2 weeks Ago By INDEPENDENT RECORD
Lewis and Clark Public Health officials said Monday they are monitoring measles outbreaks in the United States, and preparing for the chance that measles could make its way into Montana and Lewis and Clark County. Starting this week, the agency “will share public service announcements with information about all things measles,” Shelly Maag, LCPH public health nurse supervisor, said in a news release. Lewis and Clark Public Health.
They have set up a webpage at: https://go.helenair.com/b9txs4 .
As of March 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 378 confirmed measles cases across 18 states so far this year, county public health officials said. They added that according to Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Montana has not seen a single case of measles since 1990. Measles is the single-most contagious infection in human history, LCPH officials said.
If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected, health officials said. An unvaccinated person can get it just by being in a room that an infected person walked through two hours prior. Officials said 25% of people who get measles are hospitalized, 20% will get pneumonia and 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 will die.
Lewis and Clark Public Health said it will notify residents immediately if a case of measles in Montana or the county is reported. “Rest assured,” Maag said, “we know what this disease is, and most importantly, how to prevent it with safe and effective vaccines. The time for action is now.
Together, we can protect ourselves, our families, and our neighbors.” Children under the age of 5 are particularly vulnerable to more series complications from a measles infection. LCPH staff will be meeting with school officials to talk about how they’ll work together to identify and respond to even a single suspected case of measles.
Fact sheets are also being sent to all day cares in Lewis and Clark County..
