Latest news with #SouthDakotaDepartmentofHealth
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
What a Doctor wants you to know about Measles
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Department of Health has reported the state's first case of measles in 2025. A man in Meade County developed the infection after traveling internationally. The most common symptoms of measles start off much like a cold, a cough, a runny nose, and red watery eyes, called conjunctivitis. 'That is accompanied by a fever, which is often very high, up to 104 105 degrees. Several days after those symptoms start, 4 or 5 days, is when the characteristic measles rash usually pops up. It's bright red, it starts at the hairline and works its way down the body,' said Doctor Ashley Sands, an infectious disease expert. Remembering The Children Memorial sculpture honors those who lost their lives What makes measles so dangerous is that it can cause pneumonia and encephalitis, which can be fatal. Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases known to man. To give you an idea of how contagious measles is, if someone in this room had coughed an hour ago. And if I walk through that airspace, I could become infected if I'm not vaccinated. Dr. Sands says the measles vaccine is very safe and very effective, and has been around since the 1960s. 'We know that with the first dose of measles given around one year of age, that confers around 93 percent immunity, meaning that of 100 people who receive the measles vaccine, 93 will be fully protected for the rest of their lives,' said Dr. Sands. Most people are vaccinated at 12 months old and receive a second dose at age second dose raises a person's protection from 93 percent to 97 in the rare case of a vaccinated person becoming infected, she says the infection is much less severe and contagious. If you are unsure if you were vaccinated as a child, doctors suggest talking with your can also check with your doctor or request your immunization records from the South Dakota Department of Health. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Health
- Miami Herald
State health worker uses job to forge medical marijuana card, SD prosecutors say
A 24-year-old woman used her job as a state employee to forge her medical marijuana card, South Dakota prosecutors said. Alexandra Feiner, of Pierre, is now facing multiple criminal charges including forgery, offering false or forged instrument for filing, possession of a forged instrument and falsification of public records by a public officer or employee, the South Dakota State's Attorney's Office said in a June 2 news release. The woman was working for the South Dakota Department of Health where she was able to use her job to avoid medical provider certifications and fees necessary to obtain the card, according to prosecutors. She fraudulently obtained the card between March 2024 and March 2025, officials said. McClatchy News reached out to the South Dakota Department of Health but did not immediately receive a response. 'This type of conduct reflects poorly on those state government employees who work hard for South Dakotans,' Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a statement. According to court documents, the employee fraudulently created a new medical marijuana card for herself after her card obtained in 2023 expired, KELO reported. Officials said she had the ability to create and issue these cards through her work at the health department, according to the local news outlet. Marijuana is only legal for medical use in South Dakota after voters rejected a ballot measure to legalize recreational use in 2024, according to the South Dakota Searchlight. If convicted, Feiner faces up to 10 years in prison, according to the state's attorney's office. Pierre is about a 220-mile drive northwest from Sioux Falls.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
DOH reports first measles case in South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) has reported the state's first case of measles in 2025. According to a release sent Monday afternoon, a man in Meade County developed the infection after traveling internationally. The man visited several public locations and those who were in the following locations are asked to self-monitor or symptoms for 21 days. AG: Marshall's belongings found in Fall River County The locations: Rapid City Medical Center Urgent Care waiting room (2820 Mt Rushmore Road, Rapid City, SD May 28, 2025, from 7:15 am to 10 am MT Monument Health Sturgis Urgent Care waiting room (2140 Junction Ave, Sturgis, SD) May 29, 2025, from 9:45 am to 3 pm MT The DOH says symptoms appear in two stages. The first may include a runny nose, cough and a slight fever, while the eyes may become reddened and sensitive to light and the fever consistently rises each day. The second stage begins on the third to seventh day of symptoms and consists of atemperature of 103-105°F, and a red blotchy rash lasting for four to seven days. The DOH says the rash usually begins on the face and spreads down to the torso and out to the legs and arms. The DOH notes that measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air. 'Individuals who lack immunity from vaccination or past infection are at high risk of measles infection if they have contact with an infected person,' said state epidemiologist Joshua Clayton. Clayton spoke to KELOLAND News about the risks of measles last week, telling us that it was a question of when, not if, the disease would appear in South Dakota amid a wider nationwide surge in cases. The DOH states that the MMR vaccine offers the best protection against infection. 'Measles vaccine (MMR) is typically given at 12-15 months of age. The second dose of MMR is given at 4-6 years of age. The vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles infection, and two MMR doses usually produce lifelong immunity. If you are planning to travel internationally with children, MMR vaccines can be given to children starting at six months of age,' reads the release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
1st measles case of the year in South Dakota as CDC updates travel guidance
South Dakota has reported its first case of measles this year. The state is now the 33rd in the country to confirm a measles case, with at least 1,088 cases reported nationally so far this year. An adult who recently traveled outside the country tested positive for measles in Meade County, South Dakota, according to the South Dakota Department of Health. It comes as federal officials are urging all Americans to get vaccinated against measles before traveling abroad, according to guidance updated last week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Previously, the guidance stated that those traveling to countries with an ongoing outbreak should be vaccinated before leaving. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is part of the routine immunization schedule and has been shown to be up to 97% effective after two doses, the CDC says. Adults without immunity through vaccination or infection should also get vaccinated, the agency notes. At least 62 people in the U.S. were infected with measles while traveling on an airplane this year, a CDC spokesperson told ABC News in part of a statement. "There has been only one situation during this period in which measles appeared to have been transmitted during air travel, " the spokesperson added. In South Dakota, the person infected with measles visited two medical centers where others may have been exposed to the virus. The Department of Health says anyone who was at the Rapid City Medical Center Urgent Care waiting room on May 28 between 7:15 a.m. and 10 a.m., or at Monument Health Sturgis Urgent Care waiting room on May 29 between 9:45 a.m. and 3 p.m., should watch for signs of illness. MORE: Most US counties saw decline in childhood MMR vaccination rates: Report Health officials explain that the early signs of measles appear in two stages. In the first stage, symptoms include a runny nose, cough and slight fever. The eyes may become red and sensitive to light while the fever rises each day. The second stage begins between three and seven days after symptoms start, with temperatures reaching 103 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit and a red blotchy rash that lasts between four to seven days. The rash typically starts on the face before spreading to the shoulders, arms and legs. "Measles is a highly contagious viral disease and spreads through the air from an infected person," Dr. Joshua Clayton, state epidemiologist, told ABC News. "Individuals who lack immunity from vaccination or past infection are at high risk of measles infection if they have contact with an infected person." MORE: Measles cases seem to be slowing down in the US. What's behind it? According to state health officials, the measles vaccine offers the best protection against infection. People are considered immune to measles if they were born before 1957, received one dose of the measles vaccine (MMR) as an adult, received two doses of the measles vaccine (MMR) as a child or high-risk adult, have measles antibodies shown by a lab test, or had a previous measles infection confirmed by a lab test. The Department of Health notes that the MMR vaccine is typically given at 12 to 15 months of age, with a second dose at four to six years. For international travel with children, MMR vaccines can be given starting at 6 months of age. Learn more about measles on the Department of Health website, where information includes fact sheets, frequently asked questions, and a webinar for healthcare providers.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Former state worker accused of forging marijuana card
SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — A Pierre woman has been charged with four counts of falsifying her own medical marijuana card while she was an employee of the South Dakota Department of Health. The new Miss South Dakota has been crowned According to a news release from the South Dakota Attorney General's office, Alexandra Feiner, 24, has been charged with forgery, false and forged instrument, falsification public records and possession of a forged instrument with intent to defraud. 'The defendant is charged with using her position of trust as a Department of Health employee for her own personal benefit,' state Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a news release. His statement added, 'This type of conduct reflects poorly on those state government employees who work hard for South Dakotans.' The alleged crimes occurred between March 2024 and March 2025. The South Dakota Department of Health oversees the state's medical-marijuana program and cooperated with the investigation conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). The DOH has had more than four different medical-cannabis administrators since the program was created after the November 2020 election. Feiner applied for and received a medical cannabis card in April of 2023. She was certified to receive the card by practitioner Donna Linke of Healing Spirit Psychiatry and Counseling PLLC. Feiner paid for this application, court documents said. A renewal window opened up for Feiner's cannabis card in February of 2024. Feiner allegedly extended the expiration date of the card and approved her own renewal application. She then allegedly created a new medical cannabis card for herself and extended the expiration to May 1, 2025. According to court documents, DOH Secretary Melissa Magstadt reached out to the DCI on March 5 after another DOH employee overheard a former DOH employee speaking at a local gym. Magstadt confirmed Feiner had the ability within the system to create and issue medical marijuana cards. Court documents say Feiner's history records show there is not medical provider certification for the medical cannabis card issued to herself on March 19, 2024. According to the AG's office, one felony count of forgery carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; while one felony count of offering a false or forged Instrument for filing, registering or recording carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison. One felony count of possession of a forged instrument carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison. The charge of falsification of public records by a public officer or employee is a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in the county jail. It is alleged that the defendant avoided both the medical provider certification requirement and the fee. Feiner is listed as an inactive employee on the state's transparency website and appears to have left state government employment this spring. The program's previous administrator, Emily Kerr, left at approximately the same time. Whitney Brunner is currently the program administrator. KELOLAND News will have more coverage of Feiner's arrest online and on-air. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
