Health authorities in Tennessee confirm 5 cases of measles as of May 1



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According to the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), 5 cases of measles were confirmed in that state on May 1 st. (Image: Dave Haygarth / CC BY 2.0)

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) has announced that 5 cases of measles were confirmed in that state on May 1st.

On April 11, a man from eastern Tennessee infected with the virus visited two convenience stores in our area: the Mapco at 200 Browns Ferry Road in Chattanooga and the Speedway at 2148 North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard in Clinton .

On Monday, TDH officials confirmed two other cases associated with the first in eastern Tennessee.

Officials have not released any additional information on these latest confirmed cases today.

Nationally, more than 700 cases have been confirmed this year.

"There is no treatment or cure for measles and there is no way to predict the extent of the measles case," said Dr. Bob Redfield of the Center for Disease Control. He added that international travelers were responsible for 90% of measles cases in the United States.

Related story: Chattanooga doctor dispels myths about measles

WHAT TO DO:

TDH officials provided information on how to protect themselves and others from the measles epidemic:

Check your vaccination status. Locate your vaccination records. People who have received two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine or the MMR vaccine are protected against measles and must not do anything about exposure to measles. Contact your health care provider if you can not find your immunization record and / or if you are unsure of your immunity against measles.

Symptoms of measles may include fever, runny nose, body aches, watery eyes and white spots in the mouth. Several days after the onset of these symptoms, a red and uneven rash usually starts on the face and spreads on the body. Symptoms can appear at any time within 21 days of exposure to the disease. Nearly one out of every three measles patients will develop otitis, diarrhea or pneumonia.

If you develop measles symptoms, stay home and contact your health care provider. People with measles symptoms should first call a health care provider to make arrangements to go to a health care facility before going to a health care center to get medical attention. to prevent others from being exposed to the disease.

People who are wondering what to do to protect themselves from measles should call a health care provider, the local health unit or an established hotline to answer the public's questions about measles. The hotline number is 865-549-5343; Calls to the hotline will be picked up from 07:00 to 15:30. Central Time / 8am – 4:30 pm Eastern Time every day until further notice.

For more information on measles, visit the TDH website here.

We'll bring updates on the air and online as we learn more.

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