Cases in the nation’s largest current measles outbreak are still ticking up after officials said infections have spread from the South into the Pacific Northwest.
Washington state health officials on Jan. 16 confirmed an outbreak connected to a contagious family traveling from South Carolina. The Southern state has a major outbreak of the highly contagious viral disease, with nearly 250 new cases documented in a week’s span.
The three cases in Washington are all among unvaccinated children in Snohomish County, just north of Seattle, according to the state’s health department. The children had fever, cough and rash, all common indicators of measles. They tested positive Jan. 14, the Snohomish County Health Department said.
“We’re expecting more measles cases as a result of the previous exposures as well as these new outbreak cases,” Dr. James Lewis, the county health officer, said in a Jan. 15 statement. “We are hoping to contain it, but unfortunately there have been a number of exposure sites already and there are likely more cases in the community that we do not know about yet.”
Health department spokesperson Jeff Hodson confirmed to USA TODAY on Jan. 19 that the children, who range in age from around 2 to 9 years old, are recovering at home and didn’t need to be hospitalized.
He added that more cases are still expected due to the number of exposures, as well as the number of unvaccinated people who came into contact with the infected children. The outbreak is Washington’s first since 2023.
The South Carolina family included an adult and two children visiting Snohomish and King County in late December through New Year’s Day, health officials said.
South Carolina has nearly 560 measles cases as of Jan. 16. There were over 500 people in quarantine and 85 people in isolation with symptoms to keep from spreading the disease.
A rash on the cheek of a child infected with measles during a 2024 U.S. outbreak.
With an ongoing outbreak since early October, South Carolina’s cases have been centered around Spartanburg County, in the upstate region. The area has a low vaccination rate compared to the rest of the country.
Local schools have seen increases in parents seeking exemptions to opt children out of receiving vaccines, USA TODAY previously reported. Cases linked to South Carolina’s outbreak have also appeared in North Carolina.
Washington state has a declining vaccination rate as well. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data for the 2024-25 school year put Washington’s rate at 90.9%, lower than South Carolina’s. Both are below the 95% community threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.
Health officials in Washington also identified a separate measles case of a student who recently traveled to South Carolina. Officials said the Central Washington University student returned and had possible exposure to others at the campus located in Ellensburg.
Measles is highly contagious, spreading through the air when a person who is infected coughs, sneezes, breathes or talks. Viral particles can stay in the air for up to two hours.
It can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, swelling of the brain and weakened immune system. An infection can result in death.
In 2025, the United States had 2,242 measles cases, the most in over three decades, according to CDC data. The country also saw three deaths, after not documenting a death in 10 years.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: South Carolina measles outbreak tied to West Coast cases
