Kindred - under C. auris outbreak status

Please see the update from PHSKC below sent on 1.17.25. Please contact me (amanda.reilly@co.snohomish.wa.us) for help with admission screening.

Public Health- Seattle & King County (Public Health) & Kindred First Hill have identified transmission of Candida auris (C. auris) at Kindred First Hill in King County through robust and enhanced proactive screening approaches. Public Health is working closely with Kindred to ensure appropriate outbreak measures are in place and to understand the scope and method of transmission. The facility is conducting extensive screening. 

If your facility accepts a patient from Kindred, please consider the following recommendations: place the patient on contact precautions (or if a nursing home, place on EBP) and screen for Candida auris. The Washington State Public Health Lab provides screening supplies and testing free of charge. 

Any facility receiving a direct admit from Kindred should also be notified by Kindred of the current outbreak, any pending test results, and testing history for Candida auris. Receiving facilities are encouraged to ask about pending test results.

Nursing homes are encouraged to inquire about infectious risks in incoming residents. Consider using this resource from public health. 

The identification of C. auris cases through proactive approaches emphasizes the importance of preparing for C. auris and implementing enhanced screening in your facility now.

Transmission of C. auris can occur in a facility even if a patient doesn’t have symptoms (colonization). Health care facilities are advised to review their C. auris policies and ensure appropriate infection control is in place to mitigate unrecognized transmission of C. auris. Infection control practices that are key to preparing for C. auris are-

• Reviewing and emphasizing hand hygiene practices
• Ensuring environmental cleaning practices are adhered to, including cleaning of all shared equipment between patients
• Checking to make sure cleaning supplies are effective against C. auris (List P)

Additionally, implementing proactive screening procedures identify individuals who are colonized, allowing the facility to appropriately implement precautions and thus limits spread to other vulnerable patients in a facility.

Any updates to screening recommendations will be posted on the Partners for Patient Safety Website here. 

Signed, PHSKC

RespiratorY Virus Dashboard and Universal Staff Masking

The respiratory virus dashboard and masking recommendation was created to help alert hospitals and other healthcare facilities when community transmission is high and guide facilities on decisions to implement preventative measures such as staff universal surgical masking.

Snohomish County would like the recommendation to be voluntary and non-penalizing for our Snohomish County facilities. Universal staff masking (not during an outbreak) is up to your facility policy; however, we do highly suggest you use the dashboard indicators to guide these measures.

Universal staff masking during a respiratory outbreak is still required.

Language was added at the bottom of the dashboard to indicate to DSHS that these recommendations are not regulatory. Please see a screenshot below of where this language can be found.

My Contact info

Amanda Reilly

amanda.reilly@co.snohomish.wa.us

Cell Phone: 425-359-2364

I was on vacation from 1/1/25 to 1/20/25, so I am still working through my missed emails. As always, do not hesitate to email or call with questions or requests for ICAR visits. Happy new year!