Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight
The South Dakota Department of Health is warning the public about a potential measles exposure at the Rapid City Regional Airport.
The notification came as the agency’s website lists three new measles cases in the state since November.
The new cases are the state’s first since June, and they raise the number of confirmed measles infections this year in South Dakota to 15.
At the Rapid City airport, the potential exposure was caused by a Butte County resident with a confirmed measles infection, the Health Department said. The potential exposure occurred from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Mountain time on Dec. 10.
“We are sharing this information to help individuals who may have been exposed take steps to protect their health,” said State Epidemiologist Joshua Clayton in a news release Wednesday.
Anyone who was at the airport during the exposure window should watch for symptoms for 21 days, the Health Department said. People who are not immune to measles should contact their health care provider to discuss protective options.
Measles symptoms appear in two stages. In the first, the infected person may have a runny nose, cough and a slight fever. The eyes may become reddened and sensitive to light while the fever consistently rises each day.
The second stage begins on the third to seventh day of symptoms and consists of a temperature of 103-105 degrees Fahrenheit, and a red blotchy rash lasting for four to seven days. The rash usually begins on the face and spreads down to the trunk and out to the arms and legs.
Clayton stressed the importance of immunization, saying “any South Dakotan who lacks immunity from vaccination or past infection can get the MMR vaccine to prevent measles infection and its complications.”
“MMR” is a reference to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, which is typically administered at 12-15 months of age. The second dose of MMR is administered at 4-6 years of age.
“The vaccine is safe and highly effective at preventing measles infection, and two MMR doses usually produce lifelong immunity,” the Health Department said.
The kindergarten measles vaccination rate in South Dakota has tumbled from 97% to 90% in the past 10 years. Health officials blame disinformation about vaccine safety, which has contributed to a rise in parents claiming religious exemptions to avoid mandatory school immunizations.
Thirteen of the 15 people infected by measles in South Dakota this year were unvaccinated, according to the state’s online dashboard. The vaccination status of the other two infected people is unknown.
Measles was considered eliminated in the United States 25 years ago, but infections have surged as vaccination rates have fallen in some states. There have been 1,958 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. so far this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
South Dakota’s 15 cases include eight adults and seven children. There have been eight cases in Lincoln County, three in Butte County, and two apiece in Meade and Pennington counties. Ten of the people were exposed during international travel, two during domestic travel outside South Dakota and three through close contact with an infected person.