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HEALTH

State: No new measles contacts expected from East Tennessee man; outbreaks continue in U.S.

It's likely the danger of exposure to measles from an East Tennessee man diagnosed last month is over, the Tennessee Department of Health said Friday.

The state health department has confirmed five cases of measles related to the man, who traveled to various East Tennessee counties as well as to parts of Alabama and Mississippi during the time he was contagious.

But Elizabeth Hart, associate director of the health department's Office of Communication and Media Relations, said health officials in Tennessee no longer have concern about any new cases resulting from exposure to the initial patient in people they haven't already identified.

Skin rash on a patient’s abdomen three days after the onset of a measles infection.

That doesn't mean there won't be new cases in coming days, she said: "The investigation of this outbreak is ongoing, and we are still monitoring some individuals identified as part of this contact investigation."

But the health department on May 3 discontinued the measles hot line it opened April 18 to respond to the public's questions and concerns.

One Alabama case 

The man also traveled to Fort Payne, Alabama, and that state currently reports one presumptive case of measles. As of May 8, it was still investigating 82 of the 252 reports of exposure.

Mississippi, which last month warned residents they could have been exposed to measles at places the man stopped, concluded its investigation May 3, with no measles cases identified.

"The incubation period for developing measles from exposure to this traveler has passed," said State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs with the Mississippi Department of Health. "Any potential measles exposure would have developed symptoms by now."

Dobbs said there are still several active outbreaks of measles throughout the nation and in other countries, and that measles is spreading rapidly in unvaccinated groups.

Unvaccinated close contacts most at risk

The CDC describes measles as "highly contagious," and because it's airborne the virus can live in airspace or in surfaces a few hours after an infected person coughed or sneezed. People with measles can be contagious four days before symptoms even start, and early symptoms are similar to those of other, more common illnesses.

Even so, those most at risk for measles are unvaccinated people who are direct contacts of an infected person, not just casual passersby. But it is possible, health officials said, to get measles from a public space — although, so far, it appears that did not happen this time.

Vaccination against measles now is through a combination shot targeting measles, mumps and rubella. People born before 1957 are presumed to already be immune to measles, but those who don't have documentation of a measles or MMR shot and can't remember if they've had one can request a blood test for immunity or simply get another MMR shot from their health care providers, including the health department. 

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