More reports of measles in Vancouver and now Portland

(JANUARY 27, 2019) Measles is a disease that is caused by a virus. It used to be very common, but nowadays most people in the U.S. receive a vaccination for measles when they are very young. A vaccination prevents a person from getting measles. However, some parents do not want their children to receive vaccinations, and this decision is a controversial one.

Normally, the United States has an average of only 60 cases of measles each year in the whole country. Recently, however, there have been 31 new cases of people with measles in Vancouver, Washington. Vancouver is a city along the border between the states of Washington and Oregon. Almost all of these people were unvaccinated children.

Now, at least one person in Portland also has measles, too. That person got measles from coming in contact with one of the people from Vancouver who also had measles. People with measles visited several places in Portland. They may have exposed others to the disease.

Measles is infectious. That means people can catch the disease from other people, like a cold or flu. The symptoms, or signs, of measles appear 10-14 days after exposure. The symptoms are: sore throat, fever, cough, red eyes, and runny nose. People with measles also have an itchy rash that looks like bumpy red spots all over their body.

Officials from the Multnomah County Health Department say, "Most Oregonians have been vaccinated against measles and are protected. Anyone who has never been vaccinated is at higher risk of getting measles if they come into contact with someone who is contagious."

Here is a link to a list of places in the Portland area that were visited by people with measles: https://multco.us/health-officer/measles-outbreak-winter-2019-oregon-exposures

There is no cure for measles, and there is no specific treatment. A few people die from measles each year, but most people recover without a problem. People who have had measles once cannot get measles again. Still, people who think they have measles should visit a doctor as soon as possible.