SPOKANE, Wash. – Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center confirmed Thursday afternoon that two children seen in their emergency rooms the week of August 12 tested positive for Measles.
The first child, a resident of Bonner County, was exposed in North Idaho and received treatment at Providence.
Health officials say the second case, in a 6-week-old child, resulted from exposure to the first child.
A worried mother, who asked Non Stop Local to remain anonymous, took her then 5-week-old son to the Providence Emergency Room on August 13 due to breathing issues.
She described it as nothing too serious.
However, a few days later, she received a call from the Spokane Regional Health Department. They informed her that they had been exposed to measles at the hospital.
“Probably a couple of days later — I can’t remember. I got a phone call from the Spokane regional Health Department infection protection or whatever, and they said we had had exposure to Measles at the hospital,” she said.
Measles is known for being highly infectious and contagious. Though initially not concerned, the mother noticed her son was fussy and uncomfortable with redness in his eye on a Sunday morning.
“I had woken up at two with him and had been up, and he was really fussy and uncomfortable, and I could see red in his eye,” she recalled.
Providence Medical Center confirmed that her 6-week-old son had contracted measles days later.
“There’s two confirmed cases that have come through Sacred Heart ER,” Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Mike Barsotti said.
The two cases are connected by a single exam room at Providence, according to the mother. She explained that the hospital informed her that a child seen before hers had presented measles-like symptoms without the telltale rash.
In response to the confirmed cases, Providence Emergency Room is implementing measures to prevent further spread. These steps include pre-screening individuals who come for treatment.
“If you screen positive, then we’ll ask you to put on a mask immediately and then we’ll have staff escort you into the hospital,” Barsotti explained.
Patients suspected of having measles are treated in rooms with controlled airflow to prevent the virus from spreading.
Providence advises those who suspect they have measles to call ahead before visiting in person.
“Just call ahead and let us know,” Barsotti said.
The mother with the 6-week-old remains concerned about potential health issues.
“The biggest thing could be brain swelling for a baby his age,” she said.
Encephalitis, or brain swelling, can result in permanent brain damage.
“It just sucks that we we’d gone for something that was not a big deal and then left with something that’s a really big deal,” she said.
She explains that she and her child will be staying at home to prevent spread.
