OCEAN COUNTY – Middlesex and Ocean County residents may have been exposed to the measles recently. According to the New Jersey Department of Health, a confirmed case of measles in a New York City resident might have exposed others in Middlesex and Ocean counties on April 22 and 23.
If you visited the following locations on April 22 or 23, you might have been exposed:
- Sky Zone, 600 Hadley Rd, South Plainfield, April 22 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- River 978 Banquet Hall, 978 River Ave, Lakewood, April 23 from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. (April 24)
If you found yourself at either of these places during the specified times, health department officials recommend that you contact your health provider immediately. If you have not been vaccinated or have not had measles, you are at risk.
Individuals potentially exposed on these dates, if infected, could develop symptoms as late as May 14.
If you believe you have been exposed, make sure to call your health care provider before going to a medical office or emergency department to protect other patients and medical staff from possible infection.
Measles symptoms include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. It can cause serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis (swelling of the brain). Measles infection in a pregnant woman can lead to miscarriage, premature birth or a low-birth-weight baby. Measles is easily spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes, or through contact with mucus or saliva from an infected person.
“Two doses of measles vaccine are about 97 percent effective in preventing measles,” said Dr. Christina Tan, state epidemiologist. “We urge everyone to check to make sure they and their family members are up-to-date on measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and all other age-appropriate immunizations. Getting vaccinated not only protects you, it protects others around you who are too young to get the vaccine or can’t receive it for medical reasons. If you’re planning an international trip, the World Health Organization recommends that adults or adolescents unsure of their immune status get a dose of measles vaccine before traveling.”
For more information about measles, contact your health care provider, or visit the New Jersey Department of Health website at state.nj.us/health/cd/topics/measles.shtml.
