An unvaccinated Alaska resident tested positive for measles after returning from an international trip from Seattle to Anchorage. State health officials confirmed the case and issued a public health alert on Thursday.
The patient developed symptoms during the flight to Seattle and later traveled to the Kenai Peninsula. South Peninsula Hospital in Homer first admitted the individual on Monday with classic measles symptoms like fever, cough and facial rash.
On Tuesday, they were transferred to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage and isolated for treatment. Lab results confirmed the measles diagnosis by Wednesday. Officials expect the patient, whose identity remains protected, to recover and be discharged soon.
Authorities are tracing contacts of the Alaska measles case, offering preventative treatment to those potentially exposed. Close contacts include passengers on the international flight to Seattle, Alaska Airlines Flight 228 to Anchorage, and individuals present at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on Jan. 10-11.
Washington health officials have also identified locations visited by the individual within Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Measles, one of the most transmissible viruses globally, spreads through airborne particles when infected individuals cough or breathe. Symptoms, which appear 12 days post-exposure, include fever, rash, and respiratory issues.
State epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin emphasized the importance of vaccination, noting that the MMR vaccine remains 97% effective. While the infected individual’s contacts have been offered treatment, one family declined for their non-immune child. McLaughlin noted Alaska’s last measles case, which occurred in 2019, was linked to cruise passengers.
Alaska’s health department has not publicly announced this singular case to prevent unnecessary panic. Residents are encouraged to call health providers or state epidemiology offices if concerned. Health officials continue monitoring possible exposures from the Alaska measles case, working closely with the CDC and local agencies to assess immunity levels in the community.
This news article was initially published by Anchorage Daily News.
