If you or your child attended the March 8 “Disney on Ice” concert at the Heritage Bank Center, where a measles case was detected, Cincinnati public health authorities want you to fill out a form to notify them.
The Cincinnati Health Department released the form on Monday to assist with contact tracing, which is a method of identifying persons who have been near someone who has been diagnosed with an infectious disease and, eventually, tracking the sickness.
Arminda Allen, a nursing supervisor with the health department, encouraged all guests, regardless of vaccination status, to complete the form to request services such as additional information and measles testing.
Measles symptoms include fever, cough, red eyes, and, as the disease progresses, a rash.
“If they use the form to report that they had symptoms consistent with measles, they could expect a same-day response from the city health department,” said Allen, who works in the agency’s infectious diseases unit.
Residents who require immediate assistance should contact the city’s illness helpline at 513-357-7462 during business hours or 877-774-4636 after 5 p.m.
Allen explained that the form is especially intended for persons who are most vulnerable to measles, such as infants and those who have not been vaccinated. “We’re also using the form to identify anyone that might work at high-risk settings, such as a school, daycare or healthcare facility.”
According to Allen, the affected person at the performance was not a Cincinnati resident, and there have been no measles incidents in the city in 2024. Still, Cincinnati Public Schools’ measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination rates are below what is required to keep the community healthy.
While lacking documentation may have an impact on the results, “the numbers that we do have are not adequate for herd immunity,” Allen stated.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have already been 58 cases of measles nationally in 2024 as of March 14, matching the total incidence for the year 2023. At least five of the cases came from Ohio.
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