Portland measles exposure

A measles exposure at Centennial Middle School in Southeast Portland has put students, staff and visitors on alert after an infectious person was at the campus on multiple days in April. (oregon.gov) Oregon Health Authority and Multnomah County said people may have been exposed at Centennial Middle School, 17650 Southeast Brooklyn Street, between 9:20 a.m. and 6 p.m. on April 1, 6, 7 and 8. The county’s updated exposure page says the school was an exposure site several times between April 1 and April 10. (oregon.gov) (multco.us) State and county officials are telling anyone who thinks they were exposed to call a health care provider before showing up at a clinic. Multnomah County said symptoms can appear one to three weeks after exposure and often start with fever, runny nose, cough and red, watery eyes before the rash appears. (multco.us) Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after that person leaves. People can spread it for up to four days before the rash appears and four days after. (multco.us) (cdc.gov) Schools draw extra scrutiny because they put large groups indoors for hours at a time. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Centennial Middle School has 849 students enrolled this year, and health officials said hundreds of people may have been exposed. (opb.org) Multnomah County Deputy Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Everson told Oregon Public Broadcasting that about 95% of Centennial students are vaccinated against measles, with the overwhelming majority having both recommended doses. She said county officials are working with the school district to identify people who were exposed and at risk. (opb.org) The middle school alert is part of a wider run of Oregon exposure notices this spring. Multnomah County’s measles page lists earlier exposure locations in Gresham, at Providence Portland Medical Center’s emergency room waiting area, and at a Safeway on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard in Portland. (multco.us) Oregon had reported 13 measles cases in 2026 as of early April, according to Oregon Health Authority figures cited by Oregon Capital Chronicle and other local outlets. Twelve of those cases involved people who were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status, and one involved a person with one measles, mumps and rubella dose. (oregoncapitalchronicle.com) (oregon.gov) Multnomah County says one measles, mumps and rubella dose provides more than 93% protection and two doses exceed 97%. For families connected to Centennial Middle School, the next step is simple: check immunization records, watch the calendar through late April, and call ahead if symptoms start. (multco.us)