First Measles Case in Iowa Involved Unvaccinated Person

The first case of measles in Iowa was recorded last month.

Chickasaw County Public Health Administrator Lisa Welter says it’s the state’s first case in about six years.

Welter says the more people who get vaccinated, the better the chances of keeping a possible outbreak at a minimum.

Welter says the latest figures show that 84% of two-year-olds in Iowa are vaccinated. She encourages getting your children the MMR vaccine which covers measles, mumps, and rubella, with the first dose for kids at 12 months of age and the second dose between ages four and six.

Welter cautions that measles is highly contagious because it can easily be spread through airborne transmission, such as sneezing, and can remain in the air for up to two hours.

According to a report by Medscape.com, as of late May, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has confirmed 1046 measles cases in 30 states and three deaths. Since 2000, only 2019 has seen more reported cases in the United States.