In brief: Measles victim was innoculated as child

SEATTLE - A local health official says a woman killed by measles in Washington had been vaccinated against the disease as a child but succumbed because she had a compromised immune system.

The woman’s death in the spring was the first from measles in the U.S. in 12 years.

Dr. Jeanette Stehr-Green, the Clallam County health officer, told KOMO-TV the woman had been vaccinated as a child, but because she had other health problems and was taking medications that interfered with her response to an infection, “she was not protected.”

Washington Health Department spokesman Donn Moyer said the woman lacked some of the measles’ common symptoms, such as a rash, so the infection wasn’t discovered until an autopsy.

Associated Press

Chase leads to orchard after gunfire exchanged

About 70 local, state and federal law enforcement officers surrounded an orchard near Royal City, Washington, where they believed an armed fugitive was hiding Friday night.

The suspect, David Santos Sotello, exchanged gunfire with officers earlier in the day and also fired shots at officers Tuesday.

Residents within a 5-mile radius of the orchard, about 8 miles southwest of Royal City near State Route 26 and Road P Southwest, were urged to stay in their homes.

The search was being carried out by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Royal City and Moses Lake police departments, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Tri-Cities police agencies, Washington State Patrol, federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Grant County sheriff’s spokesman Kyle Foreman said the incident started Tuesday, when Royal City police responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at a residence. When they arrived, a man identified as Santos fired shots at the officers and fled in a vehicle. They pursued, but the man was able to evade them.

Police searched for him during the week and located him Friday on State Route 26 near Mattawa. He initially pulled over but then sped away, Foreman said. He then drove into an orchard and got out of his car.

“He fired at officers as he got out of the car,” he said. “Officers fired shots at Santos.”

No officers were injured, but it is not known if Santos was hit.

Officers observed Santos driving an ATV in the orchard.

Foreman said officers believed he was still there, as of about 8 p.m. Friday.

“We are staying out here until we take David Santos into custody,” he added.

Wenatchee World