The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) announced today that a tourist from India who has been confirmed to have measles visited a NYS Thruway Travel Plaza in Herkimer County, a Monroe County hotel, Niagara Falls State Park, and a Niagara Falls restaurant between May 11 and May 12, 2017, potentially exposing others to measles.

Anyone who visited the following locations may have been exposed:

  • The Iroquois Travel Plaza (rest stop) between Exit 29 (Canajoharie) and Exit 29A (Little Falls) on the NYS Thruway between 8:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. on May 11– 12, 2017.
  • The Hampton Inn, 4873 Lake Road, Brockport, N.Y. between 12:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on May 12, 2017.
  • Niagara Falls State Park, Niagara Falls, N.Y. between 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on May 12,2017, which includes the Maid of the Mist.
  • Swagat Fine Indian Cuisine, 24 Buffalo Avenue, Niagara Falls, N.Y. between 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. on May 12, 2017.
Measles/CDC
Measles/CDC

These times reflect the period that the infected individual was in these areas and a two-hour period after the individual left the area, as the virus remains alive in air and on surfaces for up to two hours. This explains the overlap in times.

Individuals are not at risk of contracting measles if they are immune. A person is unlikely to get measles if they were born before January 1, 1957, have received two doses of the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine or have a lab test confirming immunity.

Those individuals lacking immunity or not sure if they have been vaccinated, should contact their health care provider if they develop measles symptoms. Symptoms include a fever, rash, cough, conjunctivitis or runny nose. Symptoms usually appear in 10-12 days after exposure, although they may occur as late as June 2, 2017.

To prevent the spread of illness, the NYSDOH is advising individuals who may have been exposed and who have symptoms consistent with measles to contact their health care provider or a local emergency department before going for care. This will help to prevent others at these facilities from being exposed to the illness.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus that is spread by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected people. Symptoms generally appear in two stages.

In the first stage, which lasts two to four days, the individual may have a runny nose, cough and a slight fever. Eyes may become reddened and sensitive to light while the fever gradually rises each day, often peaking as high as 103° to 105° F. Small bluish white spots surrounded by a reddish area may also appear on the inside of the mouth.

The second stage begins on the third to seventh day and consists of a red blotchy rash lasting five to six days. The rash usually begins on the face and then spreads downward and outward, reaching the hands and feet. The rash fades in the same order that it appeared, from head to extremities. A person can spread measles from 4 days before the onset of rash through 4 days after the rash begins. Although measles is usually considered a childhood disease, it can be contracted at any age.

The single best way to prevent measles is to be vaccinated. Individuals should receive 2 doses of MMR vaccine to be protected. If a person is unsure if they are immune they should contact their healthcare provider. The first dose should be given at 12-15 months of age and the second dose should be given at 4 to 6 years of age (age of school entry). In New York State, measles immunization is required of children enrolled in schools, daycare, and pre-kindergarten. Since August 1990, college students have also been required to demonstrate immunity against measles.

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