Eight people have been confirmed to have measles in Philadelphia; among them, four were affected at the Philadelphia daycare center and three were affected at the hospital. The confirmed cases of measles were in people who had no immunity against the virus, according to James Garrow, the spokesperson from the Department of Public Health.
This virus outbreak happened as the person infected with measles outside the United States visited the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in December and exposed three people at the hospital, and they also tested positive for the virus.
Later, one of the people exposed to the virus from the hospital visited the Philadelphia daycare, thereby causing the spread of the virus to two children in the daycare.
The Health Department said in a statement that they were notified that a person infected with measles attended the daycare and exposed the virus to children and staff on December 20 and 21.
The Health Department released the following timeline describing the spread of the measles in the city:
● Early December: A patient admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was identified with measles and exposed the virus to three non-immune patients in the hospital, who later tested positive.
● December 23: The Health Department was notified of a case of measles in the Jefferson Health Building and exposed people there to the virus. A press release was distributed about the incident, and no new cases have been reported as the contact was traced intensively.
● January 3: The Health Department was notified that a patient exposed to measles in the hospital visited the daycare on December 20 and 21, exposing the infection to children and staff there. Two additional children were tested positive for the virus and were hospitalized. The following day, a press release was distributed to the city about the various exposure points.
● January 5: Additionally, three children were affected by the virus in the daycare. So the Health Department worked with the daycare and other affected healthcare facilities to identify people infected with the virus, check their immunization status, and learn where people get infected and whom they might have exposed after getting infected. Press releases were given regularly to the public in the city to inform them of the spread of the virus.
According to the CDC, measles can be prevented by the MMR vaccine, and it is 93% effective in preventing the infection. For children, the first dose should be given between 12 and 15 months of age, and the second dose should be given after 28 days. Adults should have at least two doses of the MMR vaccine, and the duration between the first and second doses should not be more than 28 days.
Reference:
1. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/index.html
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Rohini Devi)
