Nebraska has first confirmed measles case this year

Nebraska health officials have confirmed the state's first measles case in almost a decade.

The case was reported to the Panhandle Public Health District, which covers 12 counties in the western region of the state, as well as the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

PPHD Health Director Jessica Davies said in a written statement the confirmed measles case is in an "age-appropriately vaccinated child" in Sheridan County.

The department said some people may have been exposed at the Family Dollar in Rushville on May 17 from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Little Lambs Preschool track meet on May 20 and on May 21 at the Gordon Clinic from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Davies said people with known exposure have already been notified, but those who think they may have been exposed can visit www.pphd.ne.gov to complete a risk assessment survey or call 308-633-2866. The health district asked people not to go toe Gordon Memorial Hospital or Gordon Clinic for testing without first calling 877-632-2856 to determine if testing is needed.

She said the child has had mild symptoms and is recovering from the illness.

Since the family did not report any out-of-state travel, health officials said this could indicate potential community spread and they emphasize the importance of being up to date on the measles/mumps/rubella, or MMR vaccine. One dose of the vaccine is about 93% effective at preventing measles, while two doses are about 97% effective.

Dr. David Quimby, an infectious disease physician with CHI Health-Creighton and Medical Director of Infection Prevention & Infectious Diseases for the CommonSpirit Health Midwest Division, said it is likely this is not the only active case of measles in the state.

"If there is one patient in Nebraska who did not leave the state and is infected, there are more, because they got infected from somebody," he said in a press conference following the announcement of the confirmed case.

He added the best way to stay safe from contracting measles is getting the MMR vaccine.

This is the first confirmed measles case in Nebraska since 2017, but measles cases across the country have been increasing this year, with more than 1,000 confirmed so far. Most of those are related to an outbreak in Texas, but there have been dozens of cases in Kansas, as well as cases in Missouri and Colorado. Iowa also reported a case last week, its first since 2019, in an unvaccinated adult.

Two-thirds of the cases nationwide have been in those ages 19 and younger. About 12% of the cases have required hospitalization and there have been three deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.