The Washington State Department of Health confirmed a measles outbreak in Snohomish County – the first in the state since 2023 – with three unvaccinated children ages 23 months to 9 years testing positive for the highly contagious disease.
The outbreak comes as measles cases are rising across the United States, with multiple states reporting increased activity.
The Snohomish County cases are linked to a family from South Carolina who visited multiple locations in King and Snohomish counties Dec. 27 – Jan. 1, while infectious. Additional secondary cases are possible through Jan. 22 based on the exposure timeline.
Meanwhile, on January 15, the department of health confirmed a measles case in Kittitas County that was associated with travel to South Carolina. That individual is a student at Central Washington University and was infectious from January 8, through January 16. Additional secondary cases are possible through Feb. 2 based on the exposure timeline.
