Second measles case confirmed in Snohomish County; officials stress vaccination importance

WASHINGTON STATE — Public Health – Seattle & King County and the Snohomish County Health Department are investigating a confirmed case of measles in an adult resident of Snohomish County, identified on March 17.

Officials have assured the public that there is no risk of measles from this case.

The new case is linked to a previous measles case identified in late February in King County. Health departments in King and Snohomish counties have assessed potential public exposures and determined there is no risk to the general public, according to Public Health – Seattle & King County

Dr. James Lewis, Health Officer for the Snohomish County Health Department, emphasized the importance of vaccination.

RELATED: 2 cases of measles exposure confirmed in Snohomish County

Measles spreads easily in communities with low immunity, which is why maintaining high vaccination rates is so critical,” Lewis said. “We have confirmed a second measles case; without the rapid response from public health departments to conduct contact tracing to identify susceptible individuals, we could have seen significantly more cases.

Dr. Eric Chow, Communicable Disease Chief for Public Health – Seattle & King County, highlighted the seriousness of measles.

Measles is more than just a rash and can be a very serious infection that affects different parts of the body. It’s hard to watch a loved one experience an illness due to measles,” Chow said. “Unfortunately, measles is very contagious and people who are not fully vaccinated are at risk.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to severe complications, including ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, and, in rare cases, encephalitis or death. The disease is preventable with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is about 97% effective with two doses.

For more information about measles and vaccination, visit www.kingcounty.gov/measles.