Child With Measles Was In Philadelphia: Health Officials

PHILADELPHIA — A child with measles has confirmed to have was in Philadelphia recently, according to health officials.

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Office of Public Health is investigating a case of the measles in a child in the county. Officials said that child may have exposed people to the illness, including in Philadelphia.

The child was in Philadelphia at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday.

They arrived at the Pho Ha Saigon restaurant, 757 Adams Ave. in Philadelphia, on a China Airlines Airport Shuttle Bus that came from Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.

The child then was at True North Pediatrics Associates of Plymouth, 3031 Walton Rd., #C101, in Plymouth Meeting on Wednesday, and then at the CHOP King of Prussia Campus Emergency Department on Wednesday.

People who were at any of these locations during the identified time periods may have been exposed.

Investigators are completing contact tracing in coordination with the health care systems above.

Identified individuals are in the process of being contacted and notified of potential exposure to measles and assessed for vaccination status and risk for infection.

Measles virus can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area. If someone breathes in the contaminated air or touches an infected surface and then touches their eyes, nose or mouth, they can become infected.

Know Your Risk

The measles vaccine is safe and highly effective at preventing measles. For individuals who are properly immunized against measles, the risk of getting the disease is minimal. Individuals who believe they were exposed should:

• Review their immunization and medical records to determine if they are protected against measles.
• Consult with their health care provider about receiving measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization if they have not had measles infection or received the measles immunization previously. Contact and notify their health care provider as soon as possible about a potential exposure if they are pregnant, have an infant (child under the age of 1 year old), have a weakened immune system, and/or are not vaccinated.
• Monitor themselves for illness with fever and/or an unexplained rash, cough, congestion or runny nose, or red watery eyes (conjunctivitis) from 7 days to 21 days after their exposure (the time period when symptoms may develop). If symptoms develop, stay at home and call a health care provider immediately.

Measles is a reportable disease in Pennsylvania. If you suspect that you or your child have measles and wish to seek care, please call your health care provider, urgent care, or hospital emergency room before leaving home, or contact the Office of Public Health at 610-278-5117 to facilitate a safe visit and reduce exposure for staff and other patients. Health care providers should report suspected cases of measles immediately to the Montgomery County Office of Public Health at 610-278-5117 or after hours at 610-635-4300.

Individuals are considered to be immune to measles if any of the following applies:

• They were born in 1957 or earlier.
• They have had 2 doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
• They have had measles disease.

The following groups of people are potentially susceptible to measles:

• Infants who are too young to have been immunized (less than one year of age).
• Children who are only partially vaccinated (less than 6 years old).
• Persons who were vaccinated with an inactivated or unknown type of vaccine, which was used from 1963 through 1967, and have not been revaccinated.
• Some persons born after 1957 who have only received one dose of vaccine.
• Those who have refused vaccination
• Those from areas of the world where there is low vaccine coverage or currently circulating measles.
• Immune-compromised persons, such as organ transplant recipients, patients receiving chemotherapy and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Individuals who meet the above criteria or cannot verify their immune status should consult with their primary healthcare provider about the best way to protect themselves from measles.

About Measles

Measles is an extremely contagious virus that lives in the mucus membranes of the nose and throat of infected people. Measles can be transmitted from person to person through coughing and sneezing. If a healthy person breathes the contaminated air or touches an infected surface, then touches their eyes, nose or mouth they can become infected. When an infected person sneezes or coughs, droplets spray into the air and those droplets can contain active and contagious virus which will last in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours.

Measles typically begins with a fever (100.4 degree Fahrenheit or higher) that lasts for several days, followed by a cough, runny nose, and watery eyes (conjunctivitis). Two to three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear in the mouth. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a flat red spotted rash appears beginning on face at the hairline and spreads downwards to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. The flat red spots may also be joined by small, raised bumps. Symptoms appear about seven to 14 days on average after exposure but can be as long as 21 days.

Measles is preventable with two doses of MMR vaccine which is available at your local healthcare provider or pharmacy. The Montgomery Office of Public Health can assist by providing recommendations for testing, outbreak prevention, and disease management.

For questions, call the Montgomery County Office of Public Health at 610-278-5117. For more information about measles, go online here. To find information about immunizations go online here.

Editor’s note: a previous version of this story incorrectly listed where the child was in Philadelphia. Patch regrets the error.