State of Alaska Epidemiology has confirmed a measles diagnosis for a Homer patient, South Peninsula Hospital announced Friday.

Measles is a highly infectious viral respiratory disease that spreads via the airborne route and through direct contact with respiratory secretions. Measles typically starts with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and sore throat, and is followed by a rash that most frequently starts on the face and descends to involve the trunk and limbs.

About 30% of people who get measles will develop one or more complications including pneumonia, ear infections or diarrhea. Complications are more common in infants, children aged 5 years old or younger, pregnant women, immunocompromised persons, and adults aged 20 years or older. Measles can be fatal.

The patient, an unvaccinated adult who began experiencing symptoms while traveling home to Alaska from a trip overseas, first sought care at Homer Medical Center on Monday, Jan. 13, then was seen in the hospital’s Emergency Department later that day and stayed through Tuesday afternoon. According to SPH’s press release, State Public Health nurse contact tracers are reaching out to any potentially exposed individuals in the Homer area.

Additionally, based on the patient’s symptoms and recent travel history, infection prevention protocols were immediately implemented during the patient’s visits at SPH facilities, including isolating the patient in a negative pressure room, limiting the number of staff interacting with them, using personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks and PAPR hoods, having potentially-exposed staff self-quarantine, and conducting deep cleans in every room the patient visited.

According to an Alaska Public Health Alert released Thursday, Jan. 16, the patient was infectious while flying on Alaska Air flight 228 from Seattle to Anchorage on Jan. 10 and while present at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport from approximately 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. that evening. Nonimmune or unvaccinated persons who were near the infected person on the airplane or in the airport could be at risk of developing measles.

The patient then drove from Anchorage to the southern Kenai Peninsula and remained at home except for seeking health care. The person sought care and was immediately isolated upon arrival at SPH’s Emergency Department on Jan. 13. According to the alert, the patient was transferred in isolation to Providence Alaska Medical Center on Jan. 14 and maintained in isolation during hospitalization.

SPH stated in their release that as a result of this case, numerous hospital clinics will be offering free measles-mumps-rubella vaccines to the public in the coming weeks, Monday-Friday from 2-5 p.m., starting on Monday, Jan. 20.

Homer Medical Center, Family Care Clinic and the West Wing are offering walk-in vaccines to any adult member of the public. Appointments are requested for visits by families and children. Additionally, the Homer Public Health clinic offers vaccines by appointment by calling 907-235-8857.

Individuals who are pregnant, immunocompromised, or have a history of reaction to the MMR vaccine should speak to their health care provider.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a two-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is 97% effective. The vast majority of the public is thought to have measles immunity due to a decades-long requirement for measles vaccination for enrollment in most public schools. The vaccine is thought to offer lifelong protection against measles and rubella. If an individual has known exposure or concern about exposure, revaccination is available. Patients may also check their immunizations status using the free docket app at ak.app.dockethealth.com/.

Further updates and links to public health information can be found at www.sphosp.org.