Oklahoma Health Officials Stress Importance Of Measles Vaccine

Oklahoma health experts are on alert for measles after an outbreak in Texas. At least 21 cases have been traced back to the Eagle Mountain International Church located just North of Fort Worth.

Officials with the Oklahoma State Health Department explained that the close proximity caused some worry for them, especially since some Oklahomans choose not to use vaccines.

They said that in the late 1990s, some parents began to worry that the MMR vaccine was linked to autism cases. The health department refuted that claim and explained there is "absolutely no data that shows any relationship between the two."

Oklahoma law provides exemptions based on medical conditions, as well as religious and philosophical beliefs. Just over one percent of children in the state are not vaccinated, according to health department tracking statistics.

Measles is a highly infectious virus that is spread through airborne droplets. Infected people often exhibit a high fever, runny nose, cough and a signature rash that often starts at the hairline then progresses down the body.

A person is contagious four days prior to and four days after the rash develops.

Health experts say for every 1,000 infections, one or two people die from the measles.