Officials from the Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) and Panhandle Health District (PHD) are announcing the third confirmed case of measles in an Idaho resident. This most recent case is an unvaccinated child in Bonner County. There is currently no known link between the Bonner County case and the Kootenai County case that was announced last week. One other case of measles was announced in Eastern Idaho this month as well.
“Without any link between these two confirmed cases in north Idaho or travel outside of their communities, it’s reasonable to suspect that there is more measles circulating,” said Dr. Christine Hahn, state epidemiologist and Division of Public Health medical director at DHW. “As we’ve seen with other states around the nation, cases can begin to multiply quickly.”
Measles is a highly contagious virus and spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can stay in the air two hours after an infected person has left. Symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a distinctive rash. While many recover without problems, measles can lead to serious complications, especially in very young children and people with weakened immune systems.
“Among measles cases, typically 13% will need hospitalization, and among young children that percent jumps to 21%,” Dr. Hahn said.
Panhandle Health District encourages everyone to verify their family’s vaccination records with their primary care provider or through the Docket App. A person is considered immune if they were born before Jan. 1, 1957, have a documented history of laboratory-confirmed measles or have documentation that they received both doses of the MMR vaccine. While most adults who are not in a high-risk setting for measles transmission can be considered immune with only one dose, those who work in healthcare settings, or plan on traveling internationally, should have two. The measles vaccine is highly effective, and for most people, two childhood doses of vaccine is all they will ever need to protect themselves against measles for their lifetime.
In the United States, MMR vaccine is given between 12 and 15 months of age followed by another dose at 4 to 6 years of age. It can be given as early as 6 months of age for those who are traveling to areas with known measles infections or in the event of a local outbreak of measles.
If you or a family member are experiencing measles symptoms, please call your primary care provider immediately. It is important to call your doctor before going in to ensure precautions are taken that avoid spread of the disease. Symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a distinctive rash.
If you have further questions regarding measles or the MMR vaccine, please contact your healthcare provider For more information about measles, visit www.cdc.gov/measles/about/index.html.
(Note that the Bonner County case is the same case that the Spokane Regional Health District identified as having been from Kootenai County. There was a separate, unrelated case in Kootenai County last week.)
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.
Panhandle Health District’s mission is to Prevent disease, disability, premature death; to Promote healthy lifestyles; and to Protect the health and quality of the environment. Learn more at panhandlehealthdistrict.org.