A Hawaii official: the WA family transmitted the measles virus to Big Island

According to the island's epidemiologist, two children in Washington state brought an unfortunate surprise – the measles virus – during a trip to Hawaii in January.

Washington health officials have warned their Hawaiian counterparts that the family visiting the mainland of the United States had been exposed to the deadly virus during an epidemic infecting dozens of people in Clark County, in the US. 39, Washington State, north of Portland, Oregon, according to the same source.

According to Dr. Sarah Park, an epidemiologist in Hawaii, health workers went to see the family on the Big Island and told them that they should be quarantined in their isolated home – unless they can prove that they have been vaccinated, reported the Oregonian. Laboratory tests confirmed that the children had developed the virus while traveling on the island.

"Basically, we were going to check with them and make sure they were in their forties," said Park, adding that the children had recovered and were not contagious at the time. airport, according to the Oregonian. "They left, thankfully."

On Jan. 16, Park sent medical advice to health service providers throughout the state stating that "although visitors have been asked to stay isolated and the risk of exposure to others people be low, providers should be aware that the period of infectivity in Hawaii was January 4 -13, "reports the Honolulu Star Advertiser.

She also warned doctors to monitor patients with "a rash-related disease and consider and report a possible measles infection, especially in unimmunized people," according to Star Advertiser.

Hawaii has left infected visitors five days after the onset of measles, which can be transmitted to others four days before and four days after the onset of rash, according to the Oregonian.

"They really have not had a chance to go anywhere," Park said of the quarantined family, according to the Oregonian.

According to a Washington Post badysis, an above average percentage of children does not need vaccines in Clark County, which is the epicenter of the epidemic. To date, 36 cases of measles have been reported in Clark County, one in King County and another in Multnomah County, Oregon, which includes Portland. The case of Oregon is linked to the outbreak in Clark County, health officials said.

Measles causes life-threatening pneumonia in 1 in 20 infected children and is "so contagious that if someone is infected, 90% of their non-immune relatives will also be infected," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington has declared the state of emergency last week to better manage the ongoing epidemic, reported the Tri-Cities Herald.

"Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease that can be fatal in small children," said Democratic governor Jay Inslee, according to the Herald, adding that the "epidemic" creates an extreme risk to public health that can quickly spread to other counties ".

The virus has mostly infected children under 10 years old, according to the Associated Press.

"What keeps me awake at night is that a child finally dies of this totally preventable situation," said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County Public Health Director, according to AP. "It's still possible, even if it's been debunked, that the measles vaccine will lead to autism." It's nonsense. "

People infected with measles went to the Portland International Airport, the city's IKEA and local sports games, increasing the risk of contagion, the Herald reported.

But there is a simple and safe way to avoid infection, according to health experts.

"The message we pbad on to people is: immunize your children. Please take these steps. That's important, "said Rick Dawson of the Benton-Franklin Health District, according to the Herald.