A King County man in his 40s tested positive for the measles, according to Seattle and King County Public Health. This marks the sixth measles case in the county and ninth person in Washington recently diagnosed with the highly contagious disease.
Health officials believe this is the first person this month to contract the measles due to exposure to an earlier diagnosed person. They suspect the man caught the measles while at Hops n Drops, a restaurant in Sammamish, while an infectious person was there on May 9.
MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care in Issaquah was added to a growing list of exposure locations. This is where the King County resident received care while contagious and before being diagnosed
Anyone who was at MultiCare (6140 East Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast) on May 25, from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., could have been exposed to the measles. This time fame accounts for the added two hours the virus can remain in the air after an infectious person leaves. MultiCare is working to notify patients and families in the Urgent Care in Issaquah who may have been exposed to the measles.
Symptoms — including fever, rash, cough and red, watery eyes — could show starting from to 21 days after exposure to someone carrying the measles. A red rash typically appears a few days following a fever, and ten to 12 days after an exposure.
Infants and children under age 5, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk to serious measles complications. People that fall into these categories are asked to contact their health care provider to discuss measles prevention and treatment.
Public Health said anyone who was at potential measles exposure sites around the times listed should find out if they have been vaccinated for measles or if they’ve had the measles before and make sure they’re up to date with the recommended number of measles vaccinations.
If you develop an illness with fever or an unexplained rash, call a healthcare provider right away. Do not go to a clinic or hospital without first calling to tell them you may have the measles and could be contagious. In certain cases, vaccination or medication can be administered after exposure to prevent illness.
