Measles Case Reported In Ocean County: State Officials

TRENTON, NJ — An Ocean County resident has been diagnosed with a case of the measles, the New Jersey Department of Health said Thursday.

The case is the only one confirmed in New Jersey at the moment, the Health Department said, adding that limited information on the case was available. There have been three other cases in the state, officials said, part of a household outbreak in February.

"NJDOH is working in collaboration with local health officials on ongoing contact tracing and on efforts to notify people who might have been exposed and to identify additional exposures that may have occurred," the health department statement said.

Anyone who might have been exposed, if they become infected, could develop symptoms as late as July 22, the health department said.

As of Thursday, no additional associated cases in New Jersey have been identified, state officials said.

The state is not experiencing a measles outbreak, which is defined as three or more related cases by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New Jersey had a measles outbreak in Ocean County in 2018 but has not reported any cases in the county since then until this week.

Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a rash that usually appears between three and five days after symptoms begin. The rash usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, torso, arms, legs, and feet. Measles can also cause serious complications, such as pneumonia and encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and can lead to miscarriage in pregnant people, premature birth, or a low-birth-weight baby.

The state urges anyone who suspects an exposure or illness to call their local health department or a health care provider BEFORE going to any medical office or emergency department. Special arrangements can be made for evaluation while also protecting other patients and medical staff from possible infection. Please do not visit a medical facility without calling ahead.

The virus spreads easily through the air when someone coughs or sneezes and can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area. People can also get sick when they come in contact with mucus or saliva from an infected person. Individuals at risk include those who have not been fully vaccinated or have not had measles in the past.

State officials said the MMR vaccine, administered in two doses, is safe and the most effective way to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella. The vaccine is also effective at preventing complications caused by these highly contagious diseases, state officials have said.