State's first case of measles in 2019 confirmed in East Tennessee

Officials have confirmed the first case of measles in Tennessee this year as the annual total of cases across the country continues to approach record levels.

The highly contagious disease was confirmed in a resident of the eastern part of the state, the Tennessee Department of Health announced Thursday. Officials would not specify which county, nor would they release any information about the resident.

The news coincides with a surge in measles cases in both the U.S. and abroad. Ninety cases were reported across the nation last week, bringing the total for the year to 555 in 20 states, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That figure — which doesn't include the Tennessee case — is the second-highest total since measles was declared "eliminated" in the U.S. in 2000.

The jump in cases nationally has been fueled in part by the anti-vaccination movement, the CDC said, as the majority of people who contract measles have not been vaccinated.

The full measles-mumps-rubella — or MMR — vaccine consists of two shots that are typically administered during childhood. It is widely available and "is one of the most effective vaccines that we have," Tennessee State Epidemiologist Dr. Tim Jones said at a news conference Thursday. "And therefore the highest risk of spread from a case, once we identify it, is to unimmunized people," including infants.

Tennessee, which Jones said has a high vaccination rate, has reported 16 cases of measles since 1995, according to state data. The largest and most recent outbreak consisted of seven cases in Shelby County in 2016. East Tennessee has reported only one case during that time period, in Washington County in 2007. The state saw one case in 2005, three in 2011 and four in 2014.

"Measles is one of the most infectious diseases that we know of and that we still deal with here, so it’s very, very easy to spread compared to a lot of other diseases that scare us," Jones said. "So any time that we see one case, there’s a very good likelihood that we’ll continue to see others spread from that case."

Educate yourself:What are the signs and symptoms of measles?

The measles virus, spread when someone coughs or sneezes, can live for up to two hours in the air or on surfaces. Those who breathe contaminated air or touch a contaminated surface before touching their eyes, noses or mouths can become infected.

A person can be infected for seven to 14 days before any symptoms appear, according to the CDC. The sickness typically begins with fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth before a red, spotty rash appears on the face and spreads downward.

Complications can include pneumonia and swelling of the brain. The disease can be fatal, especially in young children.

The ongoing surge in measles cases in the U.S. appears to correspond with a worldwide trend. Globally, the World Health Organization reported that cases rose by 300% in the first three months of 2019 compared with the same period in 2018.

Many outbreaks — defined as three or more cases — in the U.S. have been linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine and the Philippines, where large outbreaks are occurring, according to the CDC.

Although a single case of measles in a year in Tennessee is not unheard of, the ongoing national outbreak gave officials ample reason to alert the public, Jones said. Those who have been fully vaccinated should not worry, he added.

"The risk is very, very low," Jones said. "For the general population, this is a reminder that we always want to be careful and that there’s an easy and effective way to prevent disease. No one should be losing sleep over it, even in East Tennessee."

Reach Travis Dorman at travis.dorman@knoxnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @travdorman.