SHAWANO (WTAQ-WLUK)– A case of Measles has been detected in Shawano County, and health officials are working to discover if there are any more.
The case may have exposed the measles to others at the Marshfield Medical Center – Weston emergency department on Nov. 5 between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
The Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services continue to investigate the case and identify people who may have been exposed, and notify them directly.
People who are most at risk are those who are not vaccinated or don’t know their vaccination status. If you are unsure if you are vaccinated against measles, contact your health care provider or local or Tribal health department. If you develop symptoms, call your health care provider before going into the clinic.
Last week, an infant in southwest Wisconsin died because of measles and the number of measles cases in the state are rising.
Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that can be spread from person to person through the air and can stay in the air for two hours after a sick person coughs or sneezes. It can cause serious health complications, including pneumonia, brain damage, deafness, and can sometimes be deadly.
Symptoms of measles typically appear approximately 10 to 12 (with a range of 7–21 days) days after exposure, and include:
- Runny nose
- High fever (may be greater than 104F)
- Tiredness
- Cough
- Red, watery eyes, or conjunctivitis (“pink eye”)
- A red rash with raised bumps that starts at the hairline and moves to the arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin.
If you develop any symptoms of measles, stay home (do not go to work, school, shopping, or use public transportation) and call your doctor’s office or clinic before visiting so they can take precautions so that other patients are not exposed to the virus.
The best way to protect against measles is to get vaccinated with the mumps, measles, rubella (MMR) vaccine. DHS recommends children receive two doses of MMR vaccine. The first dose should be given between 12–15 months of age and the second dose should be given between 4–6 years of age (before start of kindergarten). People born before 1957 are considered immune to measles. All other adults without laboratory evidence of immunity should have at least one dose of measles-containing vaccine.
Wisconsin residents can check the Wisconsin Immunization Registry or contact their health care provider or local health department to see if they or their child has been vaccinated to protect against measles.
The MMR vaccine is readily available at the Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department for uninsured adults and VFC eligible children, which includes those who are uninsured, on BadgerCare, or are American Indian/Alaskan Native. Please call ahead and make an appointment. Others should contact their healthcare provider or pharmacy to receive the MMR vaccine.
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