The New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) has been notified of a person diagnosed as having measles who may have exposed people at The Palace Hotel in Fords, Middlesex County, between September 25 and 30. The individual with measles is not a New Jersey resident.
Image/CDC
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that can cause serious medical complications. As a result, DOH recommends that anyone who visited The Palace Hotel, not the banquet hall, located at 1050 King Georges Post Rd., Fords, during those dates, contact a health provider immediately to discuss potential exposure and risk of developing the illness.
Anyone who suspects an exposure is urged to call a health care provider before going to a medical office or emergency room. Special arrangements can be made for you to be evaluated while also protecting other patients and medical staff from possible infection. People exposed at The Palace Hotel may develop symptoms as early as September 30 and as late as October 21. The Department is working with local health authorities to monitor close contacts.
“We urge everyone to check to make sure they and their family members are up-to-date on measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and all other age-appropriate immunizations. Getting vaccinated not only protects you, it protects others around you who are too young to get the vaccine or can’t receive it for medical reasons. Two doses of measles vaccine is more than 99 percent effective in preventing measles,” said Health Commissioner Mary E. O’Dowd.
Measles or rubeola, is an acute highly communicable viral disease that is characterized by Koplik spots in the cheek or tongue very early in the disease. A couple of days later a red blotchy rash appears first on the face, and then spreads, lasting 4-7 days. Other symptoms include fever, cough and red watery eyes. The patient may be contagious from four days prior to the rash appearance to four days after rash appearance.
The disease is more severe in infants and adults. Complications from measles which is reported in up to 20% of people infectedinclude; seizures, pneumonia, deafness and encephalitis. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
This year the United States is experiencing a record number of measles cases. From January 1 to August 29, there have been 592 confirmed measles cases reported to CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). This is the highest number of cases since measles elimination was documented in the U.S. in 2000.
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