RIDOH Announces First Case of Measles in Over a Year,…

Key Points:

• The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) confirmed the first measles case in over a year involving a man in his 40s from Providence County who recently traveled internationally and is now recovering at home.
• Potential exposure occurred at Panadería El Quetzal in Providence on April 15, and RIDOH is working with the business and healthcare centers to notify and monitor those who may have been exposed.
• RIDOH emphasizes that individuals vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine or who have had measles previously are unlikely to contract the disease, and encourages vaccination as the best protection against measles.
• Measles is highly contagious and can spread through respiratory droplets; symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and rash, with contagiousness starting before the rash appears.
• The CDC and RIDOH are collaborating on prevention measures, and anyone developing symptoms after potential exposure should contact healthcare providers before visiting clinics to avoid further spread.