CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — As of Friday, Jan. 23, three cases of measles have been reported in Canyon County.
Of those three cases, one infected person was recently present at Vallivue High School on Jan 20, 2026. That person's presence on campus prompted the Southwest District Health to send a letter out to parents alerting them to the presence of the viral infection.
According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, "measles is a highly contagious virus and spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes." Measles symptoms can include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a distinctive rash.
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While most people who contract measles go on to recover with no lingering health problems, some may experience serious medical issues, specifically children and those with compromised immune systems.
While children who have received two doses of the mumps, measles, rubella (MMR) vaccine are mostly protected, an average of 3 out of 100 vaccinated people may still contract measles if they are exposed to the virus.
What makes measles particularly challenging to address from a public health standpoint is that the virus typically takes anywhere from 8 to 12 days after exposure for an infected person to begin exhibiting symptoms. This means that by the time officials can identify infected persons, they have been living a normal life without knowing they were infected and highly contagious.
If they haven't been vaccinated already, Southwest District Health advises parents to immunize their children using the doctor-recommended two doses of the MMR vaccine. If a child has recently experienced a fever of more than 101°F, parents are urged to keep their child at home and talk to a physician regarding their child's symptoms and recent exposure.
As of this writing, there are currently 19 active measles cases in Idaho, with 6 of those coming from Boundary County. The age group most affected includes children between the ages of 5 and 12.
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