5th WA measles case of 2025 confirmed in King County infant
The Brief
The fifth confirmed case of measles in western Washington was recently found after an infant likely got infected while traveling overseas.
The child was at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Seattle Children's Hospital while infectious, local health officials say.
SEATTLE - The fifth confirmed measles case in Washington this year was found in a King County infant, the third child in the Seattle area to be infected with the disease.
The child went through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Seattle Children's Hospital while infectious, according to Public Health – Seattle & King County.
Health officials say the case is not connected to any previous local measles cases, and the infant was likely exposed during recent international travel. The infant was not vaccinated.
"Measles outbreaks are happening in every part of the world. If you are planning international travel, it's important to speak with your healthcare provider about what vaccines may be needed. Children need two doses of MMR vaccine: the first dose at age 12-15 months, and the second dose at age 4-6 years. Babies ages 6-11 months should get an early dose if traveling internationally. Adults should also check to see if they are immune to measles," said Elysia Gonzales, Medical Epidemiologist for Public Health – Seattle & King County.
Timeline
The infant was at the following locations before being diagnosed with measles:
Tuesday, April 15: 4:50 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. - Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (S Concourse Gate S10, International Arrivals and Customs, Baggage Claim Carousel 21, exited through south end of main terminal)
Thursday, April 17: 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m., 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Seattle Children's Emergency Department lobby (4800 Sand Point Way NE in Seattle)
Thursday, April 17: 5:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. - Seattle Children's Forest B level 1 lobby, Forest Pharmacy
Friday, April 18: 12:05 p.m. to 2:25 p.m. - Seattle Children's Ocean 6, 7, 8 lobbies, Ocean 8 hallway to Urgent Care, Ocean 8 Urgent Care lobby
Anyone who was at the following locations during the listed times could have been exposed to measles. Those who were exposed and not immune to the disease would most likely become sick between April 22 and May 11.
The risk to the general public is low due to most having immunity through vaccination. However, those who are unvaccinated are recommended to get the recommended number of MMR vaccinations, and to call a healthcare provider if you develop an illness with fever or an unexplained rash.
So far in Washington, three infants have had confirmed measles cases, and two other cases involved people traveling through Sea-Tac Airport.
Learn more about measles on the Public Health – Seattle & King County website.
The Source
Information in this story is from a media release by Public Health – Seattle & King County.
Boeing 737 reportedly rejected overseas, FOX 13 finds matching jet in Seattle
China retaliates against Trump's tariffs
Docs: Man accused of killing WA grandmother 'meticulously planned' murder
Gov. Bob Ferguson signs bill restricting armed forces from entering WA
Fast Ferry cuts loom as Washington faces budget crisis
Boy shot, killed in Tacoma, WA on Easter Sunday night
Seattle high school student shot, killed in Yakima on Easter Sunday
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump Celebrates Pride by Defunding LGBTQ+ Support at Suicide Hotline
President Donald Trump is marking Pride Month by slashing specialized counseling services for young LGBTQ+ people who call the National Suicide Hotline. The Department of Health and Human Services' proposed 2026 budget cuts LGBTQ+ youth resources provided by the hotline, also known as 988. Although $520 million is still set aside to fund the organization, government support for LGBTQ-specific counseling will be eliminated. When Trump signed the suicide prevention line into law in 2020, the legislation put in place special counseling for high-risk populations like LGBTQ+ people under the age of 25. The hotline service was required to employ 'specially trained staff and partner organizations' because—the legislation states—queer and trans youth 'are more than 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide than their peers, with 1 in 5 LGBTQ youth and more than 1 in 3 transgender youth reporting attempting suicide.' Less than five years later, a senior administration official told NBC that the money has been reallocated so that it doesn't go to 'radical grooming contractors,' perpetuating a discriminatory stereotype that equates LGBTQ+ individuals or allies with sexual abusers. Rachel Cauley, a spokesperson for the White House's Office of Management and Budget, said that the proposed budget funds 988 but not 'radical gender ideology.' 'It does not... grant taxpayer money to a chat service where children are encouraged to embrace radical gender ideology by 'counselors' without consent or knowledge of their parents,' Cauley said. The contractors that partner with 988 are mental health organizations that typically provide care to the general population and LGBTQ+ people. This includes The Trevor Project, which has long advocated for LGBTQ+ youth. Jaymes Black, The Trevor Project's CEO, said in a statement to NBC: 'Attempts to discredit these life-saving services will not change the reality of what this administration is proposing: the elimination of a national suicide prevention program, run by seven leading crisis contact centers, that has supported over 1.3 million LGBTQ+ youth across the U.S. with best-practice crisis care.' Black, who urged Congress to rethink the proposal, said that 'every young life is worth saving.' The Trump administration chose to announce the move during Pride Month, a season meant to honor queer representation and commemorate the pioneers who paved the way toward equality. The first Pride marches were held in 1970 to honor the one-year anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a pivotal event in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. It took nearly 30 years for the U.S. government to officially recognize the significance of the month; in 1999 former president Bill Clinton issued a proclamation recognizing June as 'Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.' Its name was subsequently updated to include other identities, like bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, by former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. It formally became LGBTQ+ Pride Month in 2021. Trump had already signalled that he would officially spite Pride Month last week when White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the president has no intention to formally recognize it. 'There are no plans for a proclamation for the month of June,' Leavitt said. 'But I can tell you this president is very proud to be a president for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed.' Trump's critique of 'gender ideology' has been a cornerstone of his second term. He has declared that there are only two biological sexes; scrubbed agency websites of any mention of transgender or intersex people; stripped diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs from the federal government; barred transgender women from women's sports; prevented federal funding from going to transition-related care for minors; and removed transgender people from the military.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump admin approves waivers for 3 states to ban soda, other junk food from public food programs
Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signed waivers with three states on Tuesday, allowing them to prohibit participants of the government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from buying junk food, like soda and candy, through the social welfare program. Arkansas, Idaho and Utah became the latest states to obtain waivers from the federal government to begin banning junk food within the federally administered, but state-operated, public assistance program that provides food stamps to low-income individuals. The three states have become the latest to obtain waivers from the Trump administration that allow states to restrict what type of food SNAP funds are eligible to be used on. Other mostly GOP-led states, like Nebraska, Indiana and Iowa, have also obtained waivers to reform their SNAP programs. Last month, during a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) event at the White House, Rollins indicated that several states were lining up to get the waivers. Nebraska Becomes First State Approved To Ban Soda Purchases With Food Stamps "Since my confirmation, [the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)] has encouraged states to think differently and creatively about how to solve the many health issues facing Americans," Rollins said at a press conference announcing the new waivers Tuesday afternoon. "One way is disallowing taxpayer-funded benefits to purchase unhealthy items, like soda, candy and other junk food." Read On The Fox News App Tuesday's waivers bring the total number of states that have moved to ban junk food from their SNAP programs to six. Rollins indicated several other states, including Colorado, Kansas, West Virginia, Texas, Ohio, Florida and Louisiana, are also working through procedural steps in hopes of getting waivers approved. West Virginia Passes First-of-its-kind Law Banning Food Dyes And Preservatives; Gov Cites Maha Movement Texas, however, may not even need the waiver after its legislature passed Senate Bill 379 during the last week of its legislative session that ended on June 2. The new bill, which prohibits SNAP participants in the state from using the public assistance program to buy junk food, is expected to be signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, especially after he wrote a letter to Rollins in May seeking a USDA waiver. "The Trump Administration is unified in improving the health of our nation. America's governors have proudly answered the call to innovate by improving nutrition programs, ensuring better choices while respecting the generosity of the American taxpayer," Rollins added Tuesday. "Each waiver submitted by the states and signed is yet another step closer to fulfilling President [Donald] Trump's promise to Make America Healthy Again." On average, 42 million low-income Americans receive food-stamp assistance each month, according to the MAHA report released last month. It added that one-in-five American children under 17 receive SNAP article source: Trump admin approves waivers for 3 states to ban soda, other junk food from public food programs
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
From September, Singapore mandates measles shots for helpers in homes with unvaccinated kids under seven
SINGAPORE, June 11 — From September 1, all domestic helpers in Singapore working in homes with children under the age of seven who are not fully vaccinated against measles must themselves be immunised, the country's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced yesterday. The move is aimed at safeguarding 'unvaccinated young children who are at higher risk of serious health complications from measles infections', said MOM, as reported by Channel News Asia (CNA). Singapore has already recorded 10 measles infections in 2025 as of the week ending May 10, just one shy of the total 11 cases reported in all of 2024, according to the Ministry of Health. Employers applying for or renewing work permits for migrant domestic workers (MDWs) must now declare: Whether the domestic helper is already vaccinated or immune to measles Whether all children under seven in the household are fully vaccinated If unvaccinated, whether a vaccination appointment has been booked Domestic helpers may be exempted if they are already immune — either through previous infection or past vaccination — or if all children under seven in the home have been fully immunised. Proof of immunity, such as vaccination records or serology test results, may be required. Employers are advised to check their domestic helper's immunity status well before permit renewal. Households with immunocompromised members are also strongly encouraged to verify their helper's measles immunity or arrange for vaccination. To meet the requirement, domestic helpers must receive two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine, spaced at least 28 days apart. The vaccine is available at private GP clinics, with the cost to be paid by employers. MOM also warned against false declarations. 'If employers with children below seven years old are found with MDWs who are not immune against measles, their work pass privileges may be suspended until vaccination proof is submitted,' the ministry said. Random checks and documentary audits will be conducted to ensure compliance. While Singapore maintains high overall vaccination rates — over 95 per cent for the first MMR dose and 90 per cent for the second among resident two-year-olds — sporadic cases are expected, MOM said, citing the 'highly transmissible nature of the disease'. The Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) stressed that despite strong local immunity, 'the surge in measles cases globally and regionally continues to pose public health risks, particularly for those without measles immunity'. Measles, which spreads through airborne droplets, has been part of Singapore's compulsory childhood immunisation schedule since 1985.
