TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) — The number of measles cases in Kansas has jumped to 23, up from 10 last week. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is calling it a measles outbreak.
So far, most cases are in southwest Kansas, but they have started spreading east as far as Kiowa County.
Kiowa and Stevens counties both have six cases, while Grant, Gray, Haskell, and Morton counties have one to five cases.
All of the cases are children, except two. Twenty of the measles patients have never been vaccinated.
The KDHE says the outbreak will be declared over after 42 days with no new cases.
Across the nation, there are at least 378 confirmed virus cases.
Measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5. So far, no Kansas cases have required hospitalization.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, measles is highly contagious. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours.
The KDHE says the first symptoms happen seven to 14 days after exposure. Measles typically begins with a high fever, possibly spiking to more than 104, a cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.
Tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth two to three days after the symptoms begin.
The measles rash appears three to five days after symptoms begin. Flat red spots appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet.
If you do not know if you are vaccinated against measles, there are a few ways to find out:
- Search the Kansas WebIZ Public Portal at myvaccinerecord.ks.gov,
- Call the Kansas Immunization Program at 877-296-0464 (option 1) during regular business hours,
- Email KDHE Immunization Registry,
- Contact a health care provider to determine if they have received the vaccine, or
- Discuss whether it is appropriate to have a titer blood test done to assess your immunity level.
The KDHE says unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people should consult a health care provider about receiving the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine.
Visit the KDHE website for more information about measles symptoms and prevention and frequently asked questions.