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The measles outbreak in Ocean County could have spread beyond the county's borders: public health officials said that a county person affected by the disease could have exposed residents of Passaic County.
The Ministry of Health announced the presence of 15 confirmed cases in the measles outbreak that began on October 24. Another "highly suspect" case was reported by state officials, who said these people were potentially exposed in Ocean and Passaic counties Nov. 13 and 18. The Ocean County Department of Health said at least 16 cases were under investigation in an update released on November 20th.
The most recent cases mean that the symptoms of measles in any exposed person could manifest until December 9, health officials said. (READ MORE: Are you at risk in the Ocean County measles epidemic?)
Ocean County officials are working to vaccinate children and adults in the fight against the epidemic; more than 12,400 doses of measles vaccine were distributed with the help of the county.
The outbreak prompted private schools in Lakewood to ban measles from non-immune children, and a person's exposure to measles prompted the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Center in Toms River to shut down for a few months. days.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can linger in the air and on surfaces until two o'clock after the departure of the infected person. Its airborne contagion rate is 90%.
Symptoms of measles usually develop 10 to 12 days after exposure to an infected person and usually last 7 to 10 days. Initial symptoms include fever over 104 degrees, coughing, runny nose and inflamed eyes, followed by small white dots that may form in the mouth 2 to 3 days after onset of symptoms, followed by Face rash before spreading to other parts of the body 3 to 5 days after the onset of symptoms, said the Ocean County Health Department.
If you think you have measles, do NOT go to your doctor's office, emergency room, or health care provider. call them in advance so that they can take precautions to protect others from exposure.
"The current measles epidemic is a real public health crisis that deserves the full attention of the Ocean County Health Department, but also of all health care providers in the epidemic area," he said. said Daniel Regenye, Ocean County Public Health Coordinator.
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