JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi State Department of Health has reported four residents who were exposed to measles in Shelby County but are not immunized against the virus.
The department is monitoring those individuals for symptoms. The four people who were exposed are quarantined at their homes and being supervised by doctors.
Six cases of measles have been confirmed in Shelby County. None have been confirmed in Mississippi at this time.
“Measles is literally knocking at our back door,” state epidemiologist Dr. Thomas Dobbs said. “This is a highly contagious, airborne disease and is easily spread from person to person. Unvaccinated individuals are highly susceptible to infection. This is a potentially deadly virus; infants and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk.”
The health department is urging anyone behind on the measles vaccination to see their doctor as soon as possible.
More information about the Shelby County outbreak can be found here.