KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — An unvaccinated child in Kootenai County has tested positive for measles, marking the first case in northern Idaho’s Panhandle since 1991 and the first in the state since 2023, the Panhandle Health District (PHD) announced Tuesday.
PHD is working to determine how the child contracted the virus and is notifying locations the child visited while infectious to alert potential contacts.
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Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes, according to officials. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. Symptoms, which typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure, include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a distinctive rash.
While many people recover, measles can cause serious complications, especially in very young children and individuals with weakened immune systems.
PHD urges residents to verify their family’s vaccination records. Individuals are considered immune if they were born before Jan. 1, 1957, have a documented history of measles, or have received two doses of the MMR vaccine.
Measles cases in the United States began to rise in 2024, with 2025 already surpassing last year’s total. Cases have been reported in 41 jurisdictions, including Washington, Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming. Thirteen percent of patients have been hospitalized, most of them children.
Anyone experiencing measles symptoms should call their healthcare provider before visiting in person. More information is available here.
