COLUMBUS, Ohio – State and local health officials are investigating a possible measles outbreak in Knox County centered around people who recently returned from the Philippines.
The Ohio Department of Health, Knox County Health Department and Holmes County General Health District are investigating several suspected cases and are offering free vaccination clinics to prevent the spread of the disease.
The initial cases are unvaccinated travelers who returned to Ohio from the Philippines, state Health Department public information officer Melanie Amato
The vaccine that prevents measles is the same one that prevents mumps, which has infected 269 people in Franklin and Delaware counties since January.
Anyone who is not immunized stands a good chance of getting ill if they are exposed, but can prevent it with a vaccination.
“When fully vaccinated, the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is 99 percent effective in preventing the measles,” Health Department interim director Lance Himes said.
The Knox County Health Department and the Holmes County General Health District will offer a vaccination clinic for the public on Friday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the Holmesville Church of Christ, 204 W. Main Street in Holmesville.
The Knox County Health Department will open a free clinic on Friday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at St. Luke’s Community Center, 7 W. Rambo St., Danville.
Ashland County-City Health Department has their next scheduled Walk-In Clinic Monday, April 28, 2014 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 1763 State Route 60.
Immunizations are also offered by Columbus Public Health at
240 Parsons Avenue. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.; and Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m.-12 noon.
Worthington United Methodist Church
600 High Street, Worthington
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm — Third Tuesday of every month
Click here for the schedule of immunization clinics offered through Franklin County Public Health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all school-aged children and adolescents have two doses of the MMR vaccine, no less than four weeks apart and anyone leaving the country should be vaccinated.
Measles is an acute respiratory disease caused by a virus that is easily spread and can be transmitted from four days prior to the onset of the visible skin rash associated with it to four days after the appearance of the rash.
Symptoms of the measles usually appear in 7-18 days after exposure.