WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Two cases of measles has been confirmed in Whatcom County for the first time this year.
Whatcom County Health and Community Services says that the first infected individual is quarantining at home as of Friday, June 20.
A second person in the same household was confirmed to have the virus on Monday, June 23.
That person visited the Family Care Network’s Urgent Care Center in Lynden on Wednesday, June 18 from 5 to 9 p.m.
Health and Community Services says that anyone that was at that location at that time maybe become sick if not properly immunized from vaccination or previous infection. They add that the virus can stay in the air up to two hours after an infected person has left the room and up to 90% of unprotected people exposed will get sick.
If exposed, officials say you would likely become sick with the highly contagious virus between June 25 and July 9. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, red, watery eyes and a rash that may begin on the face and spread to the rest of your body.
Health officials are working to contact those who may have been exposed, but they add that the overall risk to the community is still considered low.
Six other measles cases have been reported within the state this year, mostly within King and Snohomish Counties.
