality is in the “unhealthy” range, the best option for everyone, especially children, the elderly, and persons with chronic lung or heart disease, is to stay indoors with windows and doors closed, and avoid prolonged outdoor activities. Masks, if properly fitted, may be helpful for those who must be outdoors. Masks are not suitable for men with beards or young children. Persons with chronic lung or heart disease or other medical conditions, should check with their healthcare provider before using an N95 mask, as they can make breathing more difficult. To monitor local air quality conditions and indicators to stay indoors, visit www.airnow.gov. For additional guidance, see the attached Alameda County Public Health Wildfires & Air Quality flyer and visit our Wildfire Resources page at Air Quality, which has links to the flyer in additional languages. |
September 21, 2018 |
Advisory |
Mandatory Influenza Vaccination or Masking of Health Care Workers During Every Influenza Season Health Officers for Alameda County and the City of Berkeley are re-issuing their joint Health Officer order (originally dated Aug. 28, 2013) (SUSPENDED 9/20/2023) mandating that all licensed health care facilities in Alameda County and the City of Berkeley require their health care workers (HCWs) to receive an annual influenza vaccination or, if they decline, to wear a mask during every influenza season while working in patient care areas. Influenza season dates are defined as November 1 to April 30 of the following year. This order is ongoing and applies to each influenza season, unless rescinded or modified. |
July 12, 2018 |
Advisory |
Joint Advisory on Cyclosporiasis in San Francisco Area Alameda County Public Health and Berkeley Public Health Joint Advisory on Cyclosporiasis in San Francisco Area In recent months, local health departments (LHDs) in the San Francisco Bay Area have received an unusually high number of reports of cyclosporiasis (infection with Cyclospora cayetanensis) in patients who have not traveled outside the United States (U.S.). As of July 9, 2018, 50 cases not associated with international travel were reported to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Only one case has been reported to the Alameda County Department of Public Health (ACPHD) and no cases have been reported to the City of Berkeley Public Health Division in 2018; however, this may be due to under-detection of this infection, which requires special testing methods. LHDs are investigating cases with CDPH to identify a common source. Cyclosporiasis is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions. Prior cyclosporiasis outbreaks in the U.S. have been associated with imported fresh produce items. |
June 01, 2018 |
Advisory |
Increased Pertussis Cases in School-Aged Children Since January 2018, Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD) has noted a marked increase in reported pertussis cases in school-aged children across the county, and clusters of pertussis cases in some schools. Most cases have occurred in high school-aged children. Like the rest of California, Alameda County has experienced a cyclical increase in pertussis cases every 3 to 5 years; the most recent peaks were in 2010, 2014, and now, 2018. |
April 05, 2018 |
Advisory |
Measles in San Francisco Bay Area Between 3/5/18 and 4/3/18, measles has been confirmed in six (6) unvaccinated patients who are residents of Santa Clara County (5) and Alameda County (1). One (1) additional linked case has been confirmed in Nevada. All cases are linked to an unvaccinated traveler who was exposed in Europe and developed measles after returning to the San Francisco Bay Area. Local health departments in the Bay Area are conducting contact investigations. Measles is very infectious, and airborne transmission can occur in settings with large numbers of people like healthcare facilities, schools, childcares, shopping centers, public transportation, airports, and amusement parks. Clinicians should be vigilant in identifying and appropriately managing suspected measles cases to avoid ongoing transmission and ensuring that their patients and staff are up-to-date with immunizations. |
March 22, 2018 |
Advisory |
School Water Lead Testing and Blood Lead Level Testings Increased levels of lead have been found in water drawn from schools in Alameda County. Schools and school districts are notifying parents about the potential lead exposures at the school and blood lead level testing. As a result, we expect parents and school staff will be requesting a blood lead test and would like you to order a blood lead test for a suspected exposure to lead. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established a new "reference value”"of 5 micrograms per deciliter for blood lead levels, thereby lowering the level at which evaluation and intervention are recommended. Depending on your patient’s age and blood lead level, they may be referred for Lead Poisoning Prevention Services, i.e. a combination of health, environmental and residential hazard reduction services, provided by the Alameda County Healthy Homes Department’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. |
January 04, 2018 |
Advisory |
Influenza Testing, Treatment and Vaccination The California Department of Public Health has issued a clinical advisory to direct clinicians about national influenza testing and treatment recommendations. All patients with suspected or confirmed influenza who are hospitalized, severely ill, or at higher risk for complications should be treated as soon as possible with a neuraminidase inhibitor antiviral agent such as zanamivir or oseltamivir and tested using a real-time reverse polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay. The full clinical advisory is linked below. Other Resources: |