West Virginia's First Measles Case in over a Decade: Lessons Learned

Session Description: This presentation aims to explore the challenges and strategies in identifying, managing, and responding to the first Measles case in West Virginia since 2009. It will provide insights into the issues faced during measles preparedness and response, highlight the critical role of public health partnerships across multiple healthcare settings, and share lessons learned. The presentation will provide an account of the difficulties encountered due to healthcare system complexity, physical infrastructure, diagnostic capabilities, technological limitations, and communication strategies, which led to delays and the issues during the contact tracing and follow-up processes. Discussion will also include a review of the use of outbreak reports within the electronic medical record to provide rapid identification of potentially exposed patients within the hospital and ambulatory settings that demonstrated the potential for technology to enhance outbreak management and response.
The presentation will highlight the strategies implemented to overcome obstacles and the lessons learned from this single case. By analyzing the experience, we aim to provide valuable insights that can serve as a learning tool for future clusters or potential exposures to highly infectious agents or public health threats. The experience provided valuable insights into improving diagnostic testing, enhancing contact tracing, and strengthening inter-agency collaboration and communication. The discussion will give participants practical knowledge and strategies that can be applied to their own communities, enhancing their preparedness and response capabilities for future public health challenges in the face of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
Valuable content for Infection preventionists, Emergency managers, Lab personnel, Healthcare administrators, Advanced practice providers, and Physicians.