An infant in King County has been confirmed as Washington’s first measles case of 2025, raising concerns about the highly contagious and potentially severe disease. Public Health – Seattle and King County announced the diagnosis on Thursday, revealing that the baby was potentially exposed during recent international travel.

The virus is airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs.

“Measles is easily spread from person to person. If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected,” said Dr. Eric Chow, Communicable Disease Chief for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “We are seeing increases in measles cases within and outside the US. Talk to your doctor about checking your vaccination status and get vaccinated now if you aren’t already protected.”

The infant’s travel and potential exposure at King County public locations have prompted health officials to urge those who may have been exposed to verify their vaccination status and consult a healthcare provider if they develop symptoms. Measles can spread before symptoms appear, and the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.

Symptoms and Incubation Period

Typical symptoms of measles include a high fever lasting two to four days, cough, runny nose, pink eye, and a rash. The most likely period for symptom onset is between February 27 and March 18 for those exposed and not immune. Measles is contagious from about four days before a rash appears through four days after a rash appears.

Most symptoms of measles appear between 7 to 21 days after someone has been exposed, according to Public Health – Seattle and King County.

Medical Facilities and Public Health Measures

All three medical facilities listed are notifying patients and families who may have been exposed, providing information about the exposure date and disease symptoms to watch for. Seattle Children’s released a statement confirming the case and noting the implementation of appropriate infection control procedures to prevent further spread.

“Emergency Department staff members followed appropriate screening processes of the patient and their family members at the visit and quickly implemented appropriate infection control procedures, which include isolating the patient and reporting to King County Public Health. We are notifying patients and families in the Emergency Department who may have been exposed, providing information about the exposure date and disease symptoms. For privacy reasons, we do not share information about specific patient cases.”

—Seattle Children’s statement to KOMO News

Prevention and Vaccination

Measles can be confirmed with a sample of a blood or saliva in a lab. Prevention involves staying up to-date with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine.

“We are seeing increases in measles cases within and outside the US. Talk to your doctor about checking your vaccination status and get vaccinated now if you aren’t already protected.”

— Dr. Eric Chow, Communicable Disease Chief for Public Health – Seattle & King County

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is highly effective, with two doses providing approximately 97% protection. However, achieving herd immunity, which is necessary for community protection, requires about 95% vaccination coverage. Currently, King County shows lower immunization rates, with about 87% of 2-year-olds and 72% of 4–6-year-olds up to date on their MMR vaccinations.

Long-Term and Fatal Complications

Measles is a threat. Most healthy people recover, but it kills about 1% of the infected cases due notably to complications. Such complications include ear infections, diarrhea and about 1 in 5 unvaccinated individuals who get measles are hospitalized.

It is deadly “in a little less than 1% of cases, mainly in children,” said Scott Weaver, who works at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. “Children develop the most severe illness. The cause of death in these kinds of cases is usually pneumonia and complications from pneumonia.”

The CDC report that among young children with measles, about 1 in 20 develop pneumonia, and about 1 in every 1,000 suffer swelling of the brain called encephalitis—this can lead to deafness, intellectual disability and convulsions.

Pregnant women who haven’t vaccinated can develop premature birth or a low-birthweight baby. For children, measurable medical costs might increase due to measurable measles avoidable medical complications.

The CDC report that these outcomes and medical costs average approximately $2.75 million.

Boosting Immunity: Do You Need a Booster?

.Health care workers, people at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago, particularly in areas experiencing an outbreak, may want to consider getting a booster.” The recommendation extends to family members living with someone who has measles, and those vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions. However, the CDC emphasizes that healthy person with a vaccination history do not always require a booster. And the majority of all people are healthy and some of them do not get vaccinated.

Critics argue that mandatory vaccinations infringe upon individual rights and freedoms, and some parents express concerns about potential side effects of the MMR vaccine. However, extensive research and numerous studies have conclusively shown that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks. Public health experts, including Dr. Chow, emphasize the importance of community involvement in maintaining high vaccination rates to protect vulnerable populations, such as infants and immunocompromised individuals, a strong preventative measure against outbreaks.

Beyond the health implications, measles outbreaks can carry significant economic burdens. The estimated cost of medical treatment and public health responses can be substantial. Detailed 2019 illuminates nearly $570,000 in average costs for each hospital that cares for a child with measles, addictionnal hospital costs for that same patient were normally $27,800 per child. 

 Poverty doesn’t always reflect the capacity of income but the good health a baby starts, and national health experts stated clearly that  the high costs of preventing ones coming from measles indicate the monetary costs but also the indirect costs, */

Policy Implications:

• To better accommodate the most recent developments of measles outbreaks, especially concerning young children, strengthening the policies is recommended.
• Parents may now have to prove that their children were vaccinated with the necessary vaccines in order to enroll, which means that school attendance is meant to protect the community.