EPHRATA — Grant County health officials are urging families to check their vaccination records after two unvaccinated children in the same household tested positive for measles, marking the county’s first confirmed infections of 2026.

Grant County Health District said it was notified March 17 that both children, who were recently exposed during international travel, had contracted the virus. One child was briefly hospitalized; both are now recovering at home.

Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny said the cases underscore how quickly measles can spread — and how effectively it can be prevented.

“Now is the time to make sure you and your family are protected from measles,” Brzezny said. “Two doses of the (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine are about 97% effective at protecting against measles.”

Officials emphasized that overall risk to the public remains low because most Grant County residents are vaccinated. But they warned that measles is so contagious it can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room.

Potential exposure locations

The infected children visited several Moses Lake medical facilities while contagious. These include Confluence Direct Care March 7 from 9:20 a.m. to 1 p.m., Samaritan CareToday from 2:20 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. and Samaritan Emergency Department on March 11 from 2:15-8:30 p.m. and March 12 from 9:05 p.m. to 12:10 a.m.

People exposed during these windows could develop symptoms between March 14 and April 2, according to the health district.

What to do if you may have been exposed

Lexi Smith, public information officer for the health district, said the first step is to confirm vaccination status.

“The number one thing you can do to protect you and your family is to get the MMR vaccine,” Smith said in an interview. “If you have been exposed and you are concerned, you should contact your doctor and come up with a plan with them.”

Smith said people who are unvaccinated and were exposed should limit contact with others, especially those without known immunity. She also noted that preventive treatments may be available for certain individuals, including infants, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems.

If symptoms appear, including fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, or an unexplained rash, residents should call their healthcare provider before arriving in person to avoid exposing others in waiting rooms.

Access to vaccines, statewide cases

Smith said the several Grant County clinics participate in the Childhood Vaccine Program, which provides free vaccines for children, regardless of insurance status.

Across the state, as of Wednesday, there have been 28 confirmed cases of measles. This includes 14 in Snohomish County, eight in Clark County, three in Stevens County, two in Grant and one in Kittitas County.

About measles

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in the world. People are considered immune if they have received the recommended doses of the MMR vaccine, have laboratory confirmation of immunity, or were born before 1957.

Complications can occur even in healthy individuals, but infants, pregnant people, unvaccinated individuals and those with weakened immune systems face the highest risk.

More information about measles is available through the Washington State Department of Health at https://bit.ly/WDOHmeasles.