Latest news with #NorthDakotaDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Some schools cancel band trip to Williston because of measles cases; parade to go on
Vials of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are displayed on a counter at a Walgreens Pharmacy on Jan. 26, 2015. (Photo by Illustration) Bands from Minot middle schools have canceled their planned trip to the Williston Band Day parade Saturday due the measles outbreak, according to a message sent to Minot-area parents from school administrators. 'We understand this news may be disappointing for our young musicians who were looking forward to this event,' the message states. 'We share in their disappointment and want to assure you that this decision was not made lightly. It was made out of an abundance of caution to protect the health of our students and families.' As of Friday afternoon, North Dakota's confirmed measles case total remains at nine, all of which are in Williams County. The first confirmed case of measles in North Dakota was reported May 2, with three additional cases confirmed over the weekend. That total increased to nine cases Tuesday, including potential measles exposures to three Williams County schools. All nine cases are people who were not vaccinated. Williston Basin School District 7 required about 180 unvaccinated students to quarantine for 21 days. That number has dropped to 150 after some parents provided proof of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine for their children, said Paula Lankford, spokesperson for the district. Those students will be allowed to return to in-person instruction. No new confirmed measles cases over the last three days is a good thing, said Molly Howell, immunization director for the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, but it does not mean the state is out of the woods yet. About 180 students under quarantine amid measles outbreak in Williams County 'The incubation period for measles, the time period from when you were exposed to when you develop the disease, can be as long as 21 days,' Howell said. Howell said to declare an outbreak officially over, two full incubation periods must pass with no new cases, which for measles would be 42 days. Lankford said the annual Band Day Parade on Saturday will continue as scheduled with more than a dozen bands from across the state and the drum line for the New York Giants participating in the event. 'At this point, as a city or school district, nothing is being canceled, postponed or held back in any of the plans,' she said. Lankford added that high school sports and other afterschool activities were not affected by the quarantine. In a notice posted to its website, the city of Williston shared North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services guidance that recommends 'all residents and travelers to Williams County ensure they are vaccinated against measles.' Residents wishing to not attend the parade and remain home due to safety concerns can watch a livestream of Saturday's Williston Band Day parade through the Williston Convention and Visitors Bureau Facebook page. Lankford also said there have been no issues in providing course materials to the students under the 21-day quarantine to ensure they can complete the school year. The last day of school for the district will be May 23. The measles outbreak prompted the Upper Missouri District Health Unity to host special walk-in vaccination clinics in Williston on Thursday and Friday. Daphne Clark, spokesperson for the Upper Missouri District Health Unit, said the organization administered about 120 MMR immunizations on Thursday and, as of Friday afternoon, the foot traffic at the walk-in site had been 'steady all day.' 'We're seeing a lot of those 6-month to the 11-month (kids) getting that first dose and then that 12-month and older getting that second dose early,' Clark said. She said some attendees were also getting caught up on other vaccinations, such as COVID-19 immunizations, while they attended the clinic. The Upper Missouri District Health Unit holds regular walk-in vaccination clinic days at its Williston office on Thursdays from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its weekly measles cases on Friday and reported an additional 66 measles cases were confirmed this week, bringing the nationwide total to 1,001 confirmed cases across 30 states. Of those cases, 30%, 299 cases, involve children under the age of 5. School-age children between ages 5 to 19 represent 38% of the total measles cases nationwide. Hospitalizations were required in 13% of all measles cases across the country. Children under 5 years of age accounted for more than half of the total hospitalizations. Three deaths have been connected to the nationwide measles outbreak. None of the deaths involve cases in North Dakota. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Northwest North Dakota county confirms 4 measles cases
May 5—WILLISTON — North Dakota's first measles case since 2011 has quickly multiplied, reaching a total of four as of Monday afternoon, May 5. The first case was reported Friday, when the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services said an unvaccinated child from Williams County contracted the virus, likely during an out-of-state visit. In a Monday website update, the Department of Health and Human Services said there were "four current cases of measles confirmed in unvaccinated individuals in Williams County." Ages and other demographic details about the three newly infected people were not shared. A dashboard on the Department of Health and Human Services website indicates that information may become available when there are five or more cases in the state. Measles is a contagious viral illness that can lead to serious and deadly symptoms in young children and those with compromised immune systems, the Department of Health and Human Services said. Symptoms include a fever, cough, runny nose, eye irritation and a body-wide rash. Aside from the single case in 2011, North Dakota had not had any reported measles infections since before 2000, when the disease was eliminated from the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials attribute recent measles outbreaks across the nation to declining vaccination rates. "Vaccination remains the most effective defense against measles," the Department of Health and Human Services said. "Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination is safer than risking measles illness. The MMR vaccine has been safely used in the United States since 1973." MMR vaccination rates declined in North Dakota kindergartners from 95% in 2019-2020 to 90% this school year, the North Dakota News Cooperative reported. As of Friday, May 2, the CDC confirmed 935 measles cases nationwide, up from 884 cases a week before. According to CDC data, 121 people have been hospitalized nationwide, with three deaths confirmed.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
North Dakota confirms first measles case since 2011
A nurse gives an MMR vaccine at the Utah County Health Department on April 29, 2019, in Provo, Utah. The vaccine is 97% effective against measles when two doses are administered. (Photo by) The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the state's first measles case since 2011. A Williams County child who was not vaccinated is believed to have contracted the illness from an out-of-state visitor, the department said Friday. The child is in isolation at home. Health officials are contacting people who may have had contact with the child and advising people who are not vaccinated to quarantine. The threat to the public is low due to a majority of North Dakotans being vaccinated against the disease, according to the department. Molly Howell, immunization director for HHS, said vaccination is the most effective defense against contracting measles. 'Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination is safer than risking measles illness,' Howell said. 'The MMR vaccine has been safely used in the United States since 1973.' Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, eye irritation followed by a body-wide rash. 'Anyone with symptoms consistent with measles should call ahead before visiting a clinic to avoid exposing others,' she said. The department said there is no specific medical treatment for measles, but antibiotics may be used in cases that have developed a secondary bacterial infection. People who were vaccinated as children and adults born before 1957 are considered protected. The department said two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing infection. The vaccine is recommended for children at 12-15 months and a booster between 4-6 years old. The department also recommends that families and individuals consult with their health care provider to discuss immunizations. North Dakota has an 81% MMR vaccination rate among toddlers, and a 90% rate among kindergarten students for the 2024-2025 school year. According to public health data, a 95% vaccination rate is generally needed to prevent wider spread in communities. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
