In a follow-up to a report in early January, the Monroe County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) has confirmed a total of 4 lab confirmed cases of measles in Monroe County and 3 cases that while not lab confirmed fit the clinical profile of measles – bringing to total number of cases to 7.
This is being called the worst local outbreak of measles in decades and the first case in January was the first since 2014.
Upstate New York in total has averaged just three cases of measles annually since 1995.
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.
A person is considered immune and is unlikely to get measles if they were born before January 1, 1957, or 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 are at risk of developing measles. Symptoms include a fever, rash, cough, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and/or runny nose. Symptoms usually appear in 10-12 days after exposure but may take as long as 21 days.
The single best way to prevent measles is to be vaccinated. Individuals are recommended to receive 2 doses of MMR vaccine to be protected.
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