Iowa’s first case of measles in eight years has been confirmed. An unvaccinated individual traveled to Israel, where measles transmission is occurring, and returned home to northeastern Iowa. The individual is cooperating with public health officials and according to the Iowa Department of Public Health at this time there isn’t a threat to the public.

Washington County Public Health Administrator Danielle Pettit-Majewski says measles is a big deal because it is highly contagious, “You and I are sitting in this room, let’s say I have measles and in an hour or in two hours after I leave you bring in a few other people to interview. Those people if they are not immune to measles, if they haven’t been vaccinated or their immune compromised, because maybe they’re going through cancer treatment they are susceptible to getting measles even though I’ve left two hours prior. And the thing is too, you don’t always know because you are contagious four days before you start to see the symptoms and four days after.”

Symptoms include watery eyes, runny nose, cough, high fever, red spots on your tongue, and the tell-tale red rash. If you have these symptoms, it is recommended that you call your care provider first before going to seek care to prevent spreading the illness further.

She adds that the best way to protect yourself and your children is to get vaccines, “If you are able to be vaccinated and old enough to be vaccinated, and you’ve talked to your doctor, truthfully vaccination is the best thing that you can do to protect yourself from the measles. If you’ve had one dose you are 93% protected, and if you’ve had two doses you are 97% protected.” Typically the first dose is given between 12 and 15 months of age.

There have been 555 cases of measles confirmed in the United States so far this year. That is more cases in the first four months of 2019 than in all of 2018 and 2017 together.