EVERETT—The Snohomish County Health Department has confirmed three additional measles cases since declaring an outbreak two weeks ago, bringing the total number of cases in the county to six.
The latest case was confirmed on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in a child who was unvaccinated. The child would have been infectious while attending an afternoon service at Slavic Christian Church Awakening in Mukilteo on Sunday, Jan. 18.
Anyone attending the church that day between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. may have been exposed to the virus. People born before 1957 or who have had two shots of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine are considered immune.
Earlier this month, the Health Department confirmed three other measles cases in local children who were exposed to a contagious family visiting from South Carolina. Having three new connected cases amounts to an outbreak – a sign the disease is spreading locally.
Two additional measles cases in Snohomish County were diagnosed after the outbreak was announced. Those cases – also in unvaccinated children – were in a family already isolating due to a positive measles case in a sibling. No new exposure sites were linked to the two cases, and the general public was not at risk.
“Most people in our county have immunity to measles through vaccination, so the risk to the general public is low,” said Health Officer Dr. James Lewis. “The next two to three weeks could be telling on where this outbreak is going to go. Now is the time the find out your immunization status and get up to date on vaccinations.”
The MMR vaccine offers protection that lasts a lifetime. Two doses are 97% effective against the measles virus. The WA Dept of Health is now recommending people who live or spend time in Snohomish County to get the second dose of MMR 28 days or more after the first dose. For MMRV, the second dose can be given three months after the first dose to improve immunity during this outbreak.
Dr. Lewis said more cases were expected during the outbreak and that some members of the community may have measles now and be isolating at home and not seeking medical attention. The latest case of measles could be related to the exposures from South Carolina, but it’s also possible it’s linked to a previously undiagnosed case. “The timing makes either a possibility,” he said.
Said Carrie Parker, the Health Department’s assistant director of prevention services: “Our community and the families impacted by this outbreak have been extremely cooperative in taking measures to stop additional spread of measles. Stay home if you are feeling ill, know your immune status and get vaccinated if you can to protect yourself and others.”
Moving forward, the Health Department does not necessarily plan to issue a news release after every new case of measles. Instead, we have created a new measles dashboard to share updates and exposure sites. You can follow us on social media for updates as well.
The largest active measles outbreak in the U.S. is in South Carolina, where nearly 800 cases of measles have been reported since October, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health Department.
For answers to frequent questions about measles, including how to protect your family if you’re traveling, visit the measles page on the Snohomish County Health Department website.
Locations of potential exposure to the public
Spread of measles can occur before people know they have the disease and before any rash appears.
The infected child was at the following public location before being diagnosed with measles. These times include the estimated period when they were at the location and two hours after. The measles virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after someone infectious with measles leaves the area. Anyone who was at the following location during the times listed could have been exposed to measles:
- Jan. 18, 2026, 2 p.m to 6 p.m. – Slavic Christian Church Awakening, 4223 78th St. SW, Mukilteo, WA, 98275
What to do if you were in a potential location with measles exposure
- Find out if you have been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously. If you’re unsure about your immunity to measles, start by checking your vaccination records to see if you received the MMR vaccine. You can visit https://myirmobile.com/. If you were tested for measles in the past, try to locate the lab results. If you don’t have records of either vaccination or a blood test confirming immunity, it’s recommended that you get vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. There is no harm in receiving another dose, even if you were previously vaccinated but don’t have documentation.
- Snohomish County residents can check with local pharmacies and clinics about vaccination availability. In Washington state, children under age 19 can be vaccinated for free and most insurance plans, including Medicare part B, cover the cost for adults.
- If you were born before 1957, you are considered immune to measles. This is because you lived through many years of epidemic measles before the first vaccines were developed and are very likely to have had the disease.
- If you were born after 1956, are unimmunized and have never had measles, you should quarantine for 21 days after exposure.
- Call a healthcare provider promptly if you develop an illness with fever or with an unexplained rash. To avoid possibly spreading measles to others, do not go to a clinic or hospital without calling first to tell them you want to be checked for measles after an exposure. It is also important to limit contact with others, especially those without known immunity.
About measles
Measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected. It mainly spreads through the air after a person with measles coughs or sneezes.
The average incubation period for measles is 10 to 14 days from exposure to onset of symptoms, with a range of 7 to 21 days. Measles is contagious from about 4 to 5 days before the rash appears through 4 days after the rash appears. People can spread measles before they have the characteristic measles rash.
Measles can lead to ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, and rarely, encephalitis (brain inflammation) or death.
Complications from measles can happen even in healthy people, but those at highest risk include infants and children under 5 years, adults over 20 years, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems from medications or underlying disease.
If you are in one of these high-risk groups and were exposed to measles at one of these locations, be sure to contact your health care provider to discuss any steps you need to take to protect yourself or loved ones against complications from measles.
For more information about measles and measles vaccination: snohd.org/measles
Source: Snohomish Health District
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
One Response
It’s concerning to see measles cases confirmed, especially following the outbreak declaration. I wonder if the Health Department has released more specific information about the vaccination rates in the affected areas to help target public health efforts. Stay safe, everyone.