Ripley Co. Health Department Confirms One Measles Case

Community members are encouraged to receive the MMR vaccine.

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(Versailles, Ind.) - According to the Ripley County Health Department, one case of measles has been confirmed within the county. 

Health officials say they have been working hard over the last couple of months to help keep families, friends and neighbors safe from measles. 

Measles, also known as rubeola, is a highly contagious viral infection characterized by fever, cough, runny nose, and a distinctive rash. According to the CDC, the virus can remain airborne for up to two hours, making it easy to contract in crowded places. 

It is preventable through vaccination, specifically the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. 

The Ripley County Health Department extends thanks to community members who received the vaccine. 

"Maybe you chose vaccination because you felt the vaccine was a better option for your family than risking measles. Maybe you chose to vaccinate because your family simply cannot sustain a 21-plus-day quarantine if exposed to measles. Whatever your reason, your decision has an impact far beyond your own household." 

The vaccine also helps protect babies who aren't old enough to receive the vaccine and young children who are not yet eligible for a booster. 

"You're protecting the infant in your church nursery, your neighbor's new baby, and the younger children in your kids' daycare. Our youngest children rely on the protection of those around them. These little ones depend on the rest of us to help create a community where measles has fewer opportunities to spread. That's the power of herd immunity," reads a statement from the Ripley County Health Department.