CHANGING THEIR ADVICE. THERE IS REASONABLE REASON FOR CONCERN FOR MEASLES. IT IS A DEADLY VIRUS. TWO PROBABLE CASES OF MEASLES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN OKLAHOMA, ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. IT’S A REALITY HEALTH CARE WORKERS HAVE BEEN BRACING FOR AS NEIGHBORING STATES LIKE TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO FACE AN OUTBREAK. IT’S NOT A VIRUS TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY AT ALL, AND THAT’S WHY WE WERE SO PROUD OF OURSELVES AS AMERICANS, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SAID WE ERADICATED THIS VIRUS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM, YOU KNOW, LOW, LOWER LEVELS OF VACCINATION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, IT’S BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF MAKE A RESURGENCE. CHIEF OF PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE AT OU CHILDREN’S, DOCTOR DONNA YOUNG SAYS OKLAHOMA IS NOT HIGH RISK RIGHT NOW, BUT PARENTS CAN TALK TO THEIR PHYSICIANS ABOUT GETTING THEIR CHILDREN UNDER ONE YEARS OLD, VACCINATED EARLY. NOW, IF YOU GET YOUR VACCINE AT SIX MONTHS, YOU STILL NEED THAT DOSE AT ONE YEAR, AND THEN YOU’LL GET THAT OTHER DOSE AT FOUR YEARS OF AGE. AFTER JUST ONE DOSE OF THE MEASLES VACCINE, YOU SHOULD BE 93% PROTECTED AGAINST THE VIRUS. IT REALLY IS SO TRANSMISSIBLE THAT WE NEED ABOUT 93 TO 95% OF THE COMMUNITY IMMUNIZED TO PREVENT IT FROM SPREADING AROUND, AND WE DON’T HAVE THAT LIKE IN OKLAHOMA. WHILE ONLY TWO CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED, DOCTOR YOUNG SAYS MORE CASES ARE LIKELY AS IT TAKES 7 TO 14 DAYS FOR SYMPTOMS TO SHOW AND UP TO 21 DAYS FOR CHILDREN. I WOULD JUST ASK PEOPLE WHO ARE HESITANT OR WHO HAVEN’T TAKEN THE VACCINE TO TO. EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT READY TO GO AFTER ALL OF OUR VACCINES, THAT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET. THE MEASLES VACCINE IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE. DOCTOR YOUNG ENCOURAGES ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VACCINE TO VISIT IMMUNIZE.ORG TO LEARN MOR
Oklahoma health officials warn of two more possible measles cases
The Oklahoma State Department of Health on Friday reported “two more probable measles cases,” according to a news release.
Updated: 12:43 PM CDT Mar 15, 2025
The Oklahoma State Department of Health on Friday reported “two more probable measles cases,” according to a news release.>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channelOfficials said that they received notification of the cases on Friday and began an immediate investigation.Department officials said the two individuals were in public settings “while contagious, creating a potential risk to the public.”The department reported that potential exposure locations and times included: Kohl’s at 12405 E 96th St N in Owasso from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2025. Aldi at 9259 N Owasso Expressway from 4:20 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2025. Sam’s Club at 12905 E 96th St N from 7 p.m. to 9:21 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2025.Sprouts Farmers Market at 9601 N 133rd E Avenue in Owasso from 7:30 p.m. to 10:02 p.m.Lowe’s Home Improvement at 1745 S Lynn Riggs Boulevard in Claremore from 7 p.m. to 9:27 p.m. on March 2, 2025.Department officials said if anyone visited any of these locations within the date and timeframe and is unvaccinated, unsure of vaccine or immune status, or has concerns are encouraged to provide their name and contact information on a form here.Staff from OSDH or the Tulsa Health Department will contact those who submit their names between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. “7 days a week for further information and guidance.”“Possibly exposed individuals who are not immune through vaccination or prior infection should exclude themselves from public settings for 21 days from the date of their potential exposure,” officials wrote in a news release.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.“Additionally, if anyone is experiencing flu-like symptoms, fever and/or a new rash illness and has visited any of these locations during the identified timeframe, they should immediately exclude themselves from public settings. If an individual needs to seek medical care, they need to call ahead to their health care provider and let them know of their symptoms and this exposure. Contact the OSDH Epidemiologist-on-Call at 405.426.8710, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week, to notify us of your symptoms. Individuals with measles are contagious four days before their rash onset through four days after their rash began,” officials wrote in the news release. Officials said both cases reported exposure associated with the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks. Their initial exposure was not from the two confirmed cases announced on March 11, 2025.The survey to report can be found here.Top HeadlinesEvacuation orders and fire warning still in place across Oklahoma after wildfire outbreakWATCH: Sky 5 surveys devastation caused by Oklahoma wildfiresHead of the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria has been killedGov. Kevin Stitt issued state of emergency for 12 counties devastated by fires
The Oklahoma State Department of Health on Friday reported “two more probable measles cases,” according to a news release.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
Officials said that they received notification of the cases on Friday and began an immediate investigation.
Department officials said the two individuals were in public settings “while contagious, creating a potential risk to the public.”
The department reported that potential exposure locations and times included:
- Kohl’s at 12405 E 96th St N in Owasso from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2025.
- Aldi at 9259 N Owasso Expressway from 4:20 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2025.
- Sam’s Club at 12905 E 96th St N from 7 p.m. to 9:21 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2025.
- Sprouts Farmers Market at 9601 N 133rd E Avenue in Owasso from 7:30 p.m. to 10:02 p.m.
- Lowe’s Home Improvement at 1745 S Lynn Riggs Boulevard in Claremore from 7 p.m. to 9:27 p.m. on March 2, 2025.
Department officials said if anyone visited any of these locations within the date and timeframe and is unvaccinated, unsure of vaccine or immune status, or has concerns are encouraged to provide their name and contact information on a form here.
Staff from OSDH or the Tulsa Health Department will contact those who submit their names between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. “7 days a week for further information and guidance.”
“Possibly exposed individuals who are not immune through vaccination or prior infection should exclude themselves from public settings for 21 days from the date of their potential exposure,” officials wrote in a news release.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
“Additionally, if anyone is experiencing flu-like symptoms, fever and/or a new rash illness and has visited any of these locations during the identified timeframe, they should immediately exclude themselves from public settings. If an individual needs to seek medical care, they need to call ahead to their health care provider and let them know of their symptoms and this exposure. Contact the OSDH Epidemiologist-on-Call at 405.426.8710, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week, to notify us of your symptoms. Individuals with measles are contagious four days before their rash onset through four days after their rash began,” officials wrote in the news release.
Officials said both cases reported exposure associated with the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks. Their initial exposure was not from the two confirmed cases announced on March 11, 2025.
The survey to report can be found here.
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