A case of measles in Keene: the NH DHHS warned

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CONCORD, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Social Services (DHHS) Public Health Services Division (DPHS) identified a New Hampshire resident diagnosed with measles. The infection has occurred in a child and the source of the infection is still under study. The child was in the following public places during his infectious period, when he could have transmitted the infection to people who were not immunized against measles (that is, those who had not not already infected or who did not receive the appropriate MMR vaccine for their age):

• The nursery (9h-13h) and coffee time (11h-14h) at the United Church of Christ at 23 Central Square in Keene on Sunday 12 May
• The infants / toddlers room of Keene Montessori School, located at 125 Railway Street, from 9 am to 3 pm Thursday May 16th
• The walk-in clinic at Cheshire Medical Center at 149 Emerald Street in Keene from 1 pm – 17h on Thursday 16 May

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Anyone who has visited the above-mentioned places at the specified times and dates should urgently review their immunization or immunization status against measles. Individuals who are not vaccinated or immunized, or who have questions about their immunization status, are encouraged to contact DPHS as soon as possible. A public phone line is available from 8 am to 4 pm, including weekends, by calling 603-271-9461 or toll-free for NH residents at 1-800-852-3345 ext. 9461. Any potentially exposed and non-immune person may need immediate vaccination to help prevent the development of measles. To avoid any possibility of spreading the disease, Anyone who feels sick should call their health care provider before going directly to a health facility.

"Measles is a very contagious disease that can be transmitted through the air, but the measles vaccine is very safe and effective. Anyone who believes they have been exposed to any of the listed sites and is not immunized or immunized should call the NH Division of Public Health Services, "said Dr. Benjamin Chan, Chief Epidemiologist. "Vaccination within 72 hours of exposure can help prevent the disease, but people can still benefit from vaccination even after this period. For those who can not get the vaccine for medical reasons, there are other treatments available that can help prevent the disease. "

Measles is caused by a virus that is transmitted from person to person by air when a person with the disease sneezes, coughs or speaks. The virus can remain contagious in the air until two hours after the departure of an infected person. It is very easy for people who have not received the measles vaccine to get it from someone else. The incubation period of measles from the time of exposure is 7 to 21 days, usually 2 weeks. The symptoms of measles usually start with a high fever, a cough, a runny nose and conjunctivitis several days before the onset of a rash.

NH DHHS recommends that all individuals review their immunization status with their health care provider to ensure adequate immunity against measles. The measles vaccine (MMR vaccine) is very safe and effective, and more than 99% of people who receive two doses of the vaccine acquire immunity against measles.

For more information on measles prevention, download the DHHS fact sheet on measles "at www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/documents/measles.pdf , visit the DHHS Immunization Program web page at www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/ immunization / index.htm and visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at www.cdc .gov / measles / index.html.