The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) released a notice of a public setting exposure site in Oklahoma City.
The potential exposure occurred between 6:15 and 10 p.m. on March 23 at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health. Locations listed within the hospital include the main entrance atrium, atrium elevators to the lower level and emergency department.
The virus can linger in the air for about two hours after an infected individual has left the room.
The agency said on its measles page if someone visited this location within the provided date and timeframe, and they are unvaccinated, unsure of their vaccine or immune status, or have concerns, they are encouraged to provide their name and contact information on this form. Someone from the health department will contact them with further information and guidance.
As of Tuesday, Oklahoma has reported eight confirmed and two probable measles cases.
A probable case shows symptoms consistent with the national standard surveillance definition but lacks a confirmatory test result or a link to a laboratory-confirmed case. A confirmed case shows symptoms consistent with the national standard surveillance definition and has a confirmatory test result or a link to a laboratory-confirmed case.
OU Health said in a press release measles outbreaks – including those in Texas and New Mexico, which have so far infected 470 people – underscore the importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of this disease within and across state lines.
"As the state experiences a rise in measles cases, it is more important than ever to ensure our children are vaccinated," said Oklahoma Children’s Hospital pediatric infectious disease physician Dr. Donna Tyungu. "Currently, Oklahoma's MMR vaccination rate for kindergartners is around 88%, and while that's a good start, we must aim higher to achieve the 95% coverage to halt the spread of this highly contagious virus effectively.”
“As a mother and a physician, I know that vaccination is the single most important thing individuals can do to shield their children from the serious and potentially life-threatening complications of measles.”
Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus, and there isn’t a specific treatment for it. It spreads through respiratory droplets or by coming into contact with an infected person who hasn’t washed their hands.
Two doses of MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles, and one dose is 93% effective, according to the CDC. The agency states that breakthrough infections can occur, especially in communities experiencing an outbreak where high levels of measles virus are circulating.
OSDH launched a central location for measles updates on its website, which will update every Tuesday and Friday at noon. If any public setting exposures are identified, it will update the page immediately.
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