Measles exposure alert

People at Centennial Middle School in Portland may have been exposed to measles on seven school days in April, Oregon health officials said. (oregon.gov) The Oregon Health Authority and Multnomah County said the exposure site was Centennial Middle School, 17650 Southeast Brooklyn Street, and listed April 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 between 9:20 a.m. and 6 p.m. as the risk windows. (flashalert.net) Officials told anyone who was at the school during those hours to contact a health care provider right away and to call ahead before going to a clinic or hospital. Multnomah County said families without a primary care provider can call 503-988-5558 for its clinics or student health centers, and people without a doctor can also call 211. (flashalert.net) (multco.us) Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and Multnomah County said the virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after that person leaves. The county said symptoms can appear one to three weeks after exposure. (multco.us) The first signs are usually fever, runny nose, cough and red, watery eyes, followed a few days later by a blotchy rash that starts on the face or hairline and spreads across the body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people with measles are contagious for four days before the rash starts and four days after. (multco.us) (cdc.gov) School exposures get urgent attention because crowded indoor spaces can amplify transmission. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that Centennial Middle School has 849 students enrolled this year and that county officials were working with the district to identify exposed students, staff, volunteers and other workers. (opb.org) Multnomah County’s deputy public health officer, Dr. Theresa Everson, told Oregon Public Broadcasting that about 95% of Centennial students are vaccinated against measles, with most having received both recommended doses. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that 95% is the threshold public health experts use to reduce the risk of a larger outbreak. (opb.org) Vaccination remains the main protection. Multnomah County says one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is more than 93% effective and two doses are more than 97% effective, figures that match current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. (multco.us) (cdc.gov) The school alert is part of a wider Oregon case investigation that has also named exposure sites in Gresham and Portland, including a Safeway on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and Providence Portland Medical Center’s emergency room waiting area. For now, the state and county response is focused on finding everyone who shared airspace with the infected person and checking who is already immune. (multco.us) (opb.org)