First Snohomish County measles case is Bothell-area student

First Snohomish County measles case is Bothell-area student

Officials listed places the contagious teen visited. He is among five new cases statewide.

EVERETT — Snohomish County has its first confirmed case of the measles in the latest outbreak — a teenage boy who attends North Creek High School in the Bothell area.

The Snohomish Health District on Wednesday released a list of locations and dates where he has been since he has been infectious. From May 5 to 12, those locations included school, three long stints at the Starbucks kiosk at Safeway at 24040 Bothell Everett Highway, AMC Woodinville 12, Top Pot Donuts in Bothell and other stores and restaurants. Anyone at those sites during specified times might have been exposed.

The Northshore School District urged families to monitor children for signs of the illness. The infected student was not in school this week.

“We will be reaching out to the parents, particularly those who have exemptions for vaccination,” health district officer Dr. Mark Beatty said during a Wednesday press conference.

Later in the day, the district said in a web post: “We have contacted the North Creek (High School) families who have students that have not received the vaccination. These students will be excluded from school until June 3, barring any additional confirmed cases.”

The North Creek case is one of five recently confirmed in Western Washington. Two were in King County and two were in Pierce County. Those four cases involved adults, said Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state health officer.

One person was fully immunized and one was not immunized, Lofy said Wednesday. The remaining three vaccination statuses were unknown. Officials did not specify where those patients lived.

Of the five, one was hospitalized, she said.

Lofy said the new cases are unrelated to an earlier outbreak in Clark County, where most illnesses were among children.

“It is very likely that we will see additional cases here in Washington,” she said.

All five of the people recently infected spent time at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport during their likely period of exposure or infectiousness.

All five people with confirmed cases of the measles in the state spent time at Sea-Tac Airport during their likely time of exposure or infectiousness. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, file)

All five people with confirmed cases of the measles in the state spent time at Sea-Tac Airport during their likely time of exposure or infectiousness. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, file)

The first case in the latest measles outbreak was confirmed May 12 — a Pierce County man in his 40s who was not hospitalized. A second Pierce County resident was confirmed Wednesday. The man, in his 50s, also was not hospitalized.

Measles is highly contagious and can be serious. It is easily spread when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes.

The measles, mumps and rubella vaccination is the best means for prevention, Lofy said.

“It is important that everyone check their immunization status,” she said.

The vaccine is 93 percent effective after a single dose and 97 percent effective after two doses.

Under a measure that Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law earlier this month, parents in Washington will no longer be able to claim a personal or philosophical exemption for their children from receiving the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine before attending a day care center or school. The new law takes effect at the end of July.

Last school year, 90 percent of all kindergartners in Snohomish County received MMR vaccination, according to numbers from the state Department of Health. Northshore ranked fifth among Snohomish County school districts, with a 91.1% vaccination rate. The Edmonds School District had the highest rate at 92.3%. Lowest was Stanwood-Camano at 79.1%.

There have been 77 measles cases statewide in 2019, according to the state Department of Health. Of those, 52 were ages 1 to 10. Another 15 were ages 11 to 18. Of the total, 71 cases have been reported in Clark County.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that this year, as of May 10, there had been 839 confirmed cases of measles in 23 states. This is the greatest number reported in the U.S. since 1994 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000.

Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.

About the measles

The measles virus travels through the air. It stays for up to two hours in the air of a room where a person with measles has been.

You can catch measles from an infected person as early as four days before they have a rash and for up to four days after the rash appears.

Symptoms, which begin seven to 21 days after exposure, include fever, diarrhea, cough, runny nose, tiredness and red, watery eyes.

After a few days, a rash begins, which usually starts on the face and can spread over the entire body.

Measles usually lasts seven to 10 days.

If you were potentially exposed, call a health care provider if you develop an illness with fever or unexplained rash.

Do not go to a clinic or hospital without calling first to say you think you have measles.

Source: Government health agencies

Measles exposure locations

There is one confirmed case of measles in Snohomish County. Here is a list of locations the person visited while infectious. Anyone who visited these locations during the specified times may have been exposed.

Date and timeLocation
May 5, 12:30-9:30 p.m.Starbucks kiosk at Safeway, 24040 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell
May 6, 7:35 a.m.-2:30 p.m.North Creek High School, 3613 191st Place SE, Bothell
May 6, 12:30-2:45 p.m.Top Pot Donuts, 18001 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell
May 7, 7:30 a.m.-4:20 p.m.North Creek High School, 3613 191st Place SE, Bothell
May 7, 6 p.m.-10:30 p.m.Arirang Korean BBQ, 18623 Highway 99 #150, Lynnwood
May 7, 9 p.m.-12 a.m.Pochi Bubble Tea, 1211 164th St. SW, Lynnwood
May 8, 7:35 a.m.-4:20 p.m.North Creek High School, 3613 191st Place SE, Bothell
May 9, 7:35 a.m.-1:30 p.m.North Creek High School, 3613 191st Place SE, Bothell
May 9, 11:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m.Top Pot Donuts, 18001 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell
May 9, 3:30-9:30 p.m.Starbucks kiosk at Safeway, 24040 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell
May 10, 7:35 a.m.-4:20 p.m.North Creek High School, 3613 191st Place SE, Bothell
May 10, 3:45-4:30 p.m.Purity Health, 3922 148th St. SE, Bothell
May 10, 7-10:30 p.m.Good Pho You, 402 164th St SW, Lynnwood
May 11, 12:30-9 p.m.Starbucks kiosk at Safeway, 24040 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell
May 11, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.AMC Woodinville 12, 17640 Garden Way NE
May 12, 8-10:30 a.m.QFC, 926 164th St. SE, Mill Creek
May 12, 8:30-10:45 a.m.Mon Amie Bakery, 914 164th St. SE, Suite B8, Mill Creek

Source: Snohomish Health District

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Health Department director tapped as WA health secretary

Dennis Worsham became the first director of the county health department in January 2023. His last day will be July 3.

Police Cmdr. Scott King answers questions about the Flock Safety license plate camera system on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mountlake Terrace approves Flock camera system after public pushback

The council approved the $54,000 license plate camera system agreement by a vote of 5-2.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen talks with Volunteers of America leadership to discuss the consequences of the federal cuts on Monday, June 30, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Federal cuts to LGBTQ+ youth hotline to hit Everett center

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Everett, visited the call center Monday to discuss impacts of the cuts, including longer wait times and staff layoffs.

U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, right, goes over a Chinook Marsh Project map with Snohomish County Surface Water Management’s Michael Rustay, left, and Erik Stockdale, center, at the project site on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County receives $10 million grant for floodplain management

The state Department of Ecology funding will go toward 13 projects across the county working to restore habitat and support climate resiliency.

The Washington state Capitol. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)
These Washington laws take effect July 1

Fee hikes for hunting and fishing licenses, workplace protections for immigrants and… Continue reading

Everett
Everett could levy fines for non-emergency lift assists at care facilities

The ordinance intends to discourage licensed care facilities from calling 911 to perform lift assists in a non-emergency situation.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.