Health Advisory: Measles Case Confirmed in Spokane County
February 23, 2024
Action Requested
- Be aware that a case of measles was confirmed this week at Washington State Public Health Laboratories. The case occurred in a Spokane County resident with a rash onset date of February 15, 2024. This adult was exposed to measles during international travel, and became contagious during their return travel to Washington, according to a Health Advisory from the Washington State Department of Health Vaccine Preventable Diseases Program.
- Anticipated symptom onset dates for potentially linked cases: Between February 18 and March 8, 2024
- Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) is actively implementing preventive measures for measles and monitoring the health of those who have likely been exposed.
- Please note that the measles cluster identified earlier this year in Clark and Wahkiakum Counties has ended, and this case is unrelated.
- Please consider measles in patients who:
- Present with febrile rash illness and cough, coryza (runny nose) or conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Recently traveled internationally or were exposed to someone with confirmed measles
- Review and consider using a measles assessment checklist like this one provided by the Washington State Department of Health.
- Report any suspected cases of measles in Snohomish County to the Snohomish County Health Department within 24 hours.
- Assess immunization status of patients at every visit and strongly recommend vaccination based on recommended schedule, health condition, occupation, and other risk factors such as travel. Under-vaccinated individuals may be at risk for measles infection due to outbreaks that occur in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world.
- Be prepared for the possibility of patients with measles at your facility:
- Suspected patients should wear a mask covering the nose and mouth
- In urgent/emergency healthcare settings:
- Suspected patients should be triaged immediately away from waiting rooms
- Room patient in airborne isolation if available
- In outpatient clinic settings:
- Schedule suspected patients to be seen at end of day, if possible, and keep them out of waiting rooms
- Use standard and airborne infection control precautions
- Only staff with documented immunity to measles should enter patient’s room.
- After patient is discharged, do not use or have staff enter the room for 2 hours.
- Collect specimens on patients with suspected measles for diagnostic testing:
- For PCR and virus isolation:
- Nasopharyngeal swab placed in viral transport media (VTM)
- Urine, minimum 20mL, in sterile leak proof container
- For measles IgM serology:
- Serum, minimum 1mL, in red top or red-grey top tube
- Route specimens through Public Health to expedite testing (do not use commercial laboratory). Due to a national shortage of measles IgM test kits, serum specimens will be submitted to CDC if IgM testing is approved. Measles IgG testing continues to be available at WA PHL.
Background
A case of measles has been identified in a Spokane County resident. Rash onset date 2/15/2024. This case is not connected to recent cases in SW Washington. SRHD has identified the following public locations, dates, and times where potential exposures to measles may have occurred in Washington:
- Sunday, Feb. 11 through Monday, Feb. 12:
- 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.: Spokane International Airport, Concourse B
- Monday, Feb. 12:
- 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Deer Park Library, 208 S. Forest Ave., Deer Park, WA
- 4-8:30 p.m.: Rozy’z Hot Shotz, 617 S. Fir Ave., Deer Park, WA
- Evening hours: Taco Bell, 807 S. Main Ave., Deer Park, WA
- Tuesday, Feb. 13:
- 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Creekside Kenpo Karate, 3506 Eloika Rd., Deer Park, WA
- Thursday, Feb. 15:
- 4:30-7:15 p.m.: Horizon Credit Union, 900 S. Main St., Deer Park, WA
In addition to the above, the CDC Division of Global Migration Health (DGMH) also identified 11 Washington residents that may have been exposed to measles on a February 11th flight. As of this health advisory, Snohomish County Health Department had not received notification of exposures from this flight impacting Snohomish County residents.
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