The Taney County Health Department is thanking the community and its partners in healthcare for their response to a measles case in April.
It was the first case of measles in Missouri this year, amid a well-publicized surge in infections across the US. Per the CDC, 1,168 measles cases have been confirmed in the country as of June 5, resulting in three deaths. For comparison, 285 cases total were confirmed in all of 2024.
Tatum O’Dell is Community Relations Specialist for the Taney County Health Department. She said the department keeps up with national trends and was prepared.
She credits partners at Cox Health Branson, the Stone County Health Department, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. She also credits the community. She said individuals who came in contact with the positive measles case followed recommendations. This case did not cause any known additional cases.
Measles is highly contagious. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says that the MMR vaccine is the best way to prevent it. A 95% vaccination rate is considered necessary to achieve herd immunity.
O’Dell said the vaccination rate for Taney County kindergartners is at 83%.
“It is slightly lower than it has been in the past,” she said. When asked if the health department was concerned, she explained “of course we want everyone to be safe and protected. And so, the high contagion of the measles virus is concerning. Above all else.”
She says vaccine hesitancy has grown nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everyone has their own perspective and experiences, and it's important to listen,” O’Dell said. “Our main goal on each of our communication platforms, whether that's social media through a press release, is to inform and educate the public so that they can make their own informed decisions about their own medical care.”
You can find Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services guidance on measles and other communicable diseases at health.mo.gov/living