ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County and the rest of North Carolina have been spared a recent nationwide measles outbreak.
County Health Director Dr. Tommy Jarrell gave an update on the disease to the Richmond County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, including nationwide statistics.
Jarrell said measles had been eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, but has returned in the past 10 years.
According to a chart included in Jarrell’s presentation, the number of U.S. cases has been up and down during this decade, spiking to 667 in 2014, dropping to 86 in 2016 and rising to 764 so far this year, as of Monday morning.
“It’s actually one of the most contagious diseases out there,” he said.
Measles is transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets through the air when the infected person coughs sneezes or just breathes and can be caught through the air up to two hours after an infected person leaves the room, according to Jarrell.
The most noticeable symptom is a red rash that scan stretch from head to toe.
Jarrell said there are several risk factors that have contributed to the spread of measles.
“One is we have so many people that are just traveling in and out of the country and they’re going to parts of the world that there are epidemics of measles,” he said. “That’s bringing a risk factor back to the United States when they are returning and they’re coming into contact with other people who have not been vaccinated.”
Jarrell said there are also people moving into the nation who were not vaccinated in their home countries.
“Then we have a segment of our population who are just refusing, or they’re unable to take the measles vaccine,” he added.
The current inoculation is a combination of vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella.
“It is especially dangerous for babies and young children and unvaccinated young children are at the highest risk for measles and its complications,” Jarrell said.
Although most who contract the disease will eventually get over it, he added, there is a possibility that it could lead to death.
While Richmond County health statistics usually sway toward the negative end, that’s not the case with vaccinations. According to Jarrell, the county has one of the highest vaccination rates in the state.
“The vast majority of our parents do a great job at getting their children immunized,” he said, adding that he was grateful for it. “It’s good that we’re protecting our children as well as other adults across the community.”
There are only 12 students in the county school system who have not been vaccinated against measles — 10 are religious exemptions, the other two are health exemptions.
“Although we don’t want 12 to be there, that’s a very low number when you look at the number of students in the school system,” he said.
Medical exemptions require the approval of the state health director, however religious exemptions are easier to get, which is why there are more.
Fortunately, Jarrell said, the Tar Heel State hasn’t had any reported cases of measles this year.
“And our job is to keep it that way.”
