MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services confirms new outbreaks of measles across the state, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 267.
In Rock County, health officials have reported five probable cases that are linked to one another, but the source of the infection remains unknown. The cases are listed as probable based on the appearance of symptoms, but they have not been confirmed through lab testing.
Six newly confirmed cases have been reported in Marathon County along with 11 confirmed cases in Chippewa County are related to out-of-state travel. Health department officials in both of those counties are working to “identify and notify people who may have been exposed to the measles virus”.
DHS official say none of the newly confirmed or probable cases are tied to outbreak in Southwest Wisconsin that is impacting Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, and Vernon counties. Those counties are currently reporting 237 confirmed and 6 probable cases that have been spreading locally.
Of the state’s 267 confirmed cases, 265 (or 99.3%) of the cases were in individuals who are not vaccinated, and 5 people have been hospitalized.
DHS urges all people to check their vaccination status, as vaccination against measles through two doses of the MMR vaccine is the best way to prevent measles illness.
