The first case of measles in Snohomish County is a student from the Bothell area

EVERETT – Snohomish County has its first confirmed case of measles in the latest outbreak – a teenager attending North Creek High School in the Bothell area.

The Snohomish Health District on Wednesday released a list of places and dates it has been since it's infected. From May 5th to 12th, these venues included the school, three long stays at the Starbucks kiosk at Safeway at 24040 Bothell Everett Highway, AMC Woodinville 12, Top Pot Donuts at Bothell and in other shops and restaurants. Anyone at these sites at specified times may have been exposed.

The Northshore School District has urged families to monitor children for signs of the disease. The infected student was not at school this week.

"We will talk to parents, especially those who benefit from an immunization exemption," said District Health Officer, Dr. Mark Beatty, at a press conference held on Wednesday. .

Later in the day, the district said in a Web article, "We contacted families in North Creek (High School) whose students were not vaccinated. These students will be excluded from school until June 3, unless other cases are confirmed. "

The North Creek case is one of five recently confirmed cases in western Washington. Two were in King County and two in Pierce County. Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state's health officer, said that these four cases involved adults.

One person was completely immune and another not, said Lofy Wednesday. The remaining three vaccination statuses were unknown. The officials did not specify where these patients lived.

Of the five, one was hospitalized, she said.

Lofy said the new cases are unrelated to a previous outbreak in Clark County, where most of the illnesses involved children.

"It is very likely that we will see other cases here in Washington," she said.

The five recently contaminated people spent time at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport during their likely exposure or contamination period.

The first case of the last measles outbreak was confirmed on May 12 – a 40-year-old man from Pierce County who was not hospitalized. A second resident of Pierce County was confirmed on Wednesday. The man, in his fifties, was also not hospitalized.

Measles is very contagious and can be serious. It is easily spread when an infected person speaks, coughs or sneezes.

Vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella is the best way to prevent it, said Lofy.

"It's important for everyone to check their immunization status," she said.

The vaccine is effective at 93% after a single dose and 97% after two doses.

By a measure Governor Jay Inslee enacted earlier this month, parents in Washington will no longer be able to claim a personal or philosophical exemption from their children's combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) before spending the day care center or school. The new law will enter into force at the end of July.

Last year, 90% of all kindergarten children in Snohomish County received the MMR vaccine, according to figures from the state Department of Health. Northshore is the fifth largest school district in Snohomish County, with a vaccination rate of 91.1%. The Edmonds School District had the highest rate at 92.3%. The lowest was Stanwood-Camano with 79.1%.

There have been 77 cases of measles throughout the state in 2019, according to the state's Department of Health. Of these, 52 were aged 1 to 10 years. Fifteen others aged 11 to 18 years. Of this total, 71 cases were reported in Clark County.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that this year, as of May 10, 839 measles cases have been confirmed in 23 states. This is the highest number in the United States since 1994 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000.

Andrea Brown: [email protected]; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.

About measles

The measles virus is spreading through the air. It stays up to two hours in the air of a room where a person with measles has been.

You can get measles from an infected person as early as four days before the rash and up to four days after it appears.

Symptoms, which begin 7 to 21 days after exposure, include fever, diarrhea, cough, runny nose, tiredness and red, watery eyes.

After a few days, a rash begins, which usually starts on the face and can spread to the entire body.

Measles usually lasts seven to ten days.

If you are potentially exposed, call a health care provider if you develop an illness with fever or unexplained rashes.

Do not go to a clinic or hospital without first phoning to say you think you have measles.

Source: government health agencies

Places of exposure to measles

There is one confirmed case of measles in Snohomish County. Here is a list of places where the person visited while being infectious. Anyone who visited these places during the specified times may have been exposed.

Date and time	Location
May 5, from 12:30 to 9:30 pm	Starbucks Kiosk at Safeway, 24040 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell
May 6, from 7:35 pm to 2:30 pm	North Creek High School, 3613, 191st SE, Bothell
May 6th from 12:30 to 2:45 pm	Top Pot Donuts, 18001 Bothell Road Everett, Bothell
May 7, 7:30 am to 4:20 pm	North Creek High School, 3613, 191st SE, Bothell
May 7, 18h-10h30	Korean Arirang Barbecue, 18623 Route 99, No. 150, Lynnwood
May 7, 9 pm-12pm	Pochi Bubble Tea, 1211 164th St. SW, Lynnwood
May 8, from 19:35 to 16:20	North Creek High School, 3613, 191st SE, Bothell
May 9, from 19:35 to 13:30	North Creek High School, 3613, 191st SE, Bothell
May 9, 11:30 am to 1:45 pm	Top Pot Donuts, 18001 Bothell-Everett Road, Bothell
May 9 from 15:30 to 21:30	Starbucks Kiosk at Safeway, 24040 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell
May 10, from 19:35 to 16:20	North Creek High School, 3613, 191st SE, Bothell
May 10th, from 15:45 to 16:30	Purity Health, 3922 148th St. SE, Bothell
May 10, 7 pm-10.30pm	Good Pho You, 402 164th St SW, Lynnwood
May 11 from 12h30 to 21h	Starbucks Kiosk at Safeway, 24040 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell
May 11, 8 pm-2pm	AMC Woodinville 12, 17640 Garden Way NE
May 12 from 8h to 10h30	QFC, 926 164th St. SE, Mill Creek
May 12 from 8:30 to 10:45	My Friend Bake Shop, 914 164th St. SE, B8 Office, Mill Creek

Source: Snohomish Health District

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