Measles Outbreak Prompts State of Emergency Declaration in Washington

On Friday, Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in response to the growing number of measles cases there. Since his declaration, the number of confirmed cases in Washington has gone from 26 to 36, a significant increase. The majority of infected individuals are children, who are among the most vulnerable to measles. Washington state epidemiologist Scott Lindquist said this is likely only the beginning of the epidemic because many of the families with infected children traveled to very public places. Lindquist added that individuals who are infected might not realize it because the telltale measles rash might not appear for four days into the sickness. As a result, people may not know they are carrying the disease and could easily unwittingly expose others to the extremely contagious virus. Measles virus travels through the air. It can be contracted without even being near a person with the virus because it lingers for up to two hours in the air of a room where a person with the measles has been. It can cause serious complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis, and can be deadly. Read the article at NPR.