Health department reports rare illnesses diagnosed in county

Four Whitman County residents came down with rare, communicable diseases within the past two weeks.

County health officials dedicated a large amount of staff time tracing possible sources and contacting anyone who might have come in contact with the patients.

Health Department Director Fran Martin said the four people are now back home and no one with whom they have come in contact has shown symptoms.

None of the four cases are linked. Martin said they have not found the source of any of the illnesses.

Whooping cough, Nicerian pneumonia (a rare strain of pneumonia), salmonella and E. Coli were...