10 New Measles Cases Reported in Lewis County

Key Points:

• Lewis County, N.Y., is responding to 10 new measles cases, all involving unvaccinated residents who are currently isolated during their infectious period to prevent further spread.
• Public health officials stress the overall risk is low for fully vaccinated individuals or those born before 1957, and they have conducted contact tracing to identify and notify exposed persons.
• Measles symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure, starting with fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a rash; unvaccinated, pregnant, young infants, and immunocompromised individuals are at highest risk for severe complications.
• The MMR vaccine within 72 hours of exposure or immune globulin within six days can reduce illness severity, and people with symptoms or exposure should call health providers before visiting clinics to prevent further transmission.
• Measles virus can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours, with about 90% of unvaccinated exposed individuals likely to become ill; for more information, residents can contact Lewis County Public Health.