Ohio Valley health officials respond to first confirmed measles case in West Virginia since 2009

OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. (WTRF) – Local health officials are responding to a positive case of measles in Monongallia County .

At the moment, West Virginia only has one case, but nationally, we’re at 125, with cases present in all our neighboring states. That’s more than all reported cases from the entirety of 2022.

Measles is highly contagious and has a long incubation period, which makes it ideal for spreading quickly in a community.

We spoke to Wheeling-Ohio County Health Administrator Howard Gamble, who says West Virginia’s vaccination rates are high once kids hit school but lower for those under Kindergarten age.

Because of how quickly measles can spread, Gamble says it’s critical to be vaccinated and seek treatment immediately once symptoms present themselves.

“If you are having symptoms, especially a rash, it’s going to develop more or less in the hairline and works its way down the body. You’re also going to have a runny nose, congestion, cough, you’re also going to have a high fever.”

Howard Gamble, Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department Administrator

Gamble says 2 doses of the MMR vaccine during childhood is usually good for life, but adults may need a booster if they work in education or healthcare settings.

Gamble tells us that the last time we had a measles outbreak in our area was back in the early 1990s when a basketball team contracted it during a game with an Ohio team.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTRF.