Rhode Island health officials warn of possible measles exposure
The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) is working with Rhode Island Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center to notify patients who may have been exposed to a person with measles who was in both of these facilities last week.
The first potential exposure took place on February 25 at Roger Williams Medical Center, where a man was treated for a sore throat and fever. On February 28 that person developed a rash and was seen at the CVS Minute Clinic in North Attleboro, Massachusetts and the possibility of measles was recognized.
He was referred to the Rhode Island Hospital Emergency Department, where he was until early on March 1st. Physicians there agreed that the clinical presentation was consistent with measles. He remained in the emergency department until early March 1st and was discharged to home isolation.
This individual has no history of vaccination against measles. The diagnosis of measles has not yet been confirmed by laboratory studies. However, the case meets Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria for a probable case of measles.
HEALTH and CDC recommend that people who were potentially exposed to the index case be identified and their vaccination status updated.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus of the same name.
Measles spreads through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. It is so contagious that any child who is exposed to it and is not immune will probably get the disease.
Measles, or rubeola causes fever, runny nose, cough and a rash all over the body.
There can be complication from measles–ear infections, pneumonia and encephalitis. For about one or two out of 1,000 people that contract it, it turns out to be fatal.
Prevention of measles is through vaccination.
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