Snohomish County health officials have declared an end to the county’s measles outbreak, but are urging residents to remain vigilant as spring travel and this summer’s FIFA World Cup bring heightened risk of new cases being introduced to the region.
The outbreak, announced on 15 January, resulted in 14 confirmed cases. The last reported case was 17 February, and with no new cases recorded over two full incubation periods, the outbreak was officially declared over on 4 April. All 14 Snohomish County residents who became infected during the outbreak were unvaccinated.
Snohomish County Health Officer Dr James Lewis welcomed the news but was clear-eyed about what lies ahead. “After strong community support and dedicated work by our health department teams, we’re happy and relieved that the current outbreak is over,” he said. “That being said, we fully expect additional cases of measles to be introduced into Snohomish County as evidenced by ongoing exposures across the state.” Lewis added that spring travel makes the present moment an important time for residents to confirm their immunisation status. “If you aren’t immunized, or can’t find proof of it, we recommend getting the MMR vaccine as soon as possible,” he said.
The concern is well-founded. Washington state has recorded 33 measles cases so far this year, according to the Washington State Department of Health, with the two most recent cases reported Friday in Walla Walla and Kittitas counties. Two additional cases were reported last week in neighbouring King County. The Snohomish County Health Department said it is currently following up with more than a dozen county residents who may have been exposed at King County locations.
Health officials said the FIFA World Cup, expected to bring hundreds of thousands of international visitors to the Seattle area this summer, significantly raises the risk of measles and other communicable diseases being introduced into the community. Measles is among the most contagious diseases in the world, with nine out of ten unvaccinated people likely to contract the virus if exposed to an infected person.
The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, is considered 97% effective against measles, and two doses provide lifetime protection. Health officials are urging anyone who is unvaccinated or unable to confirm their immunisation status to get vaccinated as soon as possible ahead of the busy travel season.
The county’s response to the outbreak required approximately 300 phone calls, more than 1,000 hours of staff time, and cost upwards of $104,000. Outreach included tailored messaging in multiple languages to reach affected communities. Health Department Director Kim Van Pelt credited community cooperation as a key factor in containing the spread. “If not for their cooperation and the hard work of our team, we almost certainly would have seen more cases than we did,” she said.
