By: Michael Achterling
WILLISTON, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) – The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services confirmed a new measles case Thursday, more than a month since the last case was reported.
The new case is in Williams County involving a person who recently traveled out of state and was unvaccinated against the disease, said Mindy Michaels, a spokesperson for the department.
The state now has 35 confirmed measles cases, with the first one confirmed April 29 in Williams County in northwest North Dakota. Until this week, the state had not confirmed a case since May 28, according to the state’s measles dashboard.
The latest case is unrelated to the previous cases and there is no evidence of community spread, said Jenny Galbraith, adult immunization manager for HHS.
The new case is the 17th reported in Williams County, the most in the state, followed by 10 cases in Grand Forks County, seven in Cass County and one case in Burke County. Two hospitalizations were reported.
All North Dakota cases have involved people who were unvaccinated.
Daphne Clark, spokesperson for the Upper Missouri District Health Unit in Williston, said people should still isolate themselves if they are feeling ill. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, eye irritation followed by a bodywide rash, according to HHS.
A single incubation period for measles can be as long as 21 days from an initial exposure.
Vaccination remains the best protection against contracting measles, Clark said.
People who were vaccinated as children and adults born before 1957 are considered protected.
The department said two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing infection. The vaccine is recommended for children at 12-15 months and a booster between 4-6 years old.
Clark said the Upper Missouri District Health Unit will continue to operate its walk-in vaccine clinic for measles every Thursday. She added the foot traffic for the MMR vaccine has slowed since the outbreak was first reported, but people should also be thinking about getting their back-to-school immunizations.
“We start doing our messaging to remind people after the Fourth of July because what we don’t want is everybody trying to come in the couple days before school starts,” she said.
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