NCDHHS shares guidance and updates for providers as measles cases increase

health

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services press release

editor Michelle Cassel
editor

Raleigh — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today Announcement of 22 measles patients In North Carolina, vaccinations will begin in late December 2025. As cases continue to rise in the state, NCDHHS is encouraging everyone over the age of one to get vaccinated. Healthcare workers recommended to consider early vaccination Open to young children who live in or regularly visit certain areas of North Carolina.

“The increase in measles cases is worrying, especially since most infectious diseases affect unvaccinated children,” he said. Dr. Zach Moore, NCDHHS State Epidemiologist. “Measles is highly contagious, but it is also preventable. We strongly encourage parents in areas where community transmission of measles occurs to talk with their health care provider about early vaccination options for infants aged 6 to 11 months.”

To date, most measles cases in North Carolina have been associated with known outbreaks, including a large outbreak in upstate South Carolina, affecting unvaccinated populations. NCDHHS continues to recommend that all unvaccinated individuals over the age of one year get vaccinated. Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine To protect yourself and those around you. NCDHHS also recommends that health care providers consider early vaccination of infants 6 to 11 months of age who live or have been in areas of North Carolina where measles transmission is occurring. Areas to consider early vaccination include:

• buncombe county
• The Charlotte metropolitan area includes the following counties:
  • kabbarus
  • gaston
  • Idel
  • lincoln
  • Mecklenburg
  • Rowan
  • union

Although not all counties in the Charlotte metropolitan area have reported measles cases, some cases in the area have not been linked to travel or other known cases, indicating the virus may be spreading locally. Individuals should also discuss with their provider the following: Pre-travel vaccinations to endemic areas abroad or in the United States.

All potentially exposed individuals, regardless of vaccination status, may be contacted by their local health department or a member of the North Carolina Public Health Outreach Team by phone, text, email, or in-person visit. Places where people may have been exposed to measles are added to the list. Measles exposure list.

Laboratory testing is not recommended for exposed people unless they develop symptoms of measles, such as fever or rash. Symptoms of measles appear 7 to 21 days after infection. Please contact us if you experience any symptoms. local health department Immediately limit your exposure to others and take steps to prevent exposure to others by calling ahead before visiting your doctor or emergency room.

measles It is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that spreads through direct person-to-person contact and airborne transmission. The virus can survive for up to two hours in the air where an infected person has been. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7 to 14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure and may include:

• High fever (can exceed 104 degrees)
• cough
• snot
• Red and watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
• Two to three days after symptoms begin, small white spots (Koplik spots) appear on the inside of the cheeks, gums, and over the mouth.
• A red, raised patchy rash. It usually starts on the face and spreads to the trunk, arms, and legs 3 to 5 days after symptoms begin.
• Measles can also cause complications such as diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and suppression of the immune system.

North Carolina residents should contact their health care provider or local health department for additional information on how to obtain the vaccine and make an appointment. of MMR vaccine It is also available at many retail stores, but we recommend calling to inquire about availability. The target children are: pediatric vaccines A program may receive vaccines from health care providers enrolled in that program. NCDHHS Measles immunity checker tool It’s also available to those who aren’t sure if they need additional protection.

For more information about measles, including guidance, resources, and the MMR vaccine, visit: dph.ncdhhs.gov/measles.

Michelle Cassel is a veteran reporter who has covered everything from crime to hurricanes, local politics to human interest issues for 35 years. As editor, she wants to encourage writers with a wide range of backgrounds and interests in TLR’s coverage of southern Orange County news. This reporter can be contacted at: [email protected].