Measles outbreak sickens more than a dozen unvaccinated children in Ohio; 9 hospitalized

[essentialsaltes]

A growing measles outbreak in Columbus, Ohio, has sickened more than a dozen unvaccinated children and hospitalized nine of them, and local public health officials are seeking assistance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As of Friday morning, Columbus Public Health officials updated their investigation to include 19 confirmed cases, and more suspected, at 10 daycare centers and two schools.

“All cases are in unvaccinated children, and all but one are less than 4 years old. One child is 6 years old,” Newman said.

About 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles will become infected, according to Columbus Public Health, and about 1 in 5 people in the US who get measles will be hospitalized.

 

[Tuur]

That raised the question: When does Ohio require vaccinations for measles? That first led me here:

ODH Emphasizes Importance of Childhood Vaccinations and Well-Child Visits

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is encouraging all parents of children from birth to age 18 to set up a well-child appointment with their child’s pediatrician or healthcare provider and ensure their child is up-to-date on recommended vaccinations.

odh.ohio.gov

That, in turn, led me here:

Immunization Schedules for 18 & Younger

View and print CDC recommended immunization schedules.

www.cdc.gov

How is it that they weren't vaccinated?

BTW, for those just dropping by, those 19 cases are statewide.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

That raised the question: When does Ohio require vaccinations for measles? That first led me here:

ODH Emphasizes Importance of Childhood Vaccinations and Well-Child Visits

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is encouraging all parents of children from birth to age 18 to set up a well-child appointment with their child’s pediatrician or healthcare provider and ensure their child is up-to-date on recommended vaccinations.

odh.ohio.gov

That, in turn, led me here:

Immunization Schedules for 18 & Younger

View and print CDC recommended immunization schedules.

www.cdc.gov

How is it that they weren't vaccinated?

BTW, for those just dropping by, those 19 cases are statewide.

Some people are against vaccinations, because vaccinations have helped so well. People have forgotten how deadly it can be if didn't have vaccinations at all.

 

[Tuur]

Some people are against vaccinations, because vaccinations have helped so well. People have forgotten how deadly it can be if didn't have vaccinations at all.

I know about the anti-vaxxers, it's just the number seems high. That many?

I was of the generation that took the Small Pox vaccine, and had a full course, and never had measles or whooping cough because of it. An old undertaker (circa 1990s), was asked what was the biggest change he'd seen, and he said he didn't see as many small coffins.

 

[Desk trauma]

Congratulations again anti vaxxers, another disease saved from obliteration. Take a bow.

 

[FreeinChrist]

That raised the question: When does Ohio require vaccinations for measles? That first led me here:

ODH Emphasizes Importance of Childhood Vaccinations and Well-Child Visits

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is encouraging all parents of children from birth to age 18 to set up a well-child appointment with their child’s pediatrician or healthcare provider and ensure their child is up-to-date on recommended vaccinations.

odh.ohio.gov

That, in turn, led me here:

Immunization Schedules for 18 & Younger

View and print CDC recommended immunization schedules.

www.cdc.gov

How is it that they weren't vaccinated?

BTW, for those just dropping by, those 19 cases are statewide.

The measles vaccine is not given till they are one year old. What would concern me is that the babies had to be exposed to it, meaning there are more cases than the health dept is aware of.

And, BTW, measles in the very young can cause blindness.

Six Ways Measles Can Affect the Eyes

Measles has long been a leading cause of childhood blindness worldwide. One study estimates that measles causes up to 60,000 cases of blindness a year globally, along with a host of other complication

www.aao.org

Measles infections can harm the front or back of the eye, possibly causing vision loss or blindness​

Though measles is just re-emerging as a threat in developed countries, the disease has long been a leading cause of childhood blindness worldwide. One study estimates that measles causes up to 60,000 cases of blindness a year globally. Poor access to measles vaccination and malnutrition often correlate with higher rates of blindness in the most affected countries.​

And then it can cause birth defects when a mother gets it when she is less than 4 months pregnant,

 

[essentialsaltes]

Ohio measles outbreak nearly triples, expected to last “several months”​

Confirmed cases have risen from 18 in mid-November to the confirmed case count of 50, as of Friday morning. Twenty of the cases have required hospitalization. No deaths have been reported.

All of the sickened children are entirely unvaccinated.

 

[Don't Panic]

Ohio measles outbreak nearly triples, expected to last “several months”​

Confirmed cases have risen from 18 in mid-November to the confirmed case count of 50, as of Friday morning. Twenty of the cases have required hospitalization. No deaths have been reported.

All of the sickened children are entirely unvaccinated.

Also from the article, 55 cases of measles in the US so far this year and all but one is in Ohio.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Measles outbreak in central Ohio ends after 85 cases, all among children who weren't fully vaccinated​

None of the children died, but 36 were hospitalized.

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In related news in neighboring Kentucky...

3rd case of measles in Kentucky linked to 'revival' at Asbury University​

State health officials are encouraging attendees who are unvaccinated to quarantine for 21 days and seek immunization.

"Anyone who attended the revival on Feb. 18 may have been exposed to measles," Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) said.

[I note for the sake of clarity that the first two cases in Kentucky were not linked to Asbury -- only "the third case" was so linked.]

 

[Diamond7]

That raised the question: When does Ohio require vaccinations for measles?

They are required to be vaccinated before they can enter school. The school has a nurse who has to make sure everyone is vaccinated. If not then they get sent home. Unless you have a note from your doctor to exempt you. My wife had an issue at work, so she got a note from a doctor to exempt her.