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Measles 2019

Measles in Washington State

In 2019, Washington had two outbreaks of measles, and one case of measles that was not part of an outbreak, totaling 87 cases. This is the most cases the state has seen since 1990. The first outbreak was January through May with 72 confirmed cases. The second outbreak began May 9 and had 14 confirmed cases. It was declared over August 28, 2019.

The state is not currently in outbreak status, but measles is still circulating globally and we could still see more cases in Washington. The Washington State Department of Health reminds people to take precautions to help stop the spread of measles and prevent more outbreaks. The best protection against measles is to get vaccinated. Make sure to protect yourself and your family with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

If you have been exposed to measles and feel ill, stay home to help prevent the spread of the disease. Call your healthcare provider to ask about testing and advice. If you don’t have a healthcare provider, call your local health department. If you need help getting access to health care, call the Family Health Hotline at 1-800-322-2588. Learn more about measles here.

Measles cases by county in 2019 County

Click county name for more information, including exposure locations Total Last updated King 13 19 Aug Pierce 2 15 May Snohomish 1 15 May Clark 71 21 Nov Total 87 21 Nov Age range of confirmed measles cases Ages Count (Percent of cases) Under 1 year old 2 (2%) 1 to 10 years old 53 (61%) 11 to 18 years old 17 (20%) 19 to 29 years old 3 (3%) 30 to 39 years old 5 (6%) 40 to 49 years old 4 (5%) 50 to 59 years old 3 (3%) Vaccination Status of Confirmed Measles Cases Vaccination status (confirmed cases) * Count (Percent of cases) 0 doses 67 (77%) 1 dose 5 (6%) 2 or more doses 4 (4%) Unknown 11 (13%) Other documented evidence of immunity 0 * Doses refers to doses of measles-containing vaccine received

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information about measles outbreaks nationwide.

What can you do to prevent the spread of measles?

The best protection against measles is the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella viruses. The MMR vaccine protects against all strains of measles including the D8 strain found in the WA state outbreak. The D8 strain is currently spreading in Eastern Europe. Make sure you’re protected–especially before international travel.

Check your immunization records online through Wa.MyIR.net.

If you don’t think you ever had MMR vaccine or MMRV vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella/chickenpox), contact your healthcare provider for immunizations or a blood test as soon as possible. If you don’t have a healthcare provider, call your local health department or the Family Health Hotline at 1-800-322-2588.

If you think you have been exposed to measles, call your healthcare provider or local health department for advice.

If you become ill after a possible exposure to measles: Call your healthcare provider and ask to be evaluated for possible measles. Protect other people - Stay away from other people to avoid exposing them to measles.

To find out if there are special recommendations in your community, contact your local public health department.

Measles Outbreak Toolkits

For Parents and the Public

For Schools, Child Cares, and Camps

Use these resources to communicate with school or child care facility staff and parents, as needed.

General Immunization Information

Immunization Requirements

Letter Templates

Susceptible Lists

These lists can be used to list and track which students are not immunized against measles

General Information to Share with Staff, Teachers, Parents

Measles Information Flyers in Various Languages

CDC Infographics

For more information contact your local health department.

For Health Care Providers, Local Health Jurisdictions, and Tribes

Contact your local health department for any questions related to suspect measles cases. For questions about MMR vaccine or vaccine recommendations, email the Department of Health at oicp@doh.wa.gov. At this time, there are no changes to the national recommended MMR vaccine schedule for children in Washington state or for children traveling to Washington. Continue to give MMR vaccine at 12-15 months of age, and 4-6 years of age. Children 6-11 months traveling internationally may be given MMR vaccine early. These babies should also get a dose at 12-15 months of age and at 4-6 years of age. A 3rd dose of MMR vaccine isn't recommended for children who already have 2 documented valid doses.

What is DOH doing?

The Washington State Department of Health is supporting local health departments and health care providers to stop the spread of measles.