Two measles cases reported in Spencerport school

The Monroe County Department of Public Health has announced that two Canal View Elementary School students have measles. The school is in the town of Ogden and part of the Spencerport school district. The county is working to determine whether these individuals may have exposed other residents.

Earlier this month, the health department announced that an unvaccinated toddler in the county had contracted the virus. 

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus that is spread by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected people. 

A person is considered immune and is unlikely to get measles if they were born before Jan. 1, 1957; have received two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine; or have a lab test confirming immunity.

People lacking immunity or not sure if they have been vaccinated are at risk of developing measles. Symptoms include a fever, rash, cough, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and/or a runny nose. Symptoms usually appear in 10 to 12 days after exposure but may take as long as 21 days.

Parents of Canal View Elementary School students have been instructed to:

• Confirm that children have received two doses of the MMR vaccine.

• If a child has only received one dose of the MMR Vaccine, take the child to get a second dose from their primary care provider as soon as possible.

• Monitor for signs and symptoms of measles until Feb. 13.

• If a child becomes ill, the child should not go to school. Parents should call their primary care provider or an emergency department before seeking care to avoid exposing others to illness. Parents should notify the school of the child's illness and also notify the Monroe County Department of Public Health at (585) 753-5164.

Symptoms of measles generally appear in two stages. In the first stage, which lasts two to four days, the person may have a runny nose, cough and a slight fever. Eyes may become reddened and sensitive to light while the fever gradually rises each day, often peaking as high as 103 to 105 degrees. Small bluish white spots surrounded by a reddish area may also appear on the inside of the mouth.

The second stage begins on the third to seventh day and consists of a red blotchy rash lasting five to six days. The rash usually begins on the face and then spreads downward and outward, reaching the hands and feet. The rash fades in the same order that it appeared, from head to extremities. A person can spread measles from four days before the onset of a rash through four days after the rash begins. Although measles is usually considered a childhood disease, it can be contracted at any age.

If untreated, measles can lead to brain infections, brain damage and/or death.

The best way to prevent measles is to be vaccinated, the health department said. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are recommended.

For more information about measles, please visit health.ny.gov/publications/2170 and also cdc.gov/measles/index.html.

TRACYS@Gannett.com