South Carolina measles outbreak spreads to west coast
EVERETT, WA (FOX Carolina) - Measles continue to spread in the Upstate but now, health leaders in Washington state say the outbreak here in South Carolina is connected to cases on the west coast.
The Snohomish County Health Department confirmed three cases in children who were exposed to a contagious family visiting from South Carolina.
As of Jan. 13, South Carolina currently has the largest active outbreak in the U.S. where 585 cases of measles have been reported since October.
According to officials, the children, who were unvaccinated, tested positive for the measles on Wednesday, Jan. 14. They had experienced fever, cough and rashes consistent with measles.
“We’re expecting more measles cases as a result of the previous exposures as well as these new outbreak cases,” said Snohomish County Health Officer Dr. James Lewis. “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.”
Previously, the Snohomish County Health Department and Public Health – Seattle & King County were notified that three members of a South Carolina family, one adult and two children, were infectious while visiting King and Snohomish counties from Dec. 27, 2025 through Jan. 1, 2026. The family visited multiple locations in Everett, Marysville and Mukilteo while contagious before being diagnosed. They also traveled through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and visited a car rental facility near the airport.
Locations of potential exposure to the public
Officials said the infected children were the following public locations before being diagnosed with the measles:
| Business | Address | Date and time |
|---|---|---|
| Stellar Kids Dentistry Everett | 111 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett, WA | Jan. 8, 2026, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. |
| Pathfinder Kindergarten Center (Mukilteo School District) | 11401 Beverly Park Rd, Everett, WA | Jan. 9, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Serene Lake Elementary School (Mukilteo School District) | 4709 Picnic Point Rd, Edmonds, WA | Jan. 9, 2026, 8:30 a.m.to 5:15 p.m. |
| Swedish Mill Creek Campus medical facility | 13020 Meridian Ave. S., Everett, WA | Jan. 13, 2026, 1:10 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. |
Anyone who was at the listed locations during the specific time windows could have been exposed.
Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with FOX Carolina. For more free content like this, download our apps.
Recent Posts
