The Cedar County Health Department has reported a laboratory-confirmed measles case. According to the health department on social media, the case was in an unvaccinated Cedar County child. Cedar County is located northwest of Greene County. Its county seat is Stockton.
The health department said exposure to the infection is believed to be limited, but routine public health follow-up continues.
The Cedar County Health Department is receiving help with the case from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Meanwhile, the local health department is providing opportunities to get vaccinated against the illness. You can schedule an appointment by calling 417-876-5477.
Data from MO DHSS shows that the kindergarten vaccination rate for measles in Cedar County is 74.4% compared to 90.14% for the state as a whole.
Measles is very contagious, according to DHSS. One person with the illness can easily pass it to nine out of 10 people around them who are unvaccinated or don't have natural immunity. Measles can lead to death, especially for babies and immunocompromised adults, it said, and a significant proportion of measles cases will require hospitalization.
Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97% lifetime protection against measles, according to DHSS. It said the number of people getting the measles vaccine is decreasing in Missouri, making children more vulnerable to the illness.
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