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Public Health – Seattle & King County investigating case of measles with potential public exposure

SEATTLE — Public Health – Seattle & King County is investigating a confirmed case of measles in a King County child, the agency said Saturday.

The child was at four different locations in Seattle while infected between May 11 and May 15. The child’s vaccination status and the source of the infection are both unknown, Public Health said.

The locations and times of potential exposure to measles before the child was diagnosed are as follows:

  • Aki Kurose Middle School, 3928 S. Graham St. - 5/11, 12 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. and 5/12, 8:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
  • Pike Place Market, 85 Pike St. - 5/13, 3:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
  • World Market, 2103 Western Ave. - 5/13, 4:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
  • HopeCentral Pediatrics & Behavioral Health, 3826 S. Othello St. - 5/15, 2 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

Public Health says risk to the general public is low since most people in our area have immunity to measles through vaccination. However, the agency says anyone who was in the locations at the times listed should:

  • Find out if they’ve been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously.
  • Call a healthcare provider if you develop an illness or fever with an unexplained rash.

“Measles is highly contagious. If you don’t have immunity, you can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been,” said Elysia Gonzales, Medical Epidemiologist for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “The best protection against measles is to get vaccinated. Two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine provides about 97% protection against getting infected by measles and that protection lasts a lifetime.”