1 week Ago By Lucas Warren
A public health alert has been issued in Sallisaw after a recent visit to the local Walmart Supercenter at 1101 W. Ruth Ave. may have put shoppers at risk of measles exposure.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) reported that an individual confirmed to have measles was at the store last Friday between 7 and 10 p.m. "OSDH is asking unvaccinated individuals who visited the store during that timeframe to provide the agency with their name and contact information for further guidance," News9 reported.
With 15 cases now on record, 14 of which involved unvaccinated individuals, and one individual who had received 2 or more doses of the vaccine, the measles outbreak has increasingly become a cause for concern in Oklahoma. Measles, a highly contagious virus, finds its way swiftly through populations lacking vaccine protection. A cumulative update on these cases is available from OSDH every Tuesday and Friday online.
As mentioned by KFOR, health officials are urging those "unvaccinated or unsure about their vaccine or immune status to provide their name and contact information" so follow-up communication can be made promptly.This recent measles case and the potential exposure incident are not confined to Sallisaw; four Oklahoma counties are currently on the OSDH exposure list, including Cleveland, Custer, Oklahoma, and Sequoyah counties. Additionally, the health department provides an online form for those affected to submit their information confidentially, outreaching between 8 a.
m. and 8 p.m.
, seven days a week. According to KOCO, officials began investigating immediately upon notification on Friday, pinpointing the public settings where exposure may have occurred.The OSDH continues to stress the importance of measles vaccinations as an effective safeguard against the disease.
Despite this, the occurrence of measles cases among the unvaccinated underscores a persistent gap in community immunity. It's especially crucial for those who frequent public places like the Walmart Supercenter in question to make note of potential symptoms, such as fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a characteristic rash, which usually appears 10-12 days after exposure. For further real-time updates and information about the outbreak and preventative measures, Oklahoma residents are directed to OSDH's measles website.
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