Kansas and Reno County health officials remain on the watch after a recent outbreak of measles. With 11 confirmed cases of measles in two counties, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is still investigating possible leads on exposure points.



Sara Belfry, KDHE communications director, said the outbreak of the respiratory disease originated in the Kansas City metro area, where three cases have been confirmed in Johnson County. Belfry said officials are not exactly sure how the cases are linked to eight confirmed cases in Sedgwick County, but they are related.



Earlier this week, officials linked the outbreak to three exposure points in Wichita: Sal�s Japanese Steakhouse, 6829 E. Kellogg Drive; Sumo, 11233 E. 13th St.; and an informal softball tournament at South Lakes Softball Complex, 5300 S. Meridian, which took place on July 4. The tournament brought in eight teams from Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Texas.



Belfry said officials from KDHE and the Sedgwick County�Health Department are working with health officials in Texas, Missouri and Nebraska.



�It�s hard to say if it�s capped off, but we�ll continue to monitor and inform the public,� she said.



Here in Reno County, officials remain�at the ready, but Nick Baldetti, assistant director of the health department, said no cases of measles have been confirmed. Baldetti said his department, like�KDHE, is trying to be proactive and inform the public as new information becomes available.



Next Wednesday the department,�at 209 W. Second Ave., is hosting a back-to-school immunization clinic and offering extended hours from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, Baldetti said those interested in immunization can come in at any time or make an appointment.



�The best way to keep from getting the disease is by being vaccinated. Protect children by making sure they have the MMR vaccine when they are 12 to 15 months old, and again before they enter kindergarten,� Robert Moser, M.D., KDHE Secretary and State Health Officer, said in a statement.



Typically, infants are immunized for measles, mumps and rubella after their first year, and receive a booster before entering kindergarten. Due to the availability of the MMR vaccine, measles was all but eradicated in the�United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2000 the CDC declared the disease eliminated.



However,�a recent shift�in some people�s beliefs about vaccinations has led some parents to choose against vaccination. As a result, the disease has again become a problem in the U.S. According to information from the CDC, there have been 566 confirmed cases and 18 outbreaks of measles across 20 states in 2014. In 2013 there were 11 outbreaks, with less than 200 cases total. In 2012 there were less than 100 confirmed cases in the U.S. However, in 2011 more than 200 cases were reported.



�The last case of measles I saw was when I had it,� said Verlin Janzen, a family practice physician at Hutchinson Clinic. �Most of us have not seen a case in practice because it�s so rare.�



Measles is rarely fatal, Janzen said. The larger concern is when unvaccinated populations, especially infants, are exposed to the disease. He also said most people born before 1957 are immune to the disease; however, anyone who is unsure can have a blood test done to determine if a vaccine is needed.



Symptoms of measles include:



Blotchy rash



Fever



Cough



Runny nose



Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)



Feeling run-down, achy (malaise)



Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers found inside the mouth (Koplik�s spots)



Belfry, Baldetti and Janzen all said that�aside from vaccination the best defense against the disease is common sense: frequent hand-washing, avoiding people who show symptoms, and staying home if you are ill. All three also said that�if you feel you have come in contact�with the illness and begin to show symptoms, stay home and contact your health care provider first.



�We�re not going to have you come in and sit in the waiting room,� Janzen said. �We�ll put you in an exam room right away.�