Likelihood Of Measles in Portage County ‘Very Low,’ Authorities Say

Health officials now say that a second potential case of measles in Portage County will probably not turn out to have been the disease. Tests for the other suspected case turned up negative earlier this week.

Portage County Public Health Nursing Supervisor Melanie Baehr said the young child probably never contracted the disease.

“Because he had not travelled out of state, had not had a typical showing of symptoms, and he has never been exposed to anybody with measles, it is really felt that this level of suspicion is very low,” Baehr said.

The two young children were isolated because measles is highly contagious. Baehr said even if the second child had contracted the disease, he would now be past the point where he would be a danger to others.