Still only one confirmed case of measles in Sedgwick County

A child's test for measles came back negative Monday, meaning only one case of measles has been confirmed in Sedgwick County.

The child was tested for measles just days after another county resident was shown to have the virus, according to the Sedgwick County Division of Health.

Adrienne Byrne, director of the division, urged residents Monday to make sure they have had the two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines.

The Sedgwick County resident was on the same flight from Chicago to Wichita as a Butler County resident who was confirmed to have measles July 4. The Butler County resident probably contracted measles while on a trip to Romania, Byrne said at a news conference. Others on the same flight are already past the window to be showing symptoms for measles.

Romania has been experiencing a measles outbreak since February 2016, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. There were 7,647 reported measles cases in Romania, including 31 deaths, from January 2016 through July 7, 2017.

The Sedgwick County Division of Health has contacted staff at the school and church visited by the person with measles, ensuring that the children in those locations were vaccinated.

Three babies too young to be vaccinated have been given an immune booster.

The Sedgwick County resident with measles had received both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. It is rare for people who are vaccinated to catch measles, Byrne said.

Two doses of the vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles. One dose is about 93 percent effective, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms start with a fever, then a cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Measles is contagious four days before and four days after symptoms start, Byrne said.

“It’s really important for everyone to be up to date on their vaccinations,” Byrne said.

People receive the MMR vaccine between the ages of 12 and 15 months and again at 5 years old when they enter school, unless they have a religious or medical exemption.

If someone has symptoms, they should call first rather than immediately going to the emergency room or doctor’s office, Byrne said.

“Measles is highly contagious, and that’s why we’re taking this so seriously is because it does spread very easily,” Byrne said. “It is spread through droplets, sneezing, coughing and stays in the air for several minutes.”

This story was originally published July 17, 2017 at 2:53 PM with the headline "Still only one confirmed case of measles in Sedgwick County."