Updated
Updated · KGAN TV · Aug 25
Iowa Reports 17 Measles Cases, Adds Bloomfield Grocery Exposure Site
Updated
Updated · KGAN TV · Aug 25

Iowa Reports 17 Measles Cases, Adds Bloomfield Grocery Exposure Site

3 articles · Updated · KGAN TV · Aug 25

Summary

  • Iowa health officials said 17 measles cases have been confirmed statewide this year and added Sunnyside Grocery in Bloomfield to the exposure list after an infected person visited from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 15.
  • Person-to-person spread has been identified in southern Iowa, prompting the state to work with affected families and community leaders to find additional illnesses, share guidance and expand vaccination access.
  • People at the Bloomfield store during that window were told to watch for fever, cough, runny nose, red or watery eyes and rash, and to call ahead before seeking care to avoid exposing others.
  • The new site joins earlier exposure locations in Ottumwa, Bloomfield and the Des Moines metro dating to July 28, as Iowa urges unvaccinated residents or those unsure of immunity to get the MMR vaccine.

Insights

Why are health officials suddenly recommending early, extra vaccines for some infants amid this rapidly spreading Iowa outbreak?
With measles lingering in the air for hours, could you have been exposed at a local grocery store without even knowing it?
As investigators trace over a hundred contacts, is the current public health strategy enough to contain this highly contagious airborne virus?