TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Pawnee County Health Department are reporting a positive case of measles in a Pawnee County resident, according to a media release from the KDHE.
It is unknown if this case is associated with the ongoing outbreak of measles in Southwest Kansas. KDHE, along with the Pawnee County Health Department, are actively notifying persons potentially exposed to this case of measles.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus. It spreads easily when an infected person talks, sneezes or coughs.
People who are not vaccinated or lack immunity are especially at risk of becoming infected. Symptoms of measles typically begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a skin rash develops and usually starts on the face and spreads down to the neck, trunk, arms and legs.
If you have been exposed to measles you should take the following steps:Understand if you are susceptible to infection. Check if you’ve received a measles-containing vaccine, like the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, have medical documentation of past measles infection, or have laboratory evidence of immunity. People who are not vaccinated and have not previously had measles are especially vulnerable to becoming infected.
Watch for symptoms.
Monitor yourself for 21 days after your exposure. Look out for any symptoms—especially a fever and a new or unexplained skin rash—and contact your healthcare provider or local health department if symptoms develop. Avoid high-risk settings. If you are not immune, consider staying home to prevent the spread of measles. If you cannot remain home, stay away from large gatherings and people that might be susceptible to measles, including those who are unvaccinated, pregnant women, infants, or people who are immunocompromised.
If you need medical care, call your provider ahead of time and let them know you may have been exposed to measles so they can take any necessary steps to protect others from potential measles exposure. Talk to a healthcare provider. If you have any questions about your health or your immunity status, contact your healthcare provider. If you are not immune to measles, a healthcare provider can determine whether you need treatment to help prevent or lessen the severity of infection. The best way to prevent measles is to get the MMR vaccine.
If you have had measles or have been vaccinated, your risk of contracting the disease is very low. However, a few people (about three out of 100) can still get measles even after two MMR vaccine doses if they are near someone who is sick.
For questions, call the Pawnee County Health Department at 620-285-6963 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).For more information about measles, how to find your vaccine records, and answers to common questions, visit the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Measles Resource Hub at www.kdhe.ks.gov/measles.