By NINA WU Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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The Hawaii Department of Health has confirmed its first measles case this year in an unvaccinated child on Oahu under the age of 5.

Gov. Josh Green made the announcement during a press conference this morning, in which he urged everyone to get vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella.

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The case was confirmed Monday night, Green said, in a child that recently returned from international travel. The child developed a fever, runny nose and cough shortly after returning to Hawaii, and sought medical care at Queen’s Island Urgent Care Kapahulu after breaking out in a rash.

DOH said the child is now recovering at home on Oahu, and a household member with similar symptoms is being evaluated for possible measles infection.

“I don’t want anyone to panic,” said Green. “There is no reason to panic, and our Department of Health is on it. We’ve been talking through the morning and night about what we do. This is where good public health comes in. But we do have a kid with the measles.”

DOH is investigating the case and working to identify and directly inform those who may have been exposed to the child. Flight notifications have been issued, and an alert has been sent to health care providers statewide.

“The kid’s doing well, by all accounts,” said Green, “so we send our love and prayers to them.”

Measles is a very contagious disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to CDC, 9 out of 10 people of all ages exposed to an infected person will become infected if they do not have immunity. Exposure includes entering a room up to two hours after an infected person has been there.

“Let me really clear — you’re sitting near somebody with the measles and you’re not vaccinated, you’ve got a really good chance to catch it,” said Green. “I mean, this stuff is infectious, so it’s very important that you listen carefully to our Department of Health officials to find out if you happened to be in that lounge with them, or on the plane with them, or at a play date.”

Measles can also result in complications including pneumonia and encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. The best way to prevent measles, said DOH, is through vaccination.

See Wedneday’s Tribune-Herald for more on this story.