State measles cases include transmission
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 5, 2026
PORT TOWNSEND — Respiratory illnesses are down in the region, but increased risk of measles is present as untracked transmissions have occurred in the state in recent weeks.
“Most recently, three of those (40 total diagnosed cases in the state) were from community transmission, which means we don’t know where those people got it,” said Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry, who serves in both Clallam and Jefferson counties. “What that means is, there is measles in Washington that’s transmitting and we aren’t tracking it.”
Berry noted that marks a significant turning point, comparing it to the early days of COVID-19 when the risk to the public increased specifically because the virus began moving through the population undetected.
Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap counties have yet to see any cases, Berry said.
The unknown sources of transmission increase the risk of individuals unknowingly transmitting the virus.
Those born in the 1980s or later are unlikely to have seen the virus. Berry stressed the importance that people know how to recognize it.
“Measles classically has a cough, a high fever, conjunctivitis, red eyes, runny nose and a rash that starts on your face and then covers your whole body,” Berry said.
Those who have those symptoms should call their healthcare provider before they go, unless they are critically ill.
“There’s different ways we’re going to move you through the healthcare system to make sure you don’t expose other people,” Berry said.
Berry said the best prevention is vaccination. Of the cases seen in the United States so far, 97 percent were in unvaccinated people or people whose records could not be tracked down. She said even one dose of the vaccine is 93 percent effective at preventing the disease.
Those born before 1957 are generally considered immune because they lived through a time when the virus circulated widely.
“In the United States, measles is spreading pretty widely,” she said. “So far there have been 1,800 cases of measles diagnosed this year. The real number is likely significantly larger than that.”
The states most affected at this time are South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Florida, Berry said. She noted that infants younger than 1 are at the highest risk because they do not typically receive the vaccine until their first birthday. However, for families traveling to those high-risk states, Berry said children can receive the vaccine early, starting at 6 months old.
Berry said if an outbreak occurs in a school setting, any student who cannot prove vaccination status will be barred from attending for at least 21 days.
“On the virus front, we’re seeing very minimal activity for COVID, flu and RSV,” Berry said. “We’re really fully out of the winter flu and virus season.”
COVID-19 can do funky stuff, she added, citing summer surges that have occurred in previous years.
Berry said early estimates of the efficacy of flu and COVID-19 vaccines for the now-ending season are in. The flu vaccine was not as good a match as public health scientists hoped for because of a significant shift in the virus, but it still showed a 30 percent reduction in hospitalizations for adults and a 40 percent reduction for kids, she said.
A paper addressing the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine in preventing the worst outcomes initially was shelved by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Berry said.
“The scientists who wrote it leaked it to the press,” Berry said.
The paper reported that the vaccine cut rates of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in half.
Beyond viral concerns, Berry highlighted that May is Mental Health Awareness Month and encouraged the public to utilize the 988 crisis line if they are struggling.
She also shared a positive update from a recent state Healthy Youth Survey, which indicated that the mental health of Washington’s youth is beginning to show overall improvement.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.
