Measles outbreak in area is over, officials say

Columbus Public Health encourages vaccinations

After more than three months, an outbreak of measles in the Columbus area — the largest in the country in 2022 — is officially over, local health officials confirmed.

Columbus Public Health issued a statement Feb. 23 declaring the outbreak over. Since early November, 85 children came down with the highly contagious virus, according to the agency. Of those, 80 were unvaccinated.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an outbreak ends when new cases stop being identified. Because there haven’t been any new measles cases in 42 days, or two incubation periods, the outbreak meets that definition, according to Columbus Public Health.

But officials remain vigilant and are encouraging people to get vaccinated.

“While we are grateful this measles outbreak is behind us, we know we are just one missed vaccine away from the next one,” according to the agency’s website. “We urge parents to ensure timely vaccination with the MMR vaccine — and all childhood vaccines — which are safe and effective at protecting children and our community from preventable diseases.”

What is measles?

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, according to the CDC. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes and a rash all over the body. Symptoms usually last seven to 10 days.

Complications include ear infections and pneumonia. In certain situations, measles can cause death in children and premature birth or miscarriages for pregnant women, according to the CDC.

When did the outbreak in the Columbus area start?

The central Ohio outbreak started in November, when four children at a child care facility came down with the virus. That number grew to 15 children across five child care facilities in the

Columbus area in less than a week. It later became the largest outbreak in the country in 2022.

How many people in Columbus got measles?

Since the start of the November 2022 outbreak, 85 people got measles, according to Columbus Public Health. Of those, 35 were hospitalized and none died. While four were partially vaccinated, with one of two doses, 80 were unvaccinated. One patient’s vaccination status was unknown.

What is the MMR vaccine, and is it effective?

MMR stands for measles, mumps and rubella. The measles part of the combined vaccine was first used in 1968, according to the CDC, which recommends two doses of the combined vaccine for children: the first between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

It is so effective that in 2000, it eliminated measles in the United States, according to the CDC. Elimination means even if the virus is introduced, it cannot easily spread because enough people are vaccinated.

Does the MMR vaccine cause autism?

No reputable scientific studies have shown a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism, according to the CDC. While one 1998 paper in the UK medical journal The Lancet claimed such a connection, 10 of the paper’s 13 authors later retracted their finding, saying “no causal link was established.”

In 2010, the British General Medical Council found the paper’s main author, Andrew Wakefield, guilty of professional misconduct, and Wakefield lost his medical license.

The MMR vaccine also has never contained thimerosal or any other form of mercury, though there is no evidence that thimerosal in vaccines is harmful, the CDC states.

nshuda@dispatch.com