Measles cases hit double digits in WA. What to know about disease and vaccine
A measles outbreak in West Texas that left two children dead and more than 760 people infected is now over, health officials in that state said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. as a whole is seeing more cases and outbreaks of the contagious disease in 2025 compared to last year, according to federal data.
Likewise, Washington state has seen an increase in cases this year as well.
Read on for the statewide case count, plus information on measles symptoms, childhood vaccination rates, and more.
How many measles cases are there in Washington in 2025?
Washington has seen 10 confirmed cases of measles so far in 2025, according to the state Department of Health, or DOH. The cases have all been on the west side, including six in King County and two each in Whatcom and Snohomish counties.
The Whatcom County cases involved two family members in the same household.
The number of measles cases in the state so far this year has surpassed last year’s total, which was six for 2024, The Bellingham Herald previously reported.
Washington typically sees fewer than five cases annually, the DOH said.
Across the country, 1,356 measles cases had been confirmed and 32 outbreaks reported as of early August, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. That compares to 285 cases and 16 outbreaks nationally in 2024.
An outbreak is declared when three or more cases are related.
What are the childhood vaccination rates in Washington?
In Washington, students are required to get some vaccinations to take part in child care, early learning and school, including against measles, state health officials said.
Statewide, the percentage of kindergarten students completing school vaccinations has declined in the last few years, The Olympian previously reported.
The trend holds when it comes to the measles vaccination, specifically. Nearly 91% of kindergarten students had the required measles vaccinations during the 2024-25 school year, compared to 94.5% during 2020-21, the state data shows.
In April, state health officials urged adults to check their own vaccination status and ensure their kids were fully vaccinated as measles outbreaks in New Mexico and Texas made headlines. Kids need a dose at 12-15 months and a dose at 4-6 years old.
What is measles?
Measles is “highly contagious” and “can cause serious health complications, especially for babies and young children,” according to state health officials.
It’s caused by the measles virus, and it travels by air, meaning “a sick person can spread measles by coughing, sneezing, breathing, or talking,” the DOH said.
Symptoms range from high fever and cough to a spreading rash.
“Besides causing fever and rash, measles can sometimes cause life-threatening pneumonia and brain inflammation,” Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, the state health officer, said in the DOH’s April news release about measles.
According to the CDC, “about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles is hospitalized,” and “as many as 1 out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.”
Roughly one of every 1,000 kids who gets measles develops brain swelling called encephalitis, and “nearly 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications,” the CDC said.
Kwan-Gett described vaccination as “our best defense,” per the release.
The vaccine is “very effective,” according to the DOH, which said one dose “is 93% effective in preventing measles” and “a second dose increases effectiveness to 97%.”
Have questions about the vaccine or measles?
DOH has more information about measles and the vaccine on its website, including what to do if you’ve been exposed to measles or have measles, how to find out your vaccination status, and information about the vaccine’s safety.
The CDC also has information about measles and vaccination online.
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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