Oregon Records Fourth Measles Case This Month as Exposure at Clackamas County Hospital Triggers New Warning
A measles outbreak in Oregon poses a real threat as health officials record the fourth case in the state this month.
The latest outbreak in Clackamas County may affect individuals who visited Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center on January 26.
Exposure to the highly contagious virus would have occurred between 11.28 a.m. and 1.53 p.m., according to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).
Health officials warn that virus particles can linger in the air for up to two hours after someone with measles leaves the area.
Source: Oregon Health Authority measles updates January 2026 / Oregon school immunization reporting 2024 to 2025 / Dailytidings.com
People who were at that hospital between those times must immediately contact their healthcare providers, say OHA and Clackamas County health officials in a press release.
People Experiencing Measles Symptoms must NOT Go to a Medical Office Unannounced
Anyone experiencing symptoms of measles and have been exposed to the virus within 21 days must NOT arrive unannounced at a medical office.
Health authorities warn that measles spreads through the air after someone infected coughs or sneezes.
People are contagious with measles for four days before a rash appears, and up to a further four days afterward.
Measles usually begins with a fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by the appearance of a rash. Symptoms will begin between seven and 21 days after exposure to someone infected with the virus.
A health care provider can determine whether you are immune to measles based on your vaccination record, age, or laboratory evidence of prior infection.
Two Cases in Clackamas and Two in Linn County
The exposure is linked to a new measles case in Clackamas County and is the second case of the virus reported in the county in 2026. OHA reported the county’s first case on Jan. 16.
| OHA notice date | County | Exposure location | Exposure window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 12, 2026 | Linn | Lebanon Community Hospital Emergency Department | 8:53 p.m. Jan. 6 to 7:00 a.m. Jan. 7 |
| Jan. 12, 2026 | Linn | Albany General Hospital Emergency Department | 4:59 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Jan. 7 |
| Jan. 16, 2026 | Clackamas | No public exposure locations reported in the notice | Not listed |
| Jan. 28, 2026 | Clackamas | Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center Emergency Department | 11:28 a.m. to 1:53 p.m. Jan. 26 |
On that date, health officials confirmed that the infected individual was unvaccinated. It was also not established if the infection was related to two reported cases of measles in Linn County on January 10.
In that incident, both individuals were unvaccinated and could have been exposed to the virus at the Lebanon Community Hospital Emergency Department or the Albany General Hospital Emergency Department.
Outbreak Has Surged Nationwide Since CDC Reshuffle
The outbreak of measles has surged since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was reshuffled by the Trump administration.
This heralded the breakaway of the states of Oregon, California, and Washington, and the establishment of the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA), which urges its residents to be vaccinated.
The CDC states that to date this year, there have been 416 confirmed cases of measles in the U.S. compared to 2,255 cases for the 12 months of 2025. The CDC warns that there could be ‘pockets of unvaccinated people’.
Oregon’s measles vaccination coverage has dropped below the 95% herd immunity threshold in several counties, including Clackamas. This increases outbreak risk as national cases surge and unvaccinated pockets grow amid vaccine hesitancy trends.