Travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and people who visited several medical centers in King and Snohomish counties might have been exposed to measles because an infant who moved through the area from March 27 to March 31 has tested positive for the disease.
The infant was likely exposed to measles during recent travel abroad, the Snohomish and King County health departments reported after learning about the positive test on Tuesday.
People who were in the same locations the infant during the time period in question should check their immunity against the disease, because they could have been exposed, the health departments jointly stated.
“Measles is a serious and highly contagious disease, and young children — especially those who are too young to be vaccinated — are particularly vulnerable to its complications,” Dr. James Lewis, health officer for the Snohomish County Health Department, said in a statement. “Vaccination remains our best protection against measles.”
The health departments identified locations the infant visited before being diagnosed with measles. The time periods at issue include two hours after the infant left the area because the virus can remain in the air for up to two hours.
The infant traveled through the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Thursday, March 27, visiting the S Concourse at Gate S12, baggage claim at carousel 20 and the south end of the lower level of the main terminal at Gina Marie Arrivals Hall. The advisory period is from 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.
People should also be aware of potential exposure if they visited Providence Monroe Clinic in Monroe on March 29 from 6:25 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Providence Mill Creek Walk-In Care at the Western Washington Medical Group Endoscopy clinic on March 31 from 8:55 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Seattle Children’s hospital on March 31 from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., especially in the Forest garage, elevators, pharmacy and Forest B lobby.
Measles can be a severe disease and causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. One person can spread the disease through the air via coughs and sneezes to up to nine out 10 people they come across, if those people are not protected. An infected person is contagious for about four days before the rash appears and four days afterward.
Anyone infected traveling through any of the same locations as the infant would likely become sick between April 3 and April 21, but people with weakened immune systems may take longer to experience symptoms, the health departments said.
Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine provides 97% protection against infection for a lifetime. Children need two doses, the first at 12 to 15 months old and a second at 4 to 6 years old. But if a baby between six to eleven months is traveling internationally, they should get an earlier dose.
The risk of infection is low to the general public because most people are vaccinated, the health departments reported jointly. But people who were in the exposure path should still confirm that they’ve been vaccinated or had measles previously, and should call their health care provider if they develop measles-like symptoms.
If that happens, don’t go to a clinic or hospital without calling first to limit exposure, limit contact with others and wear a well-fitting mask.
The infant’s infection marks this year’s third case of measles in Washington and the second infant infected in the state. An adult traveling through Sea-Tac Airport tested positive for the disease in January and an infant tested positive in King County in late February.
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