Unvaccinated six-year-old is the first person in Oregon to contract tetanus in 30 years

A six-year-old child from Oregon has contracted the first case of tetanus in 30 years.

The Center for Disease Control in the United States has recently released information regarding the case. The six-year-old child, who was unvaccinated, had to be hospitalised for six weeks. According to the Washington Post's report, the little boy sustained a forehead laceration while playing outdoors on a farm. Almost a week after his injury the six-year-old had episodes of crying, jaw clenching, and involuntary upper extremity muscle spasms, followed by arching of the neck and back. The boy was air-lifted to a pediatric medical centre where he was diagnosed with tetanus.

An unvaccinated 6-year-old contracted tetanus—Oregon's first child case in three decades.

It took two months and $800K+ to save him. At the end, doctors advised the family to fully vaccinate the boy. They still said no. (h/t @CDCgov @laurahelmuth)https://t.co/1FpHdGhz97 — Amy B Wang (@amybwang) March 8, 2019

The child required 57 days of inpatient acute care, including 47 days in the intensive care unit and acquired inpatient charges totalling $811,929. His diagnosis was the first case of tetanus in the state for more than three decades. Irish infants receive tetanus vaccinations as part of their 6-in-1 immunisation jabs. You can find out more about the vaccine here.