Measles reported in Shawano County amid Wisconsin outbreak

SHAWANO COUNTY (NBC 26) — A case of measles has been reported in Shawano County. The Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department says it is now looking for people who may have been exposed to the disease. Officials say anyone who was at the Marshfield Medical Center-Weston emergency department between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, may be at risk. The Shawano County case follows an outbreak in the southwestern part of the state, which the Wisconsin Department of Health says has spread to 15 counties, making Shawano County the 16th. Shawano County is the second county in Northeast Wisconsin to report a case of the disease, following Green Lake County last week. On Thursday, the first measles-related death in Wisconsin since 1990 was reported after an infant died from the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes measles, also known as rubeola, as “a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by measles virus.” Symptoms include a runny nose, high fever, tiredness, cough, red or watery eyes, and a red rash with raised bumps that starts at the hairline and moves toward the arms and legs a few days after symptoms begin. Measles can lead to more serious health problems, such as pneumonia, brain damage and deafness. It is also deadly in about two out of every 1,000 cases. DHS is encouraging people to protect themselves and their communities with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is 97% effective at preventing the disease when two doses are administered. Wisconsinites can check their vaccination records using the Wisconsin Immunization Registry.