Tri-State 1-year-old has confirmed case of measles

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BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) – A new confirmed case of measles has been reported in the Tri-State.

A 1-year-old toddler Butler County resident contracted it during international travel, according to a news release from the county’s health department.

Health department officials say the 1-year-old returned to the U.S. through a Chicago-area airport and then was driven to Ohio in a car.

“It’s a Class A reportable meaning that typically we don’t see that anymore in the U.S.,” said Brittaney Gabbard, Director of Nursing, Butler County Health Department.

The health department says it was notified about the measles case by a Tri-State pediatricians office.

County health officials say they are not disclosing additional information about the toddler.

The staff worked on the Fourth of July even though the health department was closed due to the federal holiday “to notify close contacts of their exposure status,” the release states.

If you do not receive a call from the health department, they say, “It is safe to assume that you have not been exposed to measles.”

“Public Health officials recommend unvaccinated individuals 1 year and older receive a measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes,” the news release states.

“The main symptom that you’re going to get is a high fever, over 101 degrees, associated with a cough. You may have a runny nose. You may have pink eye or reddish eyes, inflammation around the nose, the mouth area. It’s a very specific rash that you get with measles. It typically starts at your head and goes down,” said Gabbard.

The health department strongly recommends the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine.

“Anybody who is not vaccinated that was born after 1957 is highly susceptible to getting measles,” Gabbard said.

Gabbard says the vaccine is the best protection against the disease.

It’s a series of two shots. Typically the first is given between 12 to 15 months of age and the second between four and six.

“It is a required vaccination for all schools so most people are up to date on their vaccines,” Gabbard said.

Butler County health officials urge the public to contact their local healthcare providers if they are uncertain about vaccinations and/or their status, are unvaccinated for measles, or suspect they might be experiencing symptoms of measles.

In Butler County, that number is 513-863-1770.

More information about measles is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

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