West Fargo Sanford Pediatrician Speaks On The Rising Cases of Measles

WEST FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Measles, it’s one of the most contagious infectious diseases that can live up in the air for 2 hours.

“And so, you have that entire like two-week period where you don’t know where you caught it. You don’t know how contagious you’ve been. Typically you’re actually contagious right when that first fever starts, but who knows, you know, it hasn’t declared itself all that well yet,” said Dr. Brandon Meyer, MD General Pediatrician Sanford Health.

Measles may appear with symptoms of a high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash. So far since February, 164 measles cases have been reported in nine states. Compared to 2024, 285 measles cases were reported in 31 states.

“It is due to like low vaccination rates that these vaccine-preventable diseases are coming back. So, I urge you, urge you, urge you please listen to your medical professionals, listen to your healthcare providers. We all recommend them. It is so important please get your vaccines on time and it will help save your children,” said Meyer.

Concerns about measles have risen in the last week after the first death was reported in West Texas, since 2015. Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is urging people to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

“We can’t give until twelve months old for certain populations you can give like an extra dose down to six months old. But that doesn’t typically count for the vaccine schedule. So you are those less than twelve months old are actually at most risk for really severe disease up until about five years old,” said Meyer.

Sanford typically offers the first vaccines to infants, but Meyer says that anyone who has not received it can still receive one now.

For more information on measles vaccines, you can visit Sanford’s website.