The public health authorities for Seattle and King County issued an alert after they were informed an adult returned from Europe with an infectious case of measles. The adult is said to have traveled through the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, according to Fox News Digital.
The infection was confirmed after the Centers for Disease Control reported that the number of U.S. measles cases in 2024 has already matched the entirety of cases in 2023.
‘Measles is highly contagious and if you don’t have immunity, you can get it just by being in a room where a person with measles has been.’
The CDC released a statement on Friday, writing:
As of May 30, 2024, a total of 146 measles cases were reported by 21 jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, New York State, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
There have been 11 outbreaks (defined as 3 or more related cases) reported in 2024, and 69% of cases (101 of 146) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 4 outbreaks were reported during 2023 and 48% of cases (28 of 58) were outbreak-associated.
The Seattle and King County alert noted that the infected adult made their way through the city’s international airport on May 10 and 11. The person’s measle vaccination status was unclear, per the report.
Health authorities said the infected adult lived in Arizona and likely got infected when they were traveling in Europe. However, the agency did not state which country or countries the person had traveled through in Europe, according to the report.
Dr. Eric Chow, Communicable Disease Chief for Public Health — Seattle & King County, said: “Measles is highly contagious and if you don’t have immunity, you can get it just by being in a room where a person with measles has been.”
“We’ve seen an increase in measles cases around the world and in the U.S., so it’s an important time to check your vaccination status and get vaccinated if you aren’t protected.
Measles is considered a highly contagious and potentially serious disease that can cause fever, cough, rash, runny nose, and watery eyes. If just one person has it, up to nine out of ten people will be infected who have come into close contact with the infected person if they are not protected. It is generally spread through coughing and sneezing.
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