Montezuma County health officials say that new measles cases are at zero, but flu cases continue to spike.
Flu cases in Colorado rank among the highest in the U.S., according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map. The CDC says the most common strain this week is Influenza A (H3N2). The agency reports these trends align with elevated flu activity nationwide and expects cases to rise through the flu season.
“Locally here, we’ve had two influenza cases that have been hospitalized, it’s not good, but it’s not terrible,” said Bobbi Lock, Montezuma County public health director, during the county’s Board of Health meeting.
She said: “RSV (a common respiratory virus) has had one hospitalization and no COVID-19 hospitalizations, but we’ve had 100 COVID cases locally.”
More than 3,200 people statewide have been hospitalized with the flu, and RSV has hospitalized 279, according to Lock.
“Definitely, flu is every day increasing,” she said. “It is my understanding the strain they are seeing is not completely covered by the vaccine, but they are saying the current vaccine is still going to help if you do get the flu. It’s still going to help you not get as sick.”
Health officials recommend getting vaccinated and practicing daily flu prevention, such as staying home when sick, washing hands and treating symptoms promptly. They also suggest avoiding sick individuals and disinfecting surfaces. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, body aches, fatigue and headaches.
Lock provided an additional update on the county’s measles outlook, saying there are no new cases and wastewater in Cortez is testing negative.
In November and December, county cases rose to four, with two linked to an unvaccinated household of a previously confirmed case last fall. Nationally, 2,000 cases have been confirmed since December.
Wastewater at the Cortez Sanitation District was monitored after the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment detected traces of the virus. Lock told the Montezuma County Board of Commissioners the wastewater has tested negative.
“Our most-recent result from Jan. 8 is negative at this point, we did have positive wastewaters when we had measles cases. It is really sensitive, I am not sure how testing is done, but it is super sensitive, just one case will show up in wastewater,” she said.
Lock said the testing only detects measles. Cases outside the sanitation district are not picked up unless infected individuals visit Cortez for school, shopping or dining.
“Typically, it shows up in wastewater before you find sick people,” she said. “Actually, the turnaround is pretty quick with measles.”
She described wastewater testing as a tool for monitoring measles outbreaks, but recent tests have been negative. The final test will be taken Wednesday, with results expected within a week.
Lock said Arizona is seeing a surge in measles cases, particularly near the Arizona-Utah border, with Mohave County reporting more than 200 cases. Southwest Utah has reported 114 cases since last month, she added.
She said local regions in Colorado, including La Plata County, have not reported recent cases.
“Measles is a lot of work. It is definitely more time-consuming, just the investigative part, is far more time consuming than COVID ever was just in this county,” Lock said. One report showed a county nurse spent more than 80 hours on one case, including daily health check-ins and contact tracing.
Lock said residents seeking vaccination or updated records should contact the county health department.
Measles: What to know and how to protect yourself
Vaccination and local resources
Montezuma County Public Health Department can verify vaccination records and offers immunizations. They ask residents to call in advance for availability, costs and scheduling at (970) 565-3056.
What are measles?
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that spreads through coughing, sneezing or close contact. Transmission often occurs before people realize they are sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes airborne spread, which can happen up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room.
Symptoms typically begin seven to 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. A blotchy rash usually starts on the face and spreads to the neck, arms, torso, legs and feet.
Measles can cause serious complications, especially in infants, children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. Complications may include pneumonia, hospitalization and, in severe cases, death.
How to protect against measles
The best protection is the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, which health officials say is safe. Children may receive the MMRV vaccine, which also protects against chickenpox.
If you’re unsure whether you’ve been vaccinated, talk with your health care provider or contact Montezuma County Public Health Department at (970) 565-3056. For questions about exposure, symptoms or vaccinations, call the same number.
Source: Montezuma County Health Department, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
