Westerville City Schools confirms measles case as disease spreads across Greater Columbus

Micah Walker, The Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
Nicole Stout, a Franklin County Public Health nurse, prepares a measles shot at a walk-in shot clinic held at the Prairie Township Fire Department in 2019.
Nicole Stout, a Franklin County Public Health nurse, prepares a measles shot at a walk-in shot clinic held at the Prairie Township Fire Department in 2019.

As measles cases continue to grow in Greater Columbus, one local school district is experiencing its first case.

Westerville City Schools sent an email out to families Tuesday, saying that Franklin County Public Health informed them the previous day about a confirmed case of measles in the district.

"We cannot provide details of this case due to medical privacy laws, but it is our understanding that the family is taking the necessary measures to address the illness within their household," Superintendent John Kellogg said in the email. "Staff and families that have been impacted directly will be notified."

The number of cases in a measles outbreak in Columbus has nearly doubled over the past two weeks, with exposures being reported in three places across the area: a Meijer store in Dublin, the Macy's and JCPenney stores inside Polaris Fashion Place and Jesus Power Assembly of God Church in Northland.

There were 46 cases in Greater Columbus as of Wednesday, according to the Columbus Public Health dashboard, up from the 24 cases reported earlier this month. Eighteen of those cases occurred at schools and day cares.

Kelli Newman, spokeswoman for Columbus Public Health, said the agency will not be releasing the names of the schools and day cares affected because families and staff members have already been contacted about the exposure.

The state's largest district, Columbus City Schools, said there are no measles cases there at this time, according to communications director Jacqueline Bryant.

All 46 children involved with the local cases were unvaccinated for the measles, with 19 hospitalized for the illness. Fifty-four percent of infections have occurred in children between the ages of 1 and 2, and 17% of cases occurred in children between the ages of 3 and 5.

"The message is clear: If you have a child who is 12 months of age and older and has not received their MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, please make every effort you can do to get them vaccinated this week," Dr. Mysheika Roberts, health commissioner for Columbus Public Health, said during a news conference Wednesday.

More:Measles outbreak in Columbus increases to 46 cases, 3 sites exposed

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mwalker@dispatch.com

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Westerville City Schools confirms measles case as disease spreads