State Health Officials Continue Measles Monitoring, Encourage Hospital Preparedness
On Sept. 17, health officials identified the first measles case in St. Louis County in 20 years, involving an individual who is fully vaccinated and had recently traveled out of state.
The case comes as the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services continues to monitor measles activity in the state. As of Sept. 4, DHSS issued a health alert encouraging providers to remain aware of increased measles activity across the Midwest and to review existing response plans. DHSS has since issued a notification regarding a measles exposure at a Sedalia, Mo., train station.
As of Sept. 17, the CDC has confirmed 3,471 measles cases nationwide, including 10 in Missouri. Public health officials are following established response protocols, including case investigation, contact tracing and exposure notification, to limit further spread.
Dr. Heidi Miller, chief medical officer with DHSS, joined the Missouri Hospital Association Physician Executive Group's virtual meeting earlier today to provide members with an update on the situation.
DHSS and MHA encourage hospitals to review measles preparedness and response plans, ensure screening and travel/exposure questions are incorporated into triage, apply the Identify-Isolate-Inform strategy for patients with suspected measles, and coordinate closely with local public health agencies on suspected cases.
Hospitals are encouraged to review the following resources:
The Missouri Hospital Association is a nonprofit association in Jefferson City that represents 136 Missouri hospitals. In addition to representation and advocacy on behalf of its membership, the association offers continuing education programs on current health care topics and seeks to educate the public about health care issues.