Ocean County health officials investigate suspected measles case

An Ocean County resident is suspected of contracting measles, health officials confirmed.

The Center for Health Education, Medicine and Dentistry (CHEMED), a clinic based in Lakewood, posted on its website Wednesday that the facility is aware of a suspected measles case in the county. 

A man in his 20s came into one of CHEMED's facilities with measles symptoms, said Chedva Werblowsky, the center's chief compliance officer. Werblowsky said doctors gave him "the proper followup advice" and sent him for blood work.

CHEMED also alerted the Ocean County Health Department, which is conducting further testing into the suspected case, Werblowsky said.

The Ocean County Health Department was told about the case Wednesday, interim spokesman and director of administration Brian Rumpf said. Rumpf said officials are awaiting test results, which are expected to be finalized by Friday, to confirm whether the patient has measles.

Measles is a highly contagious infection caused by a virus. Symptoms include a fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat, inflamed eyes and a rash, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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Measles can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. See the video above for more information on the infection.

Rumpf said even if the patient did contract the infection, at this point he would no longer be considered contagious. But if the case is confirmed to be measles, Rumpf said officials will perform a "historical analysis" to determine where the patient traveled and who he interacted with while he was contagious.

The county health department has already interviewed the patient, who Rumpf said traveled internationally before measles symptoms appeared.

Health care experts advise people who think they have measles to contact their doctor.

Rumpf said measles is "very rare" in Ocean County. There were only three confirmed cases in all of New Jersey in 2017, he said.The disease, which was nearly eradicated in the United States, is now making "somewhat of a resurgence" because of people who choose not to get vaccinated and travelers to the United States who arrive from countries where vaccinations are less common.

CHEMED warned that residents who have not gotten the measles vaccine risk contracting the infection and urged community members to be up to date with all immunizations.

The center also said it was aware of confirmed cases of the respiratory disease known as whopping cough.

The suspected case in Ocean County is at least the second measles scare in New Jersey this month.

Earlier this month, officials warned that an international traveler later diagnosed with measles passed through Newark Liberty International Airport on Sept. 28. The traveler returned on a flight from Israel and then traveled to Rockland County, New York.

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Andrew Goudsward: @AGoudsward; 732-897-4555; agoudsward@gannettnj.com