First case of measles reported in Whatcom County since 1995

KIE RELYEA

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A 49-year-old Whatcom County woman has contracted measles, the first time the illness has been diagnosed here since 1995, according to the Health Department.

As a result, county health officials are warning people who may have come into contact with the woman when she was contagious earlier this month.

They're focusing on those who were near the woman while she was at Northwest Regional Laboratory at Barkley Medical Center during these dates and times:

What are the signs?
- Symptoms develop 10-21 days after exposure to the measles virus, with the illness lasting one to two weeks.
- The first signs are a runny nose, watery red eyes, cough and high fever.
- Tiny, white spots appear in the mouth during the first few days.
- A raised, red rash starts on the face and spreads down the body and out to the arms and legs after two to four days. It usually lasts four to seven days.
- Victims are contagious four days before and at least four days after the rash begins.
Who's at risk?
- Those who have never been vaccinated against the disease.
- Children who are younger than 1.
- Those who received inactivated vaccines from 1963-1967, and have not been re-vaccinated.
Source: King County Public Health

MORE INFORMATION
- See the CDC Web site on measles vaccination for detailed information for patients and clinicians.
- Read the CDC's "pink book" chapter on measles for technical information on the disease, epidemiology, testing and immunization.
- Read the CDC's latest update on measles.

Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 7:30 to 10 a.m.

Friday, Sept. 5, from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 6, from noon to 2:30 p.m.

Anyone who was at the laboratory during these dates and develops a fever and rash should immediately call the health department at 676-6724 during the day and 715-2588 after hours.

Health officials said that most of the people she had been in close contact with have been identified and notified.

It's unlikely that the public was exposed when she was contagious, except for the trips to the lab, officials said in a news release.

The Health Department is looking into how the woman contracted the disease. Her condition was unavailable Wednesday evening.

There was an outbreak of 19 cases in April and May in Grant County, according to the Health Department, but no other cases have been reported in Whatcom County.

Widespread immunization beginning in the 1960s all but eliminated the disease in the U.S.

Before vaccines were developed, each year in the U.S. about 450 people died from measles and 4,000 developed encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain.

There was no information on Wednesday, Sept. 10, about whether the Whatcom County woman had been vaccinated.