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LINCOLN — Two school aged children in Texas have died of measles amid the ongoing outbreak of the highly infectious disease. While no cases have been reported locally, Lincoln-Lancaster County Heath Director Kernen they are monitoring the outbreak in several states.
“The number of measles cases keeps growing and we’re watching this situation closely,” Kernen says. “Cases of measles have been identified in neighboring states and it’s possible that we could see a case of measles here.”
Kernen encourages residents to check their vaccination status to make sure they have protection against the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 607 confirmed measles cases in 21 states, including Kansas and Colorado, as of April 3.
The health department has shared some facts about measles.
Measles spreads easily. It’s spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. It starts with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and sore throat and is followed by a rash that usually appears on the face and then spreads downward over the body. It can also cause severe complications like pneumonia, encephalitis and death. A person can spread measles to others before noticing any symptoms.
Vaccination is the most effective way to avoid getting the measles. Studies show that two doses of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97% effective against measles. Most people receive MMR vaccine as a child. The CDC recommends children receive two doses of the vaccine. The first dose is recommended at ages 12 to 15 months and the second dose at ages 4 to 6 years.
She says a person has a high level of protection against measles if they’ve had two doses of the MMR vaccine or were born before 1957, which was prior to the vaccine when most people had measles as children and developed immunity.
