Fifth case of measles identified in Oregon and visited airport



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Multnomah County could have a fifth person infected with measles, health officials said Sunday.

Measles was diagnosed in four people exposed to the highly contagious Clark County epidemic virus.

This last case is treated as a confirmed case, bringing the county to five in the moment in 2019, but is not confirmed. However, health officials said that the person had enough signs of measles to inform the public of where the potentially infected person had gone.

The measles moves in the air and can persist in an enclosed space up to two hours.

Here's where people might have been exposed to the virus:

  • Portland International Airport: Tuesday, February 19 at 9 pm to 10:30 am
  • Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel Emergency Department: Tuesday, February 19 at 10:30 pm, Wednesday, February 20th at 2:30 pm

Seventy people – the vast majority of whom are children – have caught measles since the beginning of an epidemic in the Vancouver area on Jan. 1. Four of them were in Multnomah County and one in the Seattle area.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nine out of 10 unvaccinated people exposed to the virus will contract it. One in two people die in 1,000 people with measles.

The vast majority of people affected by the current epidemic have not been vaccinated against the virus. Two people received one dose of the vaccine, which represents an efficiency of 93%.

Two doses are 97% effective and public health officials in Washington recommend that all unvaccinated or single-dose recipients receive both injections to prevent measles. The vaccine can reduce the risk of infection if it is obtained within 72 hours of exposure to the virus.

To help prevent the spread of the disease, health officials are asking people who think they have measles to call their doctor or health care provider before going to the hospital or doctor's office.

If you are in Oregon and have questions about measles, call:

  • Multnomah County Public Health: 503-988-3406
  • Clark County Public Health: 360-397-8021
  • Washington County Public Health: 503-846-3594
  • Clackamas County Public Health: 503-655-8411

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