BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio — Health officials have confirmed a case of measles in a child under 1 year old in Butler County.
According to a statement from the Butler County General Health District (BCGHD), the infant contracted measles while traveling internationally and returned to the United States via a Chicago-area airport and then to Ohio by car. The health district is not releasing additional information about the affected individual, the statement said.
Staff worked through the July 4 holiday to notify close contacts of their exposure status.
“If you do not receive a call from BCGHD, it can be assumed that you have not been exposed to measles,” the statement said.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, the health district said. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough and rash. There is no specific treatment for measles, the statement said.
“The best way to protect yourself and your family from measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases is through vaccination,” the statement said.
Health officials generally recommend that unvaccinated people ages 1 year and older get the measles vaccine to protect themselves and those around them.
Children should receive their first dose of measles vaccine between 12 and 15 months of age and another dose between 4 and 6 years of age.
The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is often first given at 12 months of age in the United States, but it is sometimes recommended for children as young as six months of age who are traveling outside the United States or who could be infected during an outbreak, the statement said.
People who are unsure of their child’s or their own vaccination status, who have not been vaccinated against measles, or who think they have symptoms of measles are advised to call their health care provider.
Call the Butler County General Health District at 513-863-1770 to ask questions and schedule a vaccination appointment.
More information about measles is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, www.cdc.gov/measles
Watch live:
Replay: WCPO 9 News at Noon
