rock springs — Sweetwater County Public Health Department is raising awareness of the increasing number of measles cases being reported across the United States
The group said 64 measles cases were reported in 17 states in 2024, compared to just 58 in all of 2023. Measles is highly contagious and spread through coughing and sneezing.
Approximately 90% of people who are unprotected from the disease become infected after exposure. The virus can survive in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area. Also, the symptoms may start 4 days before the rash appears and it can spread up to 4 days later.
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Symptoms usually begin 8 to 12 days after exposure, but symptoms have not been known to appear until 21 days after exposure. The disease begins with a mild or moderate fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes. After a few days, the fever rises to 104 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit and a rash with red spots forms. The rash usually starts on the face, hairline, and behind the ears. Small white spots known as Koplik spots may also appear inside the mouth. The rash quickly spreads from the chest to the back and then to the legs.
Most children who contract the disease often become sick enough to miss at least a week of school.
At one point, measles was thought to have been eliminated from the United States, and the last measles case in Wyoming was reported in 2010. Measles elimination was declared in 2000 following the success of the measles vaccination program. Currently, most people infected with measles are people who have traveled abroad, but once infected, the disease can spread rapidly. The Sweetwater County Public Health Department encourages parents to ensure their children receive the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine.
