Protecting yourself from measles following first confirmed case in ND

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - State health officials are urging North Dakotans to take precautions against measles after the first case of the disease since 2011 was reported on Friday in Williams County.

The disease is highly contagious, viral, and typically spreads through the air. If someone exhibits symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, eye irritation, and a body-wide rash, health officials ask that they contact their primary health provider ahead of time.

“We don’t want anyone just showing up at their provider’s office or at an emergency room without the folks knowing that they’re coming ahead of time, just for fear that it is very contagious and it’s spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes, and it remains in the air for up to two hours,” said Roxanne Vendsel, director of nursing at First District Health Unit.

State health officials said the initial case was that of an unvaccinated child, and it’s believed they contracted the disease from an out-of-state visitor.

She said the best way to prevent the disease is to be vaccinated.

According to the CDC, two doses of the MMR vaccine are recommended to protect against the disease.