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This could be the last week of the measles outbreak in the Vancouver area.
On Monday, 42 days have elapsed since the last case was diagnosed – the bar of public health officials has a habit of correctly saying that a measles outbreak is over.
A single case of measles can have a 21-day training effect. Public health officials therefore consider that two of these cycles without new cases mean that no other person vulnerable to infection has been infected.
While the epidemic is calming down, Clark County Public Health spokeswoman Marissa Armstrong said state investigators and local authorities had not clarified how this had begun. The first case concerned a child who had traveled to Clark County from Ukraine. However, according to Armstrong, officials need more evidence that it was passed on to Clark County residents who were not already infected.
"We may never know patient zero, we just know that patient is the first one we know about and has been confirmed," Armstrong said.
Measles outbreak: Vancouver epidemic rises to 77 confirmed cases
Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads in the air and can persist for up to two hours in a confined space. 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 die in 1000 people with measles.
All cases in the Vancouver area were caused by the same wild strain of measles from Eastern Europe.
Measles has been diagnosed in 77 people between Clark and Multnomah counties since January 1st. This is part of a record year for measles cases. By 2019, more people have been diagnosed with measles than since the disease was declared eliminated from the United States.
Measles cases in the United States have now reached a new high
In Oregon, authorities have reported four more cases in Multnomah County, which includes Portland. But these cases are unrelated to the Pacific Northwest epidemic that was concentrated in nearby Clark County, Washington.
Almost all were completely unvaccinated, although some received one dose of the vaccine, representing an efficiency of 93%.
Two doses are 97% effective, and public health officials in Washington recommend to all unvaccinated people or to receive only one of them to receive both injections to prevent getting measles. The vaccine can reduce the risk of infection if it is obtained within 72 hours of exposure to the virus.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads in the air and can persist for up to two hours in a confined space. 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 die in 1000 people with measles.
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