The CT Department of Public Health announced Friday that a case of measles has been reported in a child in Fairfield County.
The child was not yet vaccinated against measles and became infected while traveling internationally, DPH officials said.
Officials warn that measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread quickly among people who are not vaccinated. However, DPH said most people exposed to the virus are not at risk because they have already been vaccinated in the past or have had measles before vaccination became a routine.
One dose of the measles vaccine is approximately 93% effective in preventing the virus if exposed and two doses are approximately 97% effective.
DPH officials said two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine are needed to attend Connecticut schools and colleges. However, students with medical or religious exemptions may attend school without being vaccinated.
Adults should have at least one dose of measles vaccine. Some groups need two doses of MMR, including: college students, health workers, international travelers, and people at high risk for measles complications, according to officials.
Adults born in the United States before 1957 are considered immune to the virus of the past exposures, but in situations where exposure to measles is likely, these adults may benefit from a dose of MMR vaccine to be safer, DPH said.
Symptoms of measles usually begin seven to 14 days after exposure. If infected, a typical case will start with mild to moderate fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and sore throat. Three to five days after the onset of these symptoms, a red or reddish brown rash appears, which usually begins on a person’s face at the hairline and spreads down all over the body. By the time the rash appears, a person’s fever can rise to more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to officials.
The eruption usually lasts at least a few days and then disappears in the same order. People with measles can be contagious up to four days before the rash appears and for four days after the rash appears.
“The best way to protect yourself and your children from measles is to get vaccinated,” Dr. Deidre Gifford, acting commissioner of DPH. “While the COVID-19 pandemic has occurred, some children have been left behind in their vaccines. This case of measles is an important reminder that these vaccine-preventable diseases still pose a threat and that we must protect children through timely vaccination. “
Exposed people who are not vaccinated against measles are advised to stay out of school or other high-risk situations for 21 days after their last known exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guide. (CDC).
The CDC recommends that all children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age and the second dose at four to six years of age.
DPH said they are collaborating with local partners to identify contacts and implement appropriate control measures.