The Delaware Department of Public Health said in a statement on February 20 that a case of measles exposure was reported in the Nemours Children’s Hospital emergency room.
The state agency said the incident occurred on February 18 and that contact tracing was ongoing.
“DPH will notify individuals identified as exposed, confirm whether they have been previously vaccinated against measles, provide educational resources, and recommend quarantine and exclusion orders if necessary,” the agency’s news release said.
DPH encourages contacts to check their vaccination status and watch for symptoms in the 21 days before March 11. Pregnant women, regardless of vaccination status, and anyone they may have been exposed to during this period should go to an emergency room for evaluation and treatment.
Measles symptoms appear about 7 to 14 days after exposure to the virus, according to the Mayo Clinic website. The first symptoms are usually:
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Fever, which may be as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit
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Red, watery eyes, called conjunctivitis
About two to three days after the first symptoms appear, people may also see tiny white spots in their mouth called Koplik’s spots.
Get measles protection
DPH says anyone who has been exposed to measles and is not fully vaccinated against measles should receive a dose of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine within 72 hours of exposure. That was before February 21st.
Vaccines are available at pharmacies and primary care providers. People interested in receiving the vaccine should contact their preferred facility to ensure they have the MMR vaccine and can receive it.
If someone is experiencing symptoms, please contact the Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at (302) 744-4990 during regular business hours or the state 24-hour reporting hotline at (888) 295-5156 after regular business hours to coordinate testing, receive guidance and limit any further exposure.
People who are sick should contact their primary care provider to seek immediate medical care.
The Department of Public Health says if symptoms are severe, people should seek treatment immediately at the nearest emergency room. Before traveling to any health care facility, individuals should notify providers and medical transport personnel that they or their children have been exposed to measles.
Healthcare providers who discover any potential measles case should contact the Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology immediately.
If Delaware residents are unsure about their vaccination status, they can visit the DelVAX public portal and view their profile. Individuals who are unable to obtain records on DelVAX may also contact their primary care provider for more details.
“The MMR vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective in preventing measles and has been administered for more than 50 years,” DPH said. “Testing has shown that the vaccine is 97% effective in preventing measles in people who have received two doses of MMR vaccine and are not severely immunocompromised.”
Children should receive the first dose of vaccine when they are 12 to 15 months old and the second dose when they are 4 to 6 years old. Infants aged 6 to 11 months who are traveling abroad or in areas with measles outbreaks or exposures should receive a dose of MMR vaccine as early as possible.
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious, acute viral illness that begins with early symptoms of fever, cough, rhinitis (runny nose), and conjunctivitis (pink eye) and lasts for two to four days, followed by a rash.
The rash usually appears three to five days after symptoms begin, usually on the face and spreading throughout the body.
Measles can cause serious health complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death.
The virus is spread through direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.
The measles virus can remain contagious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
An infected person is contagious from four days before to four days after the rash appears.
The incubation period for measles infection from fever is usually about 10 days, but can last up to 7 to 12 days. It usually takes about 14 days from exposure to the onset of rash, but can take up to 7 to 21 days.
This article originally appeared in the Delaware News Journal: Measles exposure at Nemours emergency room prompts Delaware warning
