Will County measles case first recorded one in more than 20 years

The case of measles confirmed over the weekend was the first recorded case in Will County in at least 20 years, a health official said Monday.

The confirmed case in a child was linked to “the situation in Chicago,” county officials said without providing details. But it suggests the measles infection was connected to other cases at a migrant center where residents likely did not go through the same immunization process that has largely eradicated the disease in the United States.

“We haven’t had any measles cases in Will County in 20 years,” said Dr. Dan Garganera, infectious disease specialist for the Will County Health Department.

Likely longer.

Garganera said a search through Will County Health Department records on Monday turned up the most recent case in 1999.

The Chicago Department of Public Health on Monday listed 26 cases of measles, up from 17 on Friday. Most cases have been linked to a migrant center in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago.

Will County, citing privacy rights, has provided few details about the measles case here.

But Garganera said the child was related to someone at a Chicago migrant center. “That child is now in Will County,” he said.

Measles, once a commonplace childhood infection known primarily for the red dots it creates on the skin until it goes away, can pose serious problems for a small percentage of people.

“We want to make sure that people are aware of the disease. We don’t want to scare the public. But it’s a vaccine preventable disease.”

—  Dr. Dan Garganera, infectious disease specialist Will County Health Department

Three in 1,000 cases can lead to a fatal pulmonary disorder, Garganera said. One in 1,000 can lead to a brain infection, which can cause lasting problems.

“That’s why we recommend that people get vaccinated,” Garganera said.

The vaccination rate among children in public and private schools in Will County is 97%, the highest among counties in the Chicago region. But all suburban counties have vaccination rates higher than 95% for schoolchildren.

But the vaccination rate for all Will County children, including those not enrolled in school, is between 80% and 90%, Garganera said.

Both Will and Lake counties announced their first measles cases linked to Chicago on Saturday.

The Will County Health Department when announcing the local case emphasized that those who are vaccinated are not susceptible to infection and urged anyone not vaccinated to do so.

“We want to make sure that people are aware of the disease,” Garganera said. “We don’t want to scare the public. But it’s a vaccine preventable disease.”

The Will County Health Department provides vaccinations. The number of immunizations has gone up since news of the Chicago outbreak surfaced, Garganera said.

The Will County Health Department is identifying people who came in contact with the child with measles and testing them to determine if they have been infected.

As of Monday afternoon, the number of measles cases in Will County remained at one.

The Will County Health Department has encouraged people to check their vaccination records and have urged anyone who is not vaccinated to do so. The MMR vaccine, used to protect people from measles, has proved 97% effective, according to a news release from the health department.