TOPEKA — State and county officials say a Stevens County resident has tested positive for measles and that they don’t yet know if the infection is linked to outbreaks elsewhere in the country.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Stevens County Health Department reported the infection Thursday. A KDHE news release said the agencies are notifying individuals who may have been exposed.
The case is the first reported in Kansas since 2018, according to the KDHE news release. Rare cases in Kansas usually are associated with international travel.
Measles outbreaks have been reported in Texas, New Mexico and New Jersey in recent weeks, and at least one case in a dozen other states, the New York Times reported. Many of the 250 cases in West Texas and New Mexico involve unvaccinated children.
KDHE’s news release said symptoms of the respiratory disease typically develop 10-14 days after exposure and include fever; runny nose; cough; and red, watery eyes — followed by a red rash on the face that spreads to the rest of the body. The highly contagious virus is spread through breathing, coughing and sneezing during an eight-day window that starts four days before a rash develops.
The best way to prevent measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Adults are protected, the KDHE news release said, if they have had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine.
Stevens County is along the Oklahoma border in the far southwestern corner of Kansas, near Liberal.
Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com. Follow Kansas Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
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Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health offers a wide range of immunizations for people of all ages and for travelers.
Learn more on their website at this link.
