Positive measles case identified in Putnam County

PUTNAM COUNTY, Ind. — A person in Putnam County has tested positive for measles.

In a Facebook post published Tuesday evening, the Putnam County Public Health Department confirmed that it had identified a case of measles. In its Facebook post, PCPHD indicated that there is not a measles outbreak in Putnam County at this time.

The agency also reported that the measles case poses a low overall risk to public health in Putnam County.

The Indiana Department of Health’s measles dashboard indicates eight cases of the disease have been identified in the Hoosier State this year, not counting the most recent positive case in Putnam County. All eight of the previous measles cases were identified in Allen County.

As of July 2, 1,267 cases of the measles had been confirmed nationwide. So far, measles has been identified in 38 states, including Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

PCPHD also encouraged all Hoosiers in the county to check their immunization records to confirm they’ve received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Per PCPHD, the vaccine is safe and extremely effective.

Most children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine — once at age 1 and again before entering kindergarten, according to PCPHD.

Putnam County public health officials are encouraging adults born after 1956 to confirm they’ve had two doses of the MMR vaccine or undergo a blood test to see if they have built up immunity to measles.

Per PCPHD, the following symptoms have been associated with measles:

• Fever
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red eyes
• A rash that usually starts on the face and spreads
• Small white spots inside the mouth

Public health officials urge those who develop symptoms or have children who develop measles symptoms to call their doctors before visiting any clinics. Such preventative steps can help protect those who may be more vulnerable to the disease, like babies and people with weakened immune systems.

“We are working closely with state health authorities and our local providers to monitor the situation,” Putnam County Health Officer Adam Amos wrote in PCPHD’s Facebook post. “As your county health officer — and as a fellow parent and community member — I ask that we all do our part by staying informed and making sure our families are protected.”

As of this article’s publication, no additional information on the case of measles in Putnam County had been made available.