Measles detected in Marion County wastewater, state warns

Traces of the measles virus were found in a wastewater sample collected earlier this month from a Marion County treatment facility, state health officials announced Friday.

The virus was detected during routine wastewater sampling on Oct. 6, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The detection suggests that at least one person had measles in the area, health officials said.

A single positive water sample “does not show whether there is ongoing risk to the community” and that it’s possible that a person with measles was just traveling in the area, health officials said.

Dr. Howard Chiou, medical director for communicable disease and immunizations at the Oregon Health Authority, said wastewater surveillance works “like a ping on a radar.” It can pick up low levels of a virus moving through a community or signal the start of a larger outbreak, he said.

Chiou said this early warning helps health care providers prepare and remind patients to protect themselves by staying up to date on their measles vaccinations.

While most Oregonians have been vaccinated, health officials said the virus poses a serious risk to those who are not, especially pregnant people, infants under 1 year old and those with weakened immune systems.

Measles is a respiratory disease that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. It’s notoriously contagious — nine out of 10 unvaccinated people near someone with measles can become infected, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Measles typically starts with symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. A few days later, a characteristic red rash breaks out, usually starting on the face and spreading downward.

The disease can also lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling and, in rare cases, death. According to the CDC, there have been three confirmed measles-related deaths in the U.S. this year.

Oregon health officials have confirmed only one case of measles so far this year — an unvaccinated adult from Multnomah County who tested positive in June after returning from an overseas trip. Last year, the state recorded 31 confirmed cases.

Across the U.S., the CDC has confirmed 1,573 measles this year. That’s already more than four times the number of confirmed cases last year.

Most cases are linked to outbreaks — defined as three or more connected infections — and nearly 90% of the people who got sick were either unvaccinated or didn’t know their vaccination status. So far, there have been 44 measles outbreaks in 41 states this year, according to the CDC’s latest data.