JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County’s fourth case of measles has been reported by the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH), bringing the statewide total to five cases this year.
Yesterday, Teton County declared a local emergency following the announcement of a third case of the disease in the same chain of transmission based in Grand Teton National Park’s Colter Bay village. WDH noted that this fourth local case “is an adult with no identified links to the previous three Teton County cases.”
WDH advises that members of the public could have been exposed to infection at Target in Jackson at the following times, since the measles virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infectious individual leaves an area:
- Sunday, July 5, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
- Monday, July 6, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 7, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
A Fremont County adult was infected this spring, bringing this year’s statewide total to five. Last year, Wyoming saw a total of 15 cases, the first appearance of measles in the state since 2010.
The Teton County Health Department advises that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the best way to protect against the disease. The department noted yesterday that the disease is extremely contagious; if one person is infected, nine out of 10 people of all ages around that person will become infected if they are not protected.
The highly contagious virus can cause serious illnesses including pneumonia and encephalitis, which can lead to hospitalization and even death. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, red or watery eyes, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body. People who get sick with these symptoms should call their health care provider for guidance. Infants, non-immune pregnant women and immunocompromised people are at the highest risk.
For more information on measles, including guidance on what to do if exposed, visit the WDH website. As more information becomes available, WDH will post locations of potential exposure, if any, and updated case counts.
