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LAKEWOOD, NJ – A suspected case of measles has been reported in Ocean County, a medical group in Lakewood said.
CHEMED – the Center for Health Education, Medicine and Dentistry – posted the notice on its website Wednesday. The notice adds that there are confirmed cases of whooping cough and chickenpox, as well as chickenpox, but does not say where.
Daniel Regenye, public health coordinator of the Ocean County Health Department, confirmed a Lakewood Scoop report that the patient was a 27 year old man from Lakewood, returning from a trip to the A stranger a week ago.
Samples were taken from the man on Wednesday and were transferred overnight to federal disease control centers, Regenye said. The department hopes to have the results late Friday.
In the meantime, the department is urging all of Ocean County to ensure that they are up-to-date regarding their vaccinations, not only for measles but also for whooping cough, which has recently experienced a resurgence, he said. In 2017, there were 17 confirmed cases of pertussis in Ocean County.
Measles is very contagious, he says, transmitted in the air by people who cough or sneeze, but the virus can also survive on the surfaces for two hours.
"There is a very real danger for those who are not immune, such as infants and those who are immunocompromised, who may come in contact with an infected person," said the CHEMED note.
"It's an easily preventable disease," said Regenye. He said that Ocean County had had a confirmed case for some time, but that there had been at least one case of measles in New Jersey in 2017. Most of these cases were related international travel because vaccination levels among residents were lower.
Measles begins with fever. A short time later, it causes a cough, a runny nose and red eyes. Then, an eruption of small red spots appears. It starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body, said CHEMED.
Pregnant women not immunized against measles risk exposure of their fetus, which could result in low birth weight, premature birth, miscarriage or fetal death, according to the CDC.
This can be serious in all age groups. However, children under 5 and adults over 20 are more likely to suffer from measles complications, the CDC said.
Common complications are ear infections and diarrhea. More serious complications include pneumonia and encephalitis; up to one in 20 children with measles contract pneumonia, the leading cause of measles deaths in young children. One in 1000 children who get measles will develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain) that can cause convulsions and leave the child deaf or mentally handicapped.
For 1,000 children with measles, one or two will die.
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