An unvaccinated child in Nassau County has contracted measles, Nassau health officials said Saturday, marking the state's first measles case outside of New York City and the third statewide case this year. .
State health officials announced the case Friday night after a measles diagnosis in a Nassau County child was confirmed Friday at the state health department's Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany.
No information about the child or where the patient lives in Nassau has been released. Nassau County health officials are monitoring the case with the state, which has notified the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The Nassau County Health Department is closely investigating potential exposures and taking the necessary proactive steps to prevent the spread of measles,” Health Director Dr. Irina Gelman said in a statement Saturday morning. . “We strongly encourage all residents to protect their health by ensuring they receive important, lifesaving vaccinations.”
This is the third case of the virus in New York state this year, after two people tested positive in New York City, the state said. Cases have also recently emerged in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as part of the global outbreak.
The last recorded measles case in Nassau County was reported in September 2019, with two confirmed measles cases in the county. The county health department announced at the time that the case involved a foreign resident who had recently arrived in the country and was staying in a private residence. Officials said another measles patient has boarded the Long Island Railroad, and the railroad is taking additional steps to clean parts of its system in response.
The most recent confirmed measles case in Suffolk County was reported in April of the same year.
The disease is highly contagious in people who have not received two doses of the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine). The CDC says vaccinated people are usually protected for life.
“Our state epidemiologists and staff from the Vaccine Excellence Unit and Epidemiology Unit are working with experts at Wadsworth Institute and the Nassau County Health Department to monitor and investigate this case and potential exposure. ” James McDonald said in a news release. “The most important thing people can do to protect themselves is to make sure they are properly vaccinated against measles, and if not, get vaccinated immediately.”
Officials say people should contact their doctor if they are unsure of their vaccination status. A person born between 1957 and 1971 should check whether the vaccines for that period are reliable. Health officials say people born before 1957 have likely been exposed to the virus before and are likely to have immunity.
Measles is usually spread by coughing or sneezing. You can spread the disease by breathing in the virus or by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. State health officials say complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis, miscarriage, premature birth, hospitalization and death.
Symptoms include high fever, cough, red eyes, and a red, raised rash appears on the skin three to five days later. The rash can be accompanied by a fever as high as 104 degrees.
The disease can be contagious from 4 days before the rash appears.
According to the CDC, about 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people who are exposed to the disease can become infected. People could be required to quarantine for up to 21 days, according to the state health department.
