Measles Case Confirmed In Greater Boston

BOSTON — After a person was diagnosed with measles in Greater Boston this weekend, the state Department of Public Health is warning people about potential exposure in seven public places the infected individual visited — from the South Shore Plaza Target to a Dunkin' in Waltham. Officials said Monday anyone who happened to be at those places could have been exposed. It was the state's first confirmed measles case so far this year.

"The measles virus is currently causing large national and international outbreaks of measles and a lack of vaccination, combined with domestic and international travel, has resulted in the spread of illness," said Dr. Catherine Brown, a state epidemiologist, in a statement. "Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself from this disease."

People who either aren't immunized or show symptoms of measles and visited any of the locations on the below specified dates and times were advised to contact their health care provider:

Tuesday, March 26

• 1:40 p.m.–4:40 p.m. - Katie's Burger Bar, 38 Main St. Ext., Plymouth

Wednesday, March 27

• 8:40 a.m.–10:45 a.m. - Starbucks, 12 Market Place Dr., Waltham
• 2:05 p.m.–4:20 p.m. -Framingham Service Plaza on I-90 westbound

Thursday, March 28

• 8:50 a.m.–11:10 a.m - Staples, 800 Lexington St. Waltham
• 9:10 a.m.–11:15 a.m - Dunkin’, Wal-Lex Shopping Center, 876A Lexington St., Waltham
• 11:55 a.m.–2:05 p.m. - Whole Foods, 990 Lyannough Rd., Hyannis
• 2:00 p.m.–4:05 p.m. - Target, 250 Granite St., Braintree

Symptoms of measles include white spots inside the mouth, inflamed eyes and sore throat. Measles is a highly contagious virus that is spread through the air through coughing and sneezing. One of the tricky things about the virus is that it may remain in the environment for up to two hours after the infectious person has left the area, health officials said.

• What you should know about the measles, according to the CDC.

Adults born in the U.S. before 1957 are considered immune to measles from past exposures.

The following people are at the highest risk of getting the measles:

• Infants under a year old who are too young to have received the vaccine
• People born after 1957 who received only one dose of the MMR vaccine
• People who have refused vaccination
• People from parts of the world with low vaccination rates
• People vaccinated from 1963 to 1967 with an inactivated vaccine and who haven't been re-vaccinated

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend children get their first measles vaccine between when they turn a year old.

An individual in New Hampshire also contracted measles last month. The CDC said there have been more than 314 measles cases across the country so far this year. That amount is among the highest since 2000.

RELATED:

• Measles Case One Of More Than 300 Across US (March 2019)
• Possible Measles Exposure At South Station And Two Boston Buses (March 2019)
• Possible Measles Exposure At Logan Airport And Boston (2018)
• Boston Report: Low Vaccination Rates to Blame for Measles Outbreak In Disney (2015)