Lewis County Public Health Officials Investigate 10 Additional Measles Cases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE ADDITIONAL MEASLES CASES

LOWVILLE, NY- Lewis County Public Health has received report of 10 additional cases of measles. All cases have been in unvaccinated individuals. The residents that are in their infectious period are currently isolated until they are no longer contagious. To protect resident privacy, no additional details will be released. The overall risk to the public remains low, particularly in those that are fully vaccinated or who were born before 1957 (and presumed to have natural immunity.)

Potential Exposures & Contact Tracing

Because measles is a highly contagious airborne virus, public health officials conduct thorough contact tracing of the confirmed case. Lewis County Public Health has successfully identified and directly contacted all individuals known to have been exposed.

What Exposed Individuals Should Do

• Check Your Immunity/Vaccination Status

You are generally considered immune to measles if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You have documented records of receiving two doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
• You were born before 1957.
• A healthcare provider has previously confirmed through a blood test that you are immune.

If you are fully vaccinated, your risk of contracting measles is very low. Unvaccinated individuals, young infants, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals are at the highest risk for severe complications. If you have symptoms or someone has notified you of an exposure, stay home.

• Monitor for Symptoms for 21 Days

Early symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and include:

• High fever (often rising above 101 degrees F)
• Cough
• Runny nose (coryza)
• Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
•