As Knox County approaches the likely conclusion of its measles outbreak, Knox Public Health Commissioner Zach Green informed the Mount Vernon City Council that the county had recorded 20 confirmed measles cases as of his quarterly report on May 12.
"We do not have any known active cases within the jurisdiction of Knox County, so we'll continue to monitor that our outbreak period, assuming that there's no additional cases that come forward, will expire on the 29th of May," Green said, according to a meeting video. He added that there could be cases they are not aware of.
According to Green, Knox County may continue to face outbreaks due to travel during wedding season. He noted potential impacts in surrounding areas such as Ashland, Richland, and Holmes Counties and suggested clusters of cases might emerge throughout the summer months. At the time of his report, there were no active measles cases in the county.
Green said that Knox Public Health is maintaining outreach clinics and offering MMR vaccines—against measles, mumps, and rubella—without a $15 administrative fee to remove barriers for residents.
He also mentioned that Knox Public Health continues to utilize Mount Vernon's surveillance opportunities for wastewater monitoring. Federal executive orders have led to state-level cuts, reducing monitoring sites in Knox County from three to one. The Ohio Department of Health provides this service at no cost. Locally, they monitor for RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), norovirus, influenza, and COVID-19. Green expressed concern over site reductions since monitoring wastewater has proven effective in pandemic prevention efforts.
Green further reported that environmental health staff would soon implement a new platform for conducting health inspections. Additionally, the agency is seeking to hire a community health worker who will engage directly with residents where they live.
