A person in Lincolnton tested positive for measles, the first case in that area and the sixth in the Charlotte region.
A press release Thursday said the Lincoln County Health Department is reaching out to people who may have been exposed to determine if they have immunity or how they can reduce the risk of spread.
A tracker on the N.C. Division of Public Health website said that, since December, there have been three confirmed cases of measles in Mecklenburg County and two in Union County. Officials in Union County sent out more than 170 quarantine orders in late January after an infected child went to school.
Before the Lincoln County case that was announced on Thursday, there were 15 cases confirmed statewide.
Lincoln County officials said anyone who went to one of the following locations in Lincolnton should check their immunization records and contact the local health department for guidance:
- The Meating Place, 114 East Main Street, on Jan. 27 between 3 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.
- Ingles, 2130 East Main Street, on Jan. 27 between 5 p.m. and 7:30 pm
- Atrium Health Lincoln Emergency Department, 433 McAlister Road, on Feb. 2 between 10:57 am and 4:17 pm
Vaccine hesitancy, driven by the anti-vaccination movement in the U.S., has made it difficult to achieve widespread protection from measles. Medical experts and public health leaders say overcoming hesitancy is key in preventing further spread in and around Charlotte, and preventing the rise of other infectious diseases.
Those who have been exposed should not visit a healthcare facility without calling ahead, a press release said. People who have confirmed exposure without immunity should quarantine for 21 days after the last known exposure, officials said.
Jeff A. Chamer
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