Measles Outbreak Alert – Ensure Your Child is Protected!

As your East Portland pediatricians, we want to ensure that you have the latest information and know how to protect your family. The following information is from a public health alert:

Two cases of measles have been identified in a Clackamas County household.  They were believed to have been exposed in Marion County between May 19 and June 4, 2024. The primary affected individual, an unvaccinated adult, was confirmed to have measles June 14. They developed a rash June 11. The location of exposure is currently unknown, which suggests there may be other unrecognized cases in Oregon. The second household member, an unvaccinated child, developed symptoms a few days later.

A third case of measles in Marion County is confirmed in a 4 year old child. This child also developed a rash on June 11, and may have been exposed in the same time frame.

Public Health is working with the cases to identify and monitor close contacts.  Exposures may have occurred during the cases’ evaluation and treatment.  However, the healthcare facilities and the cases did take appropriate available precautions, so these exposures are likely low risk.

People might have been exposed if they were in any of these areas during these times:

• OHSU Richmond Clinic’s Urgent Care area – Wednesday, June 12, 4:40-5:40 p.m.

• OHSU Emergency Department (adult area): Wednesday, June 12 6:00 p.m. – Friday, June 14, 7:15 p.m.

Measles is very contagious. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected.You can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been. This can happen even up to 2 hours after that person has left.

Measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus. Common measles

symptoms include:

A few days after these initial symptoms, a red rash usually appears, starting on the face and spreading downward to the rest of the body.

Measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5 years

of age. Common complications are ear infections and diarrhea. Serious complications include

pneumonia and encephalitis.

The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most effective way to protect against measles. The vaccine is safe and highly effective, with two doses providing about 97% protection against the disease; one dose is about 93% effective.

CDC recommends all children get two doses of MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Children can receive the second dose earlier as long as it is at least 28 days after the first dose.

If you or your child show symptoms of measles, it is important to isolate at home and contact your healthcare provider immediately. Do not visit the clinic or emergency room without calling ahead, as this could expose others to the virus.

East Portland Pediatric Clinic is committed to ensuring that all our patients have access to the MMR vaccine. If your child has not started or completed their MMR vaccine series, please contact our office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. We are here to answer any questions you may have and to provide the necessary vaccinations.

You can find more information about measles on the American Academy of Pediatrics website for parents.

For more detailed information about the MMR vaccine, visit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center. 

For more information about the measles outbreak, please visit the Multnomah County Health Department’s website.

Your health and safety are our top priorities. By ensuring that your family is fully vaccinated against measles, you are helping to protect not only your loved ones but also our entire community. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

~ The Team at East Portland Pediatric Clinic