Measles is a highly contagious illness and unvaccinated populations are at highest risk of becoming sick when exposed to the measles virus. It can be spread through coughing, sneezing and contact with secretions from the nose, mouth and throat of an infected person. Initial symptoms of this illness may include a fever over 101 F degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes and a cough.

After a few days, a rash will begin to appear on the face and spread over the entire body. Persons with measles are considered infectious four days before and four days after the rash appears. If you suspect you may be sick with measles, please call your healthcare provider before leaving home to avoid spreading the illness to people in doctors’ office or clinic waiting areas or in emergency departments.

Background on the measles investigation in Polk County:

The Polk County Health Department was first notified on April 16, that a small number of individuals in Polk County had been exposed to a person with measles in Stokes County on April 13. These individuals were immediately contacted and placed on 21-day quarantine at home.

Two of the contacts were not actually residents of Polk County but were visiting in Polk County. While quarantined, two of the individuals developed signs and symptoms of measles and their quarantine was changed to home isolation orders. Nursing staff of the RPM District have been in daily contact with all of the individuals under quarantine and isolation. No additional cases or exposures have been identified in Polk County. There have been no cases identified in Rutherford County.

– article submitted by Helen White