Measles virus spreads in Ind.

The Indiana State Department of Health confirmed 13 cases of measles in Boone and Hamilton counties on Feb. 15, according to a press release. Two of the 13 cases involved Noblesville, Ind., students.

A Noblesville city employee was diagnosed with measles Feb. 18.

Students from White River Elementary and Noblesville Intermediate schools are prohibited from attending classes unless they have received measles vaccinations until further notice, according to the Indianapolis Star.

Mark Booth, district director of social services, said 54 students from the two schools did not have immunizations. About 230 students in the district were not immunized, he said.

The initial outbreak began with an infected Hamilton County resident who visited Indianapolis during the Super Bowl. Officials identified another infected person who was with the individual at the time and investigated two probable cases in Boone County.

Since the outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and officials in Massachusetts and New York, homes to the Super Bowl teams, have been notified.

Two doses of the measles vaccination — the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine — are required in all states, but immunization exemptions vary. Indiana allows exemptions for religious, personal or philosophical beliefs or medical purposes. For religious purposes, a written objection must be issued to the school and renewed annually.

Measles symptoms can begin at any time within two weeks of exposure and can include cough, runny nose, fatigue, appetite loss, fever, spots inside the mouth that resemble salt grains and sensitivity to light. After four days, a rash that lasts four to five days appears on the face and can spread around the body. The virus can live for up to two hours in the air.

— Jaclyn Lansbery