SENECA CO. -- Seneca County Health officials are investigating a case of measles in a New York Chiropractic College student.
The health department received confirmation of the case on Friday. Local health officials in Seneca County are now working with the State Health Department and the New York Chiropractic College to implement control measures to prevent the disease from spreading.
Measles is a high contagious viral disease. The virus lives in the mucus in the nose and throat of infected people and is spread through the air through coughing, sneezing and talking. Airborne droplets remains active and contagious on infected surfaces for up to two hours.
Symptoms of measles appear in two stages. The first stage lasts for two to four days and includes a running nose, cough, fever, reddened eyes, light sensitivity, increasing fever and small bluish spots surrounded by a reddish area that develops on the gums and inside of the cheeks. The second stage begins on the third to seventh day and consists of a red blotchy rash, weight loss, diarrhea and enlarged lymph glands.
You may have been exposed to the measles if you visited these locations on the dates and times listed below:
June 26: Wegmans 300 Hamilton Street Geneva, NY 4pm-8:30pm
Happy Family 84 Fall Street Seneca Falls 6pm-9:30pm
June 27: Seneca Falls Health Center located at the New York State Chiropractic College 2360 Route 89 Seneca Falls 7:00am-6:30pm
Cafeteria at the New York Chiropractic College 2360 Route 89 Seneca Falls 10am-3pm
June 28: Wal-Mart (Seneca Falls) 1860 North Road Waterloo, NY 6pm-10pm
June 29: Seneca Falls Health Center located at the New York State Chiropractic College 2360 Route 89 Seneca Falls 8:00am-8:00pm
Cafeteria at the New York Chiropractic College 2360 Route 89 Seneca Falls 10:00am-7:00pm
June 30: Seneca Falls Health Center located at the New York State Chiropractic College 2360 Route 89 Seneca Falls 7:00am-6pm
Cafeteria at the New York Chiropractic College 2360 Route 89 Seneca Falls 10am-3pm
Starbucks Route 81 N Watertown NY 4pm-7pm
You are considered immune to measles if you were born before January 1st, 1957 or have a physician documented history of the measles. You are also immune if you've received 2 doses of the MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) or have had a blood test (titer) to confirm immunity.
Health officials say vaccination is the best way to prevent measles.
You are at risk of contracting measles if you haven't been immunized and were at any of the above mentioned places during the specified dates and times.
If you develop signs and symptoms of measles, contact your primary care physician immediately and notify the Seneca County Health Department. Anyone who is unvaccinated or unsure of their vaccination history should contact their primary care physician or the Seneca County Health Department at (315) 539-1920 to get the vaccine.
If you need to seek emergency care in an emergency room or Urgent Care Center please call the emergency room or urgent care center before you go there to alert them to your exposure and your signs and symptoms.
For more information on Measles call the Seneca County Health Department at(315) 539-1920 or after hours and weekends call (315) 246-0558. You can also click here for more details.
Should the student be quarantined? Do you think everyone should be required to get the MMR vaccine? Did you think measles was a thing of the past? Are you protected against it? Leave your thoughts below.
