Clark County Public Health has confirmed a new measles case but also ruled out an old case, thought to have been confirmed, after further testing, the agency announced Tuesday. The county’s case count remains at 53; there are two suspected cases.
The case that has been ruled out — an unimmunized child between 1 to 10 years old — was actually just experiencing a benign vaccine rash after receiving one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, according to a Public Health news release.
About 5 percent of previously unvaccinated people will develop a rash after being immunized, according to the news release.
Initial testing for the case was positive for measles, but extra testing at a specialized, out-of-state laboratory determined the child was experiencing vaccine rash, according to the news release. People who experience mild vaccine-associated rashes cannot transmit the virus to others.
Public Health also removed the exposure locations associated with that case: St. Paul Christian Daycare (Jan. 23), The Vancouver Clinic Salmon Creek (Jan. 23), Vancouver Women, Infant and Children office (Jan. 23) and Tower Mall public areas (Jan. 23).
Visit here for a complete list of exposure sites: www.columbian.com/news/2019/jan/29/measles-exposure-sites.
Of the 53 cases confirmed, 47 were not immunized against the highly contagious virus. Immunization status could not be verified for five cases, and one case involved a child who had received only a single dose of the MMR vaccine. Two of the cases have moved to Georgia.
Confirmed Clark County cases include 38 between the ages of 1 to 10; 13 between 11 to 18; one between 19 and 29; and one between 30 and 39. There is also a confirmed case in King County and four in Multnomah County, Ore.
For more information on the outbreak, visit Clark County Public Health’s measles investigation webpage at https://www.clark.wa.gov/public-health/measles-investigation.
What to do if you might be infected
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 90 percent of unvaccinated people exposed to the measles virus come down with the disease. The virus lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person, and can survive for up to two hours in an airspace where the infected person coughed or sneezed.
Health officials are urging anyone who has been exposed at an identified location and believes they have symptoms of measles to call their health care provider prior to visiting the medical office to make a plan that avoids exposing others in the waiting room.
If you are unsure of your family’s immunization status, you can view, download and print your family’s immunization information online at wa.MyIR.net or request a copy of your immunization record from the Washington State Department of Health.
Anyone with questions about measles infection or the measles vaccine should call their primary care provider or a county health department:
Clark County Public Health, 360-397-8021.
Multnomah County, Ore., Public Health, 503-988-3406.
Washington County, Ore., Public Health, 503-846-3594.
Clackamas County, Ore., Public Health, 503-655-8411.
Clark County Public Health has been regularly updating its list of locations where people may have been exposed to measles. There are dozens of locations in total, including hospitals, Portland International Airport and multiple schools.
Public Health has established a call center for questions related to the investigation. Anyone who has questions about public exposures should call 360-397-8021. The call center is open daily.
For a complete list of exposure sites, visit the Public Health measles investigation webpage at www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/Measles/MeaslesOutbreak.
Measles symptoms begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by a rash that usually begins at the head and spreads to the rest of the body. A person can spread the virus before they show symptoms.
People are contagious with measles for up to four days before and up to four days after the rash appears. After someone is exposed to measles, illness develops in about one to three weeks.
