Wyoming has confirmed a third measles case in an unvaccinated adult, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. The case adds to a growing count in the state and continues a pattern in which all confirmed cases have involved people who were not vaccinated against the disease.
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can linger in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has been in a room. People who are not immune can contract the disease simply by being in a space where an infected person was present.
The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, is typically given in two doses during childhood. Public health officials have long maintained that widespread vaccination is the primary tool for preventing outbreaks.
Wyoming's three confirmed cases all involve unvaccinated adults, a detail that public health officials are likely to emphasize as they monitor for additional spread. Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, but cases continue to occur, often linked to travelers returning from countries where the disease is more common, or to communities with lower vaccination rates.
The Wyoming Department of Health has not released information on whether the cases are linked to a common source or whether contact tracing has identified additional people at risk. State health officials typically recommend that anyone who may have been exposed monitor for symptoms, which include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a characteristic skin rash that usually appears several days after other symptoms begin.
