MEASLES CONFIRMED IN BABY THAT RECENTLY VISITED NORTHWEST IOWA
Free Measles Vaccination Clinic in Milford on Saturday
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported tonight that a case of measles has been reported in a child who recently visited Iowa. Measles is easily spread through the air and there is no treatment for the illness, so prevention is important. Also, measles can be transmitted even after the ill person has left the building, or can be transmitted by passing an ill person in the hallway.
IDPH and local health officials have identified locations the child visited while infectious and may have exposed people to measles. Any individuals (adults and children) who visited the locations listed below at the listed times should check to make sure they have received two MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccines. Those older than their mid-50s, those that received the two MMR vaccines previously, and those that know they had measles as a child are not at risk for getting measles and do not need to be vaccinated.
Those people who have been exposed to measles can be prevented from getting the disease by getting vaccinated or receiving immune globulin.
A free vaccination clinic to receive immune globulin or a second MMR will be held tomorrow (8/29/09) from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Lakes Regional Healthcare’s (LRH) Community Health Center located on Highway 71 at 1003 21st Street in Milford for those who may have been exposed at the following locations:
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Walmart – Spirit Lake from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Sunshine Grocery Store – Jackson, Minnesota from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Lakefield Clinic – Lakefield, Minnesota from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Sunshine Grocery Store – Jackson, Minnesota from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Lakes Regional Healthcare emergency department – Spirit Lake from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
The child also visited the Walmart in Spirit Lake on Thursday, August 20 and the Spencer Mall (JC Penney and Pebbles) on Saturday, August 22. However, it is too late for these individuals to receive vaccination. People who visited these locations should watch for signs and symptoms of measles and contact their doctor if they become ill.
Additional Clinics may be scheduled as necessary.
Since it is unknown where or who exposed this child to measles, there may be others in the community either with measles or already exposed to measles, thus everyone needs to watch for the symptoms of measles. These symptoms include fever, cough, red/pink eyes, runny nose and a rash. Anyone, regardless of age, who has not had measles or has not been adequately immunized, can get measles if exposed. Most cases occur in unimmunized preschoolers and young adults.
If you suspect you or your child may already have symptoms of measles, call your health care provider immediately or LRH at 336-8648 for instruction to receive care while exposing the least amount of people.
For more information about measles, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/idph_universalhelp/main.aspx?system=IdphEpiManual&context=Measles_factsheet.
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