The Panhandle Health District on Tuesday reported a confirmed measles infection in Kootenai County — the first in North Idaho since 1991.

The infection was confirmed in an unvaccinated child, according to a PHD press release. PHD spokeswoman Katherine Hoyer said the child had not traveled out of the area prior to contracting the infection, which marks the first confirmed case of measles in an Idaho resident since 2023.  

“PHD is working to identify how the individual contracted measles and contacting the known locations that the individual visited while infectious to inform anyone who may have been exposed to the virus,” Hoyer said.

The confirmation comes after the virus was detected in a Coeur d’Alene wastewater sample taken July 29. 

The continuous spread of measles was halted by 2000 through “very successful” widespread vaccination in the U.S., Hoyer said, but the virus has continued to be reintroduced primarily through international travel to "mostly unvaccinated communities.” 

Declining vaccination rates nationwide have also correlated directly with a reemergence of the virus, with more than 1,300 cases and three confirmed deaths so far in 2025, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

Among those cases, 13% have resulted in hospitalization, most of them in children. 

The CDC also reported that kindergartner vaccination rates have dipped below the 95% coverage target; about 20% of children in Idaho are potentially not up to date on their measles vaccine, the same data from the 2023-2024 school year showed. 

“This highlights the important role of continued vaccination to protect people and communities from the disease,” Hoyer said. 

PHD said anyone experiencing measles symptoms should call their primary care provider.  

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily through the air when an infected individual coughs, sneezes or even breathes. The virus can stay in the air for up to two hours even after the infected person leaves the area. 

Common symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a distinctive rash. Infections can also lead to complications, including ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis and complications during pregnancy.