Kebby Johnson, center, of Spokane, Wash., holds a sign that reads "Say No to HB 1638," as she waits in line, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, to attend a public hearing before the House Health Care & Wellness Committee at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Amid a measles outbreak that has sickened people in Washington state and Oregon, lawmakers heard public testimony Friday on a bill that would remove parents’ ability to claim a philosophical exemption to opt their school-age children out of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Kebby Johnson, center, of Spokane, Wash., holds a sign that reads "Say No to HB 1638," as she waits in line, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, to attend a public hearing before the House Health Care & Wellness Committee at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Amid a measles outbreak that has sickened people in Washington state and Oregon, lawmakers heard public testimony Friday on a bill that would remove parents’ ability to claim a philosophical exemption to opt their school-age children out of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

53 cases of measles confirmed in southern Washington state

Fifty-one cases are of children

Health officials in southern Washington state say they have confirmed 53 cases of measles.

The Columbian reports Clark County Public Health officials have identified one new case since last week, and one previously confirmed case was ruled out from additional testing.

Officials say 47 of the 53 confirmed cases are people who were not immunized against the highly contagious virus.

Immunization statuses could not be verified for five of the cases. One case involved a child who had received a single dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

Fifty-one cases are of children, ages 18 and younger. The remaining two are adults.

In addition to the 53 cases, one has been confirmed in the Seattle area and four are in Portland, Oregon, just south of Clark County.

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Information from: The Columbian, http://www.columbian.com

The Associated Press


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