One person in Whatcom County has contracted measles, the first case of the year, according to a Friday, June 20 news release by Whatcom County Health and Community Services.
The person is currently isolating at home and is not a risk to the public, according to the health department.
The county and state health departments, PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center and Family Care Network are all working together to identify possible locations the person may have visited and reach out to anyone who might have been exposed.
“The best time to prevent measles is before you are exposed to it, and the most effective way to do that is by getting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine,” said Dr. Meghan Lelonek, co-health officer at Whatcom County Health and Community Services. “Getting vaccinated not only keeps you safe but also helps protect others in your community who can’t get vaccinated, like babies who are too young and people with weakened immune systems.”
Anyone with questions or concerns about measles is asked to contact their health care provider or visit the state Department of Health’s measles page.