2 unvaccinated Marion County children confirmed to have measles
Two unvaccinated Marion County children have been confirmed to have measles this week, the county health department said Friday afternoon.
One of the children was diagnosed with measles Thursday, and the second on Friday. The two cases are not connected to each other, health department spokeswoman Melissa Gable said. They are also not related to three other measles cases tied to Marion County in mid-June.
Gable said the department does not know where the children were exposed to the disease. There are no known public exposures to the virus.
“Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air when an infected individual coughs or sneezes. People are contagious with measles for four days before a rash appears and up to four days afterward. The virus particles can also linger in the air for up to two hours after someone who is infectious has left the area,” the health department’s announcement said.
The disease typically causes fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
Complications from the disease can be severe and include pneumonia and in rare cases, brain swelling.
Most people are vaccinated against measles starting in childhood and are considered immune to the disease. But unvaccinated people who haven’t had measles and were born after 1957 are at high risk of infection if exposed to the virus.
“If you think you have measles or have been exposed to it, do not visit a medical office without calling ahead. This is to prevent the spreading of the virus to others. Call your provider or urgent care center to provide a plan for your visit,” the health department said.
Measles poses the highest risk to unvaccinated pregnant people, infants younger than 1 year old, and people with weakened immune systems.
Nonmedical exemptions for childhood vaccinations have been climbing in Oregon, worrying health officials. Nearly 9% of kindergarten students across the state were missing at least one required vaccine this year, the second highest rate in the nation.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers education, economic development and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade and is a past president of Oregon's Society of Professional Journalists chapter. Outside of work, you can often find her gardening or with her nose buried in a book.
