Department Of Health Warns Of Possible Measles Exposure In 4 Local Pennsylvania Counties
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania Department of Health is warning the public of a potential measles exposure of Berks, Bucks, Delaware and Lehigh Counties (see related article on measles).
According to information released Tuesday afternoon, a person diagnosed as "possibly having measles" may have exposed other people to the highly contagious virus between July 11 and July 22nd.
Authorities believe the exposures may have occurred at the following locations:
Berks County:
• BB's Grocery Outlet, 6180 Morgantown Road (Old MOM's Mall) on Tuesday, July 19, between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.;
• Chick-fil-A, 4675 Perkiomen Ave., Exeter Township on Thursday, July 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.
Delaware County:
• Starbucks, 443 E. Baltimore Pike, Media on Friday, July 22 from 7:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Lehigh County:
• KNBT Bank, 235 Main St., Emmaus on Friday, July 22 from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.;
• PA Wine & Spirits Store, 1325 Chestnut St., Emmaus on Friday, July 22 from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Bucks County:
• Hot Spot Restaurant, Old Dublin Pike, Doylestown on Friday, July 22 from 6 p.m. to closing.
The following information has been released by the Department of Health:
Although most people in the United States are immune to measles, either because they received the Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine in childhood or because they were exposed to measles prior to the use of vaccines, the following groups of individuals are at risk of becoming infected with measles if exposed:
• Infants less than one year of age who are too young to have received the MMR vaccine;
• Persons who were vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine, which was used from 1963 through 1967, and have not been revaccinated;
• Persons born after 1957 who have only received one dose of MMR vaccine;
• Those who refused vaccination; and
• Those from parts of the world where there is low vaccination coverage or circulating measles.
Symptoms will begin one to two weeks after exposure, and include a runny nose, watery eyes, cough and a high fever. After four days, a raised, red rash starts to spread on the face, down the body and out to the arms and legs. The rash usually lasts four to seven days. An individual with measles can spread the virus to others for four days before and four days after the rash begins.
For more information about measles, call 1-877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258) or visit www.health.state.pa.us.
