Alabama has for the first time confirmed a case of measles; baby diagnosed in St. Clair County



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Update:

Health officials in Alabama have confirmed the first case of measles in the state. The case concerns an unvaccinated infant under one year old in St. Clair County.

Dr. Scott Harris, an ADPH doctor, said that the child had not gone out of the state and was not in day care. The family is believed to have followed the medical advice to isolate themselves after the diagnosis, Harris added.

The child was not old enough to receive the measles vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that the first dose of the MMR vaccine – measles, mumps and rubella – be administered at 12 to 15 months of age, with a second dose between 4 and 6 years of age.

Anyone born between 1956 is either immunized against measles or already infected with the virus. People born in 1957 and later should receive two doses of the vaccine to confirm their immunity. If you are unable to confirm your vaccination history, Harris said that it was recommended to receive an extra dose.

The vaccine is widely available and inexpensive, most often covered by insurance. Harris has not missed a vaccine, and no side effects.

More than 700 cases of measles have been reported throughout the country, mainly in New York and California. Alabama is now the 23rd state to report a measles case.

Earlier:

The Alabama Public Health Department will hold a news conference at noon. The subject of the press conference has not yet been announced, but it is part of a measles outbreak that has made more than 700 people sick in 22 states.

ADPH announced Wednesday that it had conducted 174 investigations into measles cases and that 32 cases remained open. No cases have yet been confirmed in Alabama, but the spread of the virus has caused concern after the announcement of the discovery of an unvaccinated man from eastern Tennessee. likely to spread measles during his trip to Mississippi and Alabama.

The Tennessee Department of Public Health is contacting up to 600 people in Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama who may have come into contact with humans. Five cases of highly contagious virus have been reported in Tennessee. Cases have also been reported in Georgia.

The subject of today's press conference was not announced, but in a statement on Wednesday night, ADPH announced that it would hold a press conference if the deal was confirmed. ADPH did not answer AL.com's questions on the subject of today's conference.

The press conference will begin at noon and live updates will be broadcast on AL.com.

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