OHIO — Holmes County Health Department confirmed the first measles case in the county as of Tuesday.
The person confirmed to have measles is an adult who is a Holmes County resident.
County officials are working with the Ohio Department of Health to trace potential exposures and promote vaccination opportunities for the county.
In Knox County, the Knox Public Health department in Mount Vernon, Ohio, confirmed there are a total of 14 cases within that county, officially marking an outbreak.
Over the last five years, vaccination among kindergarteners in Ohio has wavered around 89%. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Buckeye State is also among states with the lowest vaccination rates.
Measles is highly contagious and can spread easily when a person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Each case can lead to an additional 12 to 18 cases if people aren’t protected against the disease, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
Signs and symptoms include:
- Running nose
- Cough
- Red and watery eyes
- Small white spots inside the cheeks
Death is usually caused by complications from the disease, including:
- Blindness
- Encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage)
- Severe diarrhea and related dehydration
- Ear infections
- Severe breathing problems, including pneumonia
Below is a map of confirmed cases in each county in Ohio so far. Hover over the county to see how many cases it has had so far.
Senior digital producer Lydia Taylor contributed to this report.
