Two new cases of measles confirmed in Oregon

Oregon health authorities on Friday announced two new cases of measles in unvaccinated children in Marion County.

The children were diagnosed with measles on July 11 and 12. There are no known public exposures, health authorities said in a news release.

Last month, two cases — an unvaccinated adult and an unvaccinated child — were reported in a Clackamas County household. Health authorities at the time said that the adult appeared to have contracted the virus in Marion County sometime between the middle of May and the beginning of June.

Measles is a highly infectious disease, said Dr. Paul R. Cieslak, medical director at the Oregon Health Authority, in a statement. Cieslak said that adults of any age born during or after 1957 can still be vaccinated. People born before 1957 are generally considered immune due to widespread measles infections before a vaccine was available.

According to health authorities, measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can linger for up to two hours. People are contagious for four days before a rash appears and up to four days after. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, usually followed by a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. These symptoms begin seven to 21 days after exposure to the infection.

Officials say measles — which can be fatal — poses the highest risk to those who have not received a measles vaccination, pregnant people, infants younger than 1, and people with weakened immune systems.

Earlier this year, health authorities warned about declining vaccination rates among Oregon schoolchildren. Last school year, Oregon had the second highest non-medical exemption rate in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials say the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is highly effective against measles, but only if enough people are vaccinated.

Officials urge people experiencing symptoms of measles to call a healthcare provider or urgent care center ahead of time to create an entry plan that avoids exposing others in the facility to the disease.

— The Oregonian/OregonLive