Clark County health officials are investigating a confirmed case of measles in an unvaccinated child, officials said Wednesday.
It’s not yet known when or where the child was exposed to the disease, a news release from the county said.
The child was at a local healthcare facility while they were contagious, officials said. Anyone who was at the Vancouver Clinic, Salmon Creek, on Northeast 139th Street between 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. Friday may have been exposed, the news release said.
People who were at the clinic and have not been vaccinated against measles or have not had measles in the past are at risk for getting sick and should stay home and out of public places for 21 days, officials said. During that time, anyone who believes they have symptoms of measles should call their healthcare provider before visiting the medical office to make a plan that avoids exposing others.
Those who have been vaccinated are well protected, as two doses of the vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles, officials said.
Measles is a highly contagious, potentially serious illness caused by a virus. It’s spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. People with measles can be contagious before they show symptoms, officials said, and the disease can linger in the air after an infected person has left.
Symptoms usually appear seven to 21 days after exposure and often begin with a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes before a rash starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
Officials are urging anyone who develops symptoms or believes they may have been exposed to call a healthcare provider before going to a clinic or hospital so staff can prevent exposing other patients.
The disease is particularly dangerous for children younger than 5, people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems.
According to the news release from the county, common complications of measles include ear infection, lung infection and diarrhea. Swelling of the brain is a rare but much more serious complication. Measles may cause pregnant people to give birth prematurely or have a low-birthweight baby. For every 1,000 children with measles, one or two will die from the disease.
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