Durham officials warn about possible exposure to measles at school and coffee

DURHAM, NC (WTVD) – Durham officials have informed residents of a possible measles exposure in the community.

A letter was sent Saturday to the parents of Goddard School stating that a child with a possible case of measles was present on June 11 from 9:30 to 11:30.

Health officials said that a possible case could have occurred at Bean Traders at 105 W NC 54 in Durham on June 10 from 10:00 to 13:30.

Durham County Medical Director Dr. Arlene Sena spoke Monday morning at a press conference. She added that additional tests needed to be done in a national laboratory to confirm or refute the case. The results of this lab are expected later this week.

So far, in 2019, more than 1,200 people in 28 states have been tested positive for measles. Nobody has been tested positive in North Carolina yet. In 2018, three people in North Carolina tested positive for measles.

Measles is spread by coughing, sneezing and contact with the secretions of the nose, mouth and throat of an infected person.

RELATED: Measles Alert: Health Authorities in North Carolina Urge Residents to Take Precautions to Avoid Infections

If you have not been vaccinated against measles, are immunocompromised or are pregnant, and if you were there during the above period, please call the Durham County Public Health Department today. at (919) 560-HELP.

According to the authorities, the symptoms of measles usually appear in two stages. In the first stage, most people have a fever of over 101 degrees, a runny nose, watery eyes, red eyes and a cough. The second stage begins between the third and seventh days, when a rash begins to appear on the face and spreads all over the body.

Officials say that there is no confirmed case of measles but that additional tests are underway.