State health official warns of possible measles exposure, second case confirmed in central Pa.

Measles

Measles vaccines are seen in a cooler. Wednesday, March 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) APAP

A second person with a suspected case of the measles has been confirmed in York County, according to the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health.

The state health department Saturday released a list of new locations, dates and times when individuals may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease. The first case was reported two weeks ago, and affected sites in York and Hershey.

"WellSpan Health is in the process of notifying patients, staff and visitors who were in WellSpan Stony Brook Health Center during the identified times; however, if you have been properly immunized against measles, your risk of getting the disease is minimal,” Secretary of Health Rachel Levine said.

The locations and times when residents may have been exposed include:

  • Crunch Fitness- York, 905 Loucks Rd., York, PA on Sept. 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.
  • Sheetz, 215 Arsenal Rd., York, PA, on Sept. 11 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
  • Central York Middle School, 1950 N. Hills Rd., York, PA, on Sept. 11 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:10 p.m.
  • Central York High School, 601 Mundis Mill Rd., York, PA, on Sept. 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  • WellSpan Stony Brook Health Center, 4222 E. Market St., Lincoln Hwy. York, PA on Sept. 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Sept. 10 from 7:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.; Sept. 11 from 7:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.; and Sept 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Stony Brook facility houses WellSpan Family Medicine, WellSpan OB/GYN, Stony Brook and WellSpan Lab Services.

There have been 14 cases of measles confirmed in Pennsylvania in 2019. And, there have been more than 1,200 cases reported nationwide this year. The health department reported that the number of confirmed measles cases is the greatest number reported since 1992.

Measles spreads through coughing, sneezing, or other contact with the mucus or saliva of an infected person. Symptoms typically appear one to three weeks after exposure and include: rash; high fever; cough; and red, watery eyes, according to the health department.

The federal Centers for Disease Prevention and Control notes that the most at-risk individuals are:

  • Infants less than one year of age who are too young to have received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine;
  • Individuals who refused vaccination; and
  • Individuals from parts of the world where there is low vaccination coverage or circulating measles.

Additionally, people who have been previously vaccinated may still be at risk if they were vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine, which was used between 1963 and 1967, and have not been revaccinated; or born after 1957 and have only received one dose of MMR vaccine.

"If you believe you might have been exposed and experience symptoms, please contact your health-care provider or call our toll-free hotline at 1-877-PA-HEALTH,” Levine said in a statement.

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