Stories by Arielle Dreher for the Spokesman-Review

News

Moving forward: Spokane County health board acknowledges work ahead of them after dismissing health officer

Sun., Nov. 8, 2020

After a chaotic week without a health officer, the Spokane Regional Health District board and community regroup and look ahead.

News

Who is Dr. Francisco Velázquez? Interim health officer has long history of health care leadership

UPDATED: Fri., Nov. 6, 2020

Interim health officer Dr. Francisco Velázquez started in his new role on Friday.

News

Health Board fires Dr. Bob Lutz

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 5, 2020

The Spokane County Health Board fired health officer Dr. Bob Lutz following a four-hour special meeting on Thursday.

News

At least two community flu vaccine clinics canceled with no health officer at health district

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 5, 2020

At least two community flu vaccine clinics have been canceled as a direct result of Dr. Bob Lutz' ouster at the health district.

News

What to expect from the Board of Health meeting about Dr. Bob Lutz on Thursday

UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 4, 2020

The Spokane Regional Health District Board of Health will meet on Thursday to decide the fate of Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz' employment with the district.

News

Health board set to vote Thursday to keep or terminate Dr. Bob Lutz

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 3, 2020

The Spokane Regional Health District Board of Health will meet on Thursday afternoon to decide the fate of Dr. Bob Lutz as health officer of the district.

News

Spokane County health officer role in limbo as Lutz says he was wrongly fired

UPDATED: Mon., Nov. 2, 2020

Dr. Bob Lutz was told to hand over his keys, agency badge, work laptop and cellphone last Thursday as Amelia Clark, administrator of the Spokane Regional Health District, thought she was firing him as county health officer.

News > Spokane

Lutz breaks silence, confirming he hasn’t resigned and has hired a lawyer

UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 31, 2020

After a tumultuous two days during which the Spokane Regional Health District’s administrator tried to fire him, Spokane County’s health officer released a statement Saturday saying he doesn’t plan to resign and has hired a lawyer to resist the “troubling” move.

News > Spokane

What is the Spokane Regional Health District, and where does it get its power? Your questions answered on Lutz situation

UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 31, 2020

Here's a look at how the board works and what that could mean for Dr. Bob Lutz – and the county.

News

Local health care providers stunned by sudden push to remove Spokane County Health Officer

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 30, 2020

The local health care community in Spokane was stunned to learn that Dr. Bob Lutz was being asked to resign by the health district administrator, with support from the board.

News

Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz’s status unclear after administrator asks him to resign

UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 31, 2020

Lutz was told he had to resign on Friday or face termination. But he didn't submit his resignation, setting up decision for Spokane's health board. The reasoning behind the attempt to oust him is unclear.

News > Idaho

Spokane County COVID-19 death toll reaches 200 as soaring cases force change in testing priorities

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 30, 2020

Inland Northwest hospitals are treating more than 100 COVID-19 patients currently, and health officials confirmed more than 200 cases in Spokane County and the Panhandle on Thursday.

News

COVID-19 hospitalizations soar in the Inland Northwest

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 28, 2020

Nearly 100 patients with COVID-19 are receiving treatment in Coeur d'Alene and Spokane hospitals.

News

Community Health Monitoring Program connects and comforts patients in the midst of COVID-19

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 26, 2020

The Community Health Monitoring Program connects residents who test positive for COVID-19 with their own pulse oximeter and a designated volunteer to check in with them.

News

Washington releases vaccine plan as statewide cases continue to escalate

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 23, 2020

The Department of Health is seeking feedback on its COVID-19 vaccine plan.

News

Kootenai Health doctor asks community to ‘keep health system afloat’ and wear a mask

UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 24, 2020

As case counts spike and Kootenai Health is nearly full, local physicians and health officials are asking Kootenai County residents to wear face coverings in public despite the Panhandle Health Board rescinding the mask mandate on Thursday.

News > Pacific NW

Panhandle Health Board rescinds mask mandate in Kootenai County

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 23, 2020

Two north Idaho counties, Kootenai and Boundary, moved to the substantial COVID-19 risk category, or Red, due to increasing test positivity rates and worrisome limited hospital capacity, Panhandle Health District announced Thursday.

News

Kootenai Health at ‘99 percent’ capacity with surge of COVID-19 patients

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 21, 2020

A surge in COVID-19 cases in Kootenai County has put the local hospital, Kootenai Health, near capacity.

News

Governor announces tightened COVID-19 guidelines for universities and colleges

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 20, 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee tightened COVID-19 restrictions for college campuses statewide on Tuesday.

News

Washington officials examining about 100 cases that appear to be COVID-19 reinfections

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 20, 2020

There are a few instances of people becoming reinfected with COVID-19, and state health officials are working to determine if there are any of these cases in Washington state.

News

More contract tracers dealing with uncooperative COVID-19 patients, making it harder to slow spread as Spokane County cases spike

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 15, 2020

Spokane County health officials confirmed 122 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, as infections continue to spread throughout the county.

News

Plasma in demand: Some COVID-19 survivors are donating to help hospitalized patients

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 14, 2020

Recovered COVID-19 patients can both donate or sell their plasma, but to help COVID-19 patients in the hospital right now, one must donate through an approved center.

News > Pacific NW

Five counties move off Phase 1 as Spokane records 8,000 COVID-19 cases

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 13, 2020

Five Washington counties that for months have had the strictest state restrictions for preventing the spread of COVID-19 were moved Tuesday to Phase 2 of the state's reopening plan. Meanwhile, Spokane County reported a new milestone with 8,000 cases.

News

COVID-19 outbreaks among college students continue in Eastern Washington

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 12, 2020

College students in Eastern Washington from Spokane to Cheney to Pullman continue to test positive for the novel coronavirus.

News

Has the pandemic led to missed cancer diagnoses and other gaps in care? Local researchers want to find out

UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 10, 2020

Ongoing research is looking at how the pandemic hurt access to cancer screenings and continues to impact care for cancer patients.

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