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Cataracts

Decent Essays

A1. Outbreak

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. Persons infected with measles can spread the disease to others from 4 days before up to 4 days after rash onset. Maculopapular rash appearing all over the body is a classic symptom of measles. Other symptoms include high fever, runny nose, sore throat and hacking cough. There is no specific cure for measles however, medications can be taken to alleviate symptoms caused by the virus. People generally recover from the virus within 2 weeks. In some rare instances severe problems can occur which include, pneumonia, encephalitis, seizures or meningitis.
In 2008 140 measles cases were reported in the United States. Travelers to Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, India, Israel, …show more content…

5. A graphic representation of the measles outbreak

A6. Effect on Community

According to an article published in the Union Bulletin in September 2012, “Harvey Crowder, administrator for Walla Walla County Public Health Department stated about five percent of kids entering kindergarten in area schools are not immunized for a variety of reasons …” (Hagar, 2011) Those parents/person’s choosing an exemption from immunization laws have a greater risk of contracting communicable diseases and spreading to rest of the community. It is possible for an unimmunized person to acquire community immunity to certain diseases, however more than 94% of a community needs to be immune to measles in order for the unimmunized person to be immune to the disease. (Community Immunity, 2006)

B1. Protocol

Health care providers in Washington State have an obligation to contact local health authorities to report cases of persons infected with communicable diseases such as SARS. Washington State Department of Health have established timelines for reporting communicable diseases. According to the document found at http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1200/phsd-LHJ.pdf, certain diseases/conditions need to be reported either immediately, within 24 hours, 3 business days or monthly. Persons infected with SARS need to be reported immediately to the local health

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