For the second time in a week, Spokane health officials have confirmed a measles case in an unvaccinated adult resident of Spokane County. These are the first cases in Spokane since 1994.

Measles/CDC
Measles/CDC

This individual was not seen in any health care settings and is a close contact of the first case, previously confirmed to have measles on April 21. Before receiving the measles diagnosis, the second individual confirmed to have the virus was in the following public locations. Anyone who was at these locations during the times listed was possibly exposed to measles:

Thursday, April 23
7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Madeleine’s Café – 415 W Main

Thursday, April 23

5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

WinCo Foods – 9257 N Nevada

Friday, April 24

7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Madeleine’s Café – 415 W Main

Anyone at these locations at the times listed above and not immune to measles would likely become sick between April 30, 2015 and May 15, 2015. If an individual is experiencing symptoms of measles (high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, rash) and believes they may have been exposed, they should contact their health care provider.

All locations where public exposures potentially occurred no longer pose a risk to human health. The first individual confirmed to have measles is no longer contagious and the second individual is at home recovering and poses no risk to the public. But, as officials continue to investigate these cases, they are taking extra precautions to limit the further spread of measles in the community.

They urge any individual who is unvaccinated and experiencing symptoms of a high fever or a rash to avoid contact with unvaccinated individuals, as well as steer clear of other public activities like this weekend’s Lilac Bloomsday Run and its associated events, going to work or school, running errands, going to church, grocery shopping, using public transportation (bus, airplane, train), etc.

“Any individual experiencing measles symptoms should call their health care provider or emergency department before seeking care, so staff are able to take appropriate precautions to prevent others from being infected,” said Dr. Joel McCullough, health officer for Spokane Regional Health District. “And while this shouldn’t diminish the community spirit that is evident every year at the Lilac Bloomsday Run, we do want to ensure that everyone’s health is protected, and participants and visitors can certainly help in that.”

Officials are still working to identify how the original unvaccinated individual was exposed, but there is still no indication of recent travel or contact with a previously-known case. The health district continues to monitor approximately 50 individuals who are known to be unvaccinated and who may have been in contact with the confirmed cases. Officials are ensuring these residents spend 21 days at home to curb the risk of spreading the virus. An additional 250 individuals who were previously-vaccinated or had proven immunity were cleared by the health district in the past week.

This situation underscores the importance of getting vaccinated. Vaccination is the safest, most effective way to protect individuals from measles and other potentially dangerous communicable diseases.