An unvaccinated child brought measles back to Nebraska from Arizona, marking the state's second case this year and potentially exposing dozens of people at a Columbus church on Christmas Eve and a local emergency room.
The Nebraska Department of Health confirmed the highly contagious virus case involves a child who attended Shell Creek Baptist Church in Columbus on December 24 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and visited Columbus Community Hospital Emergency Department on December 29 from 2 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.
Sarah Newman contracted measles when she was 3 years old and has vivid memories of the traumatic experience.
"I remember being stuck in bed for a very long time. My mother later told me it was about 2 weeks," Newman said. "The part of it that I remember best is having hallucinations. I remember my father came in from work and came up to see how I was doing and I excitedly pointed to my wall and was pointing out to him all the colored circles that were coming out of the wall."
Health officials are now warning parents about precautions as children return to school after winter break.
"It is actually one of the most contagious infections that happens in humans," said Dr. David Warren, chief of infectious diseases at UNMC.
Warren said measles spreads faster than almost any other virus, with life-threatening complications possible.
"So measles, particularly in children under 5 or adults over 20 years of age, pregnant women, and people with problems with their immune system can be serious, and the complications of measles are pneumonia," Warren said. "Sometimes it can be very severe, particularly in young children, and it can also lead to scarring of the lung and rarely you can also get encephalitis, so basically swelling of the brain."
Though just two cases have been reported in Nebraska, the CDC reports 2,012 people contracted the disease nationwide. Neighboring Kansas had 91 cases. Warren said that's alarming since Nebraska's herd immunity is just under the 95% threshold needed for protection.
"Because there's less people getting vaccinated against measles and because it's so contagious, it can spread very easily and so all those people that aren't immunized are at risk," Warren said.
Ken Sailors said he believes everyone should have the right to choose whether or not they get vaccinated.
"I think people should do what they want to do. I mean, it's a free country. It's up to you, the parents, to be, um, you know, to be responsible," Sailors said.
Warren said the best thing for parents to do is vaccinate their children. Newman said she doesn't want anyone to go through what she experienced as a child.
"No point going through these illnesses that used to kill people quite readily," Newman said.
If you think you were exposed, the health department is asking you to fill out the state's risk assessment survey online. If you have symptoms, call your doctor first before going in.
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