Mecklenburg County has two confirmed cases of measles, health officials say
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Mecklenburg reports two measles cases: adult traveler and child contact.
- Health officials urge MMR vaccination as measles spreads across Carolinas.
- Wastewater detection signals community shedding but airborne spread causes infection.
Public health officials say they’re investigating two cases of measles in Mecklenburg County, one in an adult and one in a child.
The adult contracted measles while traveling and is recovering at home in isolation, Mecklenburg County Public Health officials said in a news release. The child, who is also isolated and recovering at home, was in contact with another child from Spartanburg, South Carolina, where there’s an outbreak of hundreds of cases, health officials said.
A spokesperson for the health department said the two cases are not related to each other. Officials declined to release any further information to protect privacy.
“With measles cases now confirmed in Mecklenburg County, we encourage everyone to get up to date on their MMR vaccine to protect their health and our community,” said Dr. Kimbelry Scott, Mecklenburg County Public Health interim director. “While we have strong vaccine coverage in the county, we continue to see how fast measles can spread with measles cases increasing in the Carolinas. Vaccination is the best tool we have to prevent an outbreak here.”
South Carolina’s upstate region, which includes Spartanburg, has been a hotspot for measles cases, but the contagious disease has spilled into North Carolina, where a growing share of school age children are not vaccinated. The Charlotte Observer reported this month one in six North Carolina children attend schools where there’s a high risk for measles outbreaks.
The disease also has been detected in Mecklenburg County’s wastewater system, but it cannot spread that way. Rather, measles spreads through the air. So, measles showing up in wastewater is a sign that infected people are shedding tiny bits of the virus through things like mucus, saliva and stool.
On Jan. 14, the latest data available online, the Centers for Disease Control reported 171 new measles cases confirmed this year nationwide. Last year, there were 2,242 newly confirmed cases.
Symptoms include a fever, runny nose, cough, rash and red eyes. Around 90% of unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to measles will become infected, the Mecklenburg health department said. About one in five people in the United States who get measles will be hospitalized.
Children should receive two doses of the MMR vaccine — the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age and the second dose 4 through 6 years of age. One dose of the vaccine is 93% effective at preventing measles and two doses is 97% effective. If you previously received the recommended measles vaccine, you do not need a booster. If you’re not sure whether you should get a dose of measles vaccine, talk with your health care provider.
The vaccine is available at health care providers, pharmacies or for free or low cost at the Mecklenburg County Public Health Immunization Clinic. Email health@MeckNC.gov or call 704-336-6500 for more information.