Clark County Public Health is continuing its measles outbreak investigation. Public Health has confirmed one additional measles case in an unimmunized child 1 to 10 years old. The new confirmed case was being monitored by Public Health and stayed home, as instructed by health officials, which prevented additional exposures to the public.

However, additional testing revealed one case, previously considered a confirmed measles case, was actually experiencing benign vaccine rash. That case – an unimmunized child 1 to 10 years old – received one dose of measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR. About 5 percent of previously unvaccinated people will develop a rash after being immunized.

Initial lab results for this case were positive for measles. Additional testing at a specialized, out-of-state laboratory determined the case was experiencing vaccine rash. People who experience these mild vaccine-associated rashes cannot transmit the virus to other people.

This case has been removed from the confirmed case total. Public Health has also removed the exposure locations associated with this case since the vaccine virus cannot be transmitted to others. The removed exposure locations are St. Paul Christian Daycare (Jan. 23), The Vancouver Clinic Salmon Creek (Jan. 23), Vancouver Women, Infant and Children office (Jan. 23) and Tower Mall public areas (Jan. 23).

With the addition of the new case and removal of the case with benign vaccine rash, the confirmed case total is 53 and the suspect total is two.

Here are the details of the confirmed cases, to date:

Age

• 1 to 10 years: 38 cases
• 11 to 18 years: 13 cases
• 19 to 29 years: one case
• 30 to 39 years: one case

Immunization status

• Unimmunized: 47 cases
• Unverified: five cases
• 1 MMR vaccine: one case

Hospitalization: one case (none currently)

Public Health is not providing any additional information about the one case with one dose of MMR in order to protect the patient’s privacy.

For a complete list of exposure sites, visit the Public Health measles investigation webpage.

Clark County Public Health is urging anyone who has been exposed at an identified location and believes they have symptoms of measles to call their health care provider prior to visiting the medical office to make a plan that avoids exposing others in the waiting room. People who believe they have symptoms of measles should not go directly to medical offices, urgent care centers or emergency departments (unless experiencing a medical emergency) without calling in advance.

Additional resources

For information about additional exposure sites in Oregon, linked to the confirmed case in Multnomah County, visit the Oregon Health Authority measles webpage. For information about other measles cases in Washington, visit the Washington State Department of Health measles webpage.

Public Health has established a call center for questions related to the investigation. Anyone who has questions about public exposures should call 360.397.8021. The call center is open daily.

Anyone with questions about their measles immunity or the measles vaccine should contact their primary care provider. Clark County Public Health does not provide immunizations or testing for immunity.

If you are unsure of your family's immunization status, you can view, download and print your family's immunization information online at MyIR or request a copy of your immunization record from the Washington State Department of Health.

CONTACT
Marissa Armstrong
communications specialist
Public Health
350.518.1731
marissa.armstrong@clark.wa.gov