Illinois, Wisconsin’s neighboring state, is currently contending with a measles outbreak, prompting concerns about the potential risk to Wisconsinites.
Dr. Margaret Hennessy, a pediatrician at Ascension Wisconsin, is taking proactive measures in response to 12 confirmed measles cases in Chicago, emphasizing the importance of readiness among clinicians in Wisconsin.
“It makes me very nervous as a physician,” Hennessy expressed. “Honestly, most of us never saw it, we’ve never seen measles.”
Wisconsin Department of Health Services data from 2021 indicates that over 80% of Milwaukee County residents are vaccinated, with nearly 70% statewide.
However, measles is highly contagious. Hennessy underscored the virus’s ability to linger in the air, saying,
“Literally, if someone sharing the airspace in this building [has] measles, and they’re gone for two hours, this area for two hours is still contaminated.”
Hennessy voiced concerns about the potential for measles to spread in Wisconsin, particularly if vaccination rates remain insufficient.
“It’s frightening for me that this could become more of a thing,” she remarked.
She urged people to check their vaccination status and highlighted typical symptoms such as cough, runny nose, fever, and a rash that begins around the hairline and spreads downward.
Children’s Wisconsin is also vigilant for potential measles cases, aligning with nationwide increases.
The CDC advises getting vaccinated at least two weeks before traveling. The last confirmed measles case in Milwaukee was reported in October 2023.
