Another case of measles has been confirmed in Missouri – this time in an adult resident of New Madrid County in the southeastern part of the state.
According to the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services, this case is not tied to previously confirmed cases or possible exposures in the state, including a recent one in St. Louis.
New Madrid County has an unusually high kindergarten vaccination rate, with more than 96% of students in the county having received two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine.
State officials urge people to check their vaccination status, and remember that measles is a contagious illness that can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person is in the area.
As of May 1, there have been more than 900 confirmed cases of measles in the country this year. The vast majority have been in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
