Washington, 3 February 2026 – Public health officials have reported seven confirmed cases of measles in Clark County. This follows the identification of an initial case on January 23, 2026. Health officials say six additional cases are linked to the first infection, with exposures occurring in non-public settings. However, public health authorities have confirmed that a contagious individual visited Ridgefield High School between January 14 and 16. The same person visited the Vancouver Clinic in Ridgefield on January 21 between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., potentially exposing unvaccinated individuals.
Of the seven cases, five involve children under the age of 18, while two are adults. Five of those infected were unvaccinated, with the vaccination status of the remaining two still unverified. Public health officials urge anyone who may have been exposed to measles and is experiencing symptoms to contact their healthcare provider first. This helps prevent further transmission before visiting a medical facility.
This latest surge is being met with urgency due to the county’s volatile history with the disease. In 2019, just five years ago, Clark County became the epicentre of a national vaccine debate as 71 people, mostly unvaccinated children, contracted the virus. That outbreak cost the county over $800,000 in emergency response funds and forced the state to eliminate “personal belief” exemptions for the MMR vaccine to bolster herd immunity.
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