MMR vaccinations encouraged as measles cases rise nationwide Anchorage, ALASKA – The Anchorage Health Department is encouraging Alaskans to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones from measles. The measles vaccine, commonly referred to as the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, is generally administered in two doses as part of the standard […]
On July 16, Alaska became part of the national measles epidemic when measles was diagnosed in an unvaccinated Kenai Peninsula teenager who acquired the illness while traveling in the Lower 48. Most of us today haven’t experienced measles firsthand and some wonder, “What’s the big deal?” Some people may have forgotten how serious measles […]
On the afternoon of August 6th, a teenager visiting with her parents from overseas boarded a cruise ship in Vancouver (British Columbia) that was bound for Alaska. Approximately one week prior to boarding the cruise ship, the patient began experiencing cold-like symptoms while travelling in Thailand, and four days prior to boarding she woke up […]
On June 9, a measles case was confirmed in Fairbanks. Alaska health officials believe there is potential for wider community exposure, putting non-immune persons at risk for infection. An adult with recent travel to central Asia developed a rash several days after arriving in Fairbanks, Alaska on May 31. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for […]