Harborview plans disease response for World Cup

With thousands of domestic and international visitors expected to travel through Seattle during the FIFA World Cup, local health officials and infectious disease experts are preparing for increased illness transmission. 

Two diseases in recent headlines, Ebola and hantavirus, have raised questions about potential risks during the tournament. Health officials say, however, that neither is expected to pose a significant threat in Seattle.  

Dr. John Lynch, associate chief medical officer at Harborview Medical Center, said UW Medicine is prepared to identify and care for patients with a wide range of infectious diseases. The main concerns involve respiratory illnesses such as influenza and possibly measles, which tend to spread when large crowds gather.  

“We are still seeing a lot of respiratory viruses, including cold viruses and rhinovirus, as we enter into the summer season here in the Pacific Northwest,” he said. “My recommendations are to make sure you are up to date with all recommended vaccines and to consider wearing a mask or respirator (N95 or similar) whenever in a crowded indoor or outdoor setting,” he said.  

UW Medicine's Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Department recently brought online a new diagnostic instrument. It enables speedy testing of patients’ specimens for myriad health conditions, and its Renton location makes it proximal to Seattle-area airports.  

Download broadcast-quality video resources and downloadable soundbites with Lynch.