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January 30, 2026
Measles case in traveler with possible exposures at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Public Health – Seattle & King County is informing the community of a measles case in a Canadian resident who traveled through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) on January 22, 2026.
Public Health – Seattle & King County was notified of a confirmed measles case in a Canadian resident who traveled through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) on January 22, 2026. The individual’s vaccination status is unknown. If you are not immune to measles or don’t know your vaccination status, and were at the airport on January 22nd, please visit our measles webpage (or see below) for specific information about potential areas of exposure within the airport.
The infected person was at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport before being diagnosed with measles. People infected with measles can spread the disease before they know they are infected and before any rash appears.
There have been eight cases of measles in Washington state residents so far in 2026, including an outbreak in Snohomish County.
Locations of potential exposure to the public
Spread of measles can occur before people know they have the disease, before a rash appears.
| Date | Time | Location | Watch for symptoms until: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/22/2026 | 4 pm – 7 pm | Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
|
2/12/2026 |
What to do if you were in a location of potential measles exposure
Most people in our area have immunity to measles through vaccination, so the risk to the general public is low. However, anyone who was in the locations of potential exposure to measles around the times listed on our website should:
- Find out if you have been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously. Make sure you are up to date with the recommended number of measles (MMR) vaccinations.
- Call a healthcare provider promptly if you develop an illness with fever or with an unexplained rash. To avoid possibly spreading measles to others, do not go to a clinic or hospital without calling first to tell them you want to be checked for measles after an exposure. It is also important to limit contact with others, especially those without known immunity.
If you were at Seattle - Tacoma International Airport during the times listed above and are not immune to measles, the most likely time you would become sick would be from January 29, 2026 through February 12, 2026. People who are immuno-compromised may take longer to experience symptoms.
To help provide information about measles, we’ve created a number of resource materials for schools, workplaces, organizations, healthcare providers, and anyone else in the community to share. Please download and use these resources to help people in your networks learn about measles, how contagious it is, and what they can do to protect themselves and their families.
About measles
Measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected. It mainly spreads through the air after a person with measles coughs or sneezes.
Measles symptoms begin 7 to 21 days after exposure. Measles is contagious from about 4 days before the rash appears through 4 days after the rash appears. People can spread measles before they have the characteristic measles rash.
Measles can lead to ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, and rarely, encephalitis (brain inflammation) or death.
Complications from measles can happen even in healthy people, but those at highest risk include infants and children under 5 years, adults over 20 years, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems from medications or underlying disease.
If you are in one of these high-risk groups and were exposed to measles at one of these locations, be sure to contact your health care provider to discuss any steps you need to take to protect yourself or loved ones against complications from measles.
Measles is preventable with the safe and highly effective measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles and that protection is long lasting. For more information about measles and measles vaccination, including where to get vaccinated, visit: kingcounty.gov/measles