Clark County Public Health is investigating a case of measles in a child who traveled to Clark County from outside the country in late December.
The case is confirmed, and the child’s immunization status is unverified, according to a Public Health news release. Public Health reported the child was between 1 and 10 years old but declined to give their exact age or where they traveled from to help protect the child’s identity.
People who visited the clinic and waiting area from noon to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 31 at PeaceHealth Urgent Care, 3400 Main St., Vancouver, might have been exposed to measles.
Public Health advises that anyone who has been exposed to measles or believes they have symptoms to contact their health care provider before visiting a medical office in person. That approach helps avoid exposing others.
Public Health is working with the clinic to identify visitors during that time who might have been exposed as part of their investigation.
“Measles is incredibly contagious,” said Marissa Armstrong, Clark County Public Health information officer.
Measles is caused by a virus, and spreads through the air after a person coughs or sneezes, according to the news release.
Immunizations are the best protection against measles. One dose of the measles vaccine is about 93 percent effective at prevention, while two doses is about 97 percent effective, according to Public Health.
Measles presents the biggest risk to those who have not been vaccinated, including infants younger than 12 months. You are likely immune to measles if you were born before 1957, have had measles before or are up to date on vaccinations (one dose for children 12 months through 3 years old, two doses in anyone 4 years and older).
Illness can develop in about one to three weeks after exposure. Symptoms begin with a fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, which is followed by a rash that usually begins at the head and spreads over the body.
Common complications of measles include ear infection, lung infection and diarrhea. Swelling of the brain is a rare but much more serious complication. Measles may also cause pregnant women to give birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby. For every 1,000 children with measles, one or two will die from the disease.
The last time measles was confirmed in Clark County was in 2011. That year, three measles cases were confirmed. The first case of measles was diagnosed after someone traveled overseas and then returned to Clark County, Armstrong said. The other two cases were separate from the first, but linked to each other.
There was also a measles case in July that Clark County Public Health felt comfortable confirming based off of the evidence of the case. There was, however, no lab test done because the family declined the test. Armstrong said the lack of test confirmation means the state will not conclusively confirm that case. The state and county have different confirmation guidelines.
Anyone with questions about measles infection or the measles vaccine should call their primary care provider or Clark County Public Health at 564-397-8182.
