Warning: Measles exposure alert at NJ hospital

⚠ There is a measles exposure alert at a NJ hospital

⚠ The individual was exposed during international travel

⚠ Here's what you need to know

ENGLEWOOD — The New Jersey Department of Health is warning residents about potential exposure to measles.

The single confirmed case is a Bergen County resident who went to the emergency room at Englewood Hospital on Feb. 9 after being exposed to measles during international travel.

At this time, New Jersey is not experiencing a measles outbreak, which is defined as three or more related cases by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Department of Health recommends that anyone who visited Englewood Hospital Emergency Department, 350 Engle St., Englewood on Feb. 9 between 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. may have been exposed to measles.

They should call their healthcare provider first before arriving at the office so that necessary infection-prevention precautions can be taken to protect other patients and staff.

Potentially exposed individuals, if infected, could develop symptoms as late as March 6. As of Friday, Feb. 14, no additional associated cases have been identified.

Measle symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a rash that usually appears between three and five days after symptoms begin, the NJDOH said.

The rash usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, torso, arms, legs, and feet. Measles can also cause serious complications, such as pneumonia, and encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and can lead to miscarriages in pregnant women, premature birth, or a low-birth-weight baby.

The virus spreads easily through the air when someone coughs or sneezes, and can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area. People can also get sick when someone comes in contact with mucus or saliva from an infected person.

Individuals most at risk are those who have not been fully vaccinated or have not had measles before.

NJDOH encourages all residents to stay up-to-date on routine vaccinations and especially recommends that New Jerseyans planning to travel anywhere, are up to date on MMR shots (to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella).

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