GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Health experts are reporting that the individual cases of measles continue to rise and the number of states impacted is growing.
The virus has yet to enter the Badger State, but seems to be forming a surrounding perimeter.
According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are confirmed cases in Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan.
Dr. Paul Pritchard, Chief Quality Officer at Prevea Health, says that’s concerning.
“If we find out that the virus is in Chicago a lot and it’s in Minneapolis and you travel to those areas and you come back with certain symptoms, well, that’s something we have to think about,” he says.
Not only is the virus coming closer to Wisconsin, but it continues to grow nationwide.
As of May 31, 2019, 981 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 26 states.
“That’s the most cases we’ve had in 25 years,” says Dr. Pritchard. “It’s not an issue that seems to be going away.”
Adding to the general concern is the nature of the virus and how easily it can spread.
“If you’re in a room with ten people and none of them have been vaccinated, 90-percent of them have a chance of getting the virus,” he explains.
Some of the signs and symptoms to look out for include a runny nose, high fever, cough, and red, watery eyes.
While the virus has remained out of Wisconsin to this point, Dr. Pritchard says it’s important to do your homework prior to traveling.
“Somebody going to Rockland County [New York] right now, where they have the higher numbers, and you aren’t vaccinated, I’d probably be saying watch for symptoms,” he says.
Health providers have overwhelmingly encouraged everyone to check their measles vaccination status and to then get the vaccination if necessary.
Confirming a measles vaccination can be done by visiting the Wisconsin Immunization Registry or by contacting a health care provider.
A person is presumed protected against measles if they have received two doses of live measles-containing vaccine, were born prior to 1957, have had laboratory confirmation of measles disease, or have had a blood test that shows they are immune to measles.
