Health officials in Snohomish County have confirmed a measles outbreak just south of Skagit County, raising concerns about potential spread in the region and prompting renewed calls for vaccination.
The Snohomish County Health Department announced this week that three local children have tested positive for measles, marking an official outbreak under public health guidelines. The children were exposed to a contagious family visiting from South Carolina, where the largest active measles outbreak in the country is currently underway.
The children tested positive on Jan. 14 after experiencing fever, cough and the characteristic measles rash. All three were unvaccinated.
“This is now an outbreak, which means the disease is spreading locally,” said Snohomish County Health Officer Dr. James Lewis in a written statement. “We’re expecting more measles cases as a result of the previous exposures as well as these new outbreak cases. There are likely more cases in the community that we do not know about yet.”
Lewis made the determination after consulting with the Washington State Department of Health. An outbreak is defined as three or more measles cases in the same community that are linked by transmission.
Exposure tied to visiting family
Public health officials say the outbreak is connected to a family from South Carolina who visited King and Snohomish counties from Dec. 27 through Jan. 1 while contagious but before being diagnosed. The family traveled through Seatac International Airport and visited multiple locations in Everett, Marysville and Mukilteo.
South Carolina has reported 434 measles cases since October, according to that state’s health department.
Locations of potential exposure
Because measles spreads through the air and can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area, health officials released a list of public locations where exposure may have occurred:
- Jan. 8, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Stellar Kids Dentistry Everett, 111 SE Everett Mall Way
- Jan. 9, 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. – Pathfinder Kindergarten Center, 11401 Beverly Park Rd., Everett
- Jan. 9, 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. – Serene Lake Elementary School, 4709 Picnic Point Rd., Edmonds
- Jan. 13, 1:10 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. – Swedish Mill Creek Campus, 13020 Meridian Ave. S., Everett
Anyone who was at these locations during the listed times may have been exposed.
What Skagit County residents should know
Most people in Washington have immunity to measles through vaccination, and health officials say the risk to the general public remains low. However, measles is highly contagious. If one person has it, up to nine out of ten unprotected people nearby can become infected.
The MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) is safe, highly effective and provides about 97 percent protection with two doses.
Health officials urge residents to:
- Check their vaccination status and ensure they are up to date on MMR shots
- Contact a healthcare provider immediately if symptoms such as fever or unexplained rash develop
- Call ahead before visiting a clinic or hospital if measles exposure is suspected, to avoid spreading the virus
The incubation period for measles is typically 10 to 14 days, but can range from 7 to 21 days. People exposed at the school locations could develop symptoms through Jan. 30, and those exposed at Swedish Mill Creek through Feb. 3.
People at highest risk for serious complications include infants, children under 5, adults over 20, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems.
