NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — There are now four confirmed cases of measles in Tennessee, according to the state health department.
The Tennessee Department of Health announced the state's first confirmed measles case on March 21. Tennessee is one of 20 jurisdictions with confirmed cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, health officials say the total is four, with three new cases confirmed.
One of the newly-confirmed cases is related to the original measles case, according to the health department. No additional details about Tennessee's positive measles cases are currently available, per health officials.
All three of the newly-confirmed measles cases are recovering at home, according to the health department. Public health officials are also working to identify other locations and persons potentially exposed to the virus.
As of March 27, the CDC said there are 483 confirmed cases of measles in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Washington.
Texas leads the nation with current case numbers with 422, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. Of those cases, Texas health officials said 42 have been hospitalized, and one school-aged child has died.
There are two total fatalities related to the ongoing measles outbreak, according to state health officials.
On Friday, Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell and the Metro Public Health Department's Medical Services Director — Dr. Joanna Shaw-KaiKai — said several planned MMR vaccine clinics had to be canceled due to the "abrupt" loss of federal public health grant funding. The loss of funding affected the MPHD's Strike Team, which delivers vaccines to parts of the community that need it.
"Disruptions like these can cause real public health issues as any one person who is unvaccinated is more susceptible to contracting and spreading the disease they would have otherwise been protected against," Shaw-KaiKai said.
However, an MPHD spokesperson told News 2 Tuesday that the vaccine clinics are being rescheduled.
"There's only one good way to protect yourself and your community: to get vaccinated," O'Connell said Friday, urging anyone with questions about the MMR vaccine to reach out to their healthcare provider.
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious virus that causes an acute viral respiratory illness, according to the CDC. It is characterized by a high fever, cough, runny nose, red, watery eyes, and a rash.
Symptoms appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus.
Measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5 years old. Common complications are ear infections and diarrhea. Serious complications include pneumonia and encephalitis.
There is no specific treatment for measles if you contract it.