The Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Monday issued a public health alert after it confirmed two cases of highly contagious measles in the suburbs west of Boston.
Framingham officials issued the health alert warning residents that they may have been exposed to the disease if they shopped at the Trader Joe’s on Route 9 in Framingham on February 15 or 16.
Meanwhile, the administration is on task to vaccinate the Americans against measles. Besides health officials are also recommending those who feels that they may have been exposed to the virus and are experiencing symptoms of measles.
Health officials have asked all those who have been experiencing any symptoms of measles to refer to their doctors. Doctors say, symptoms of the measles appear 10 days to two weeks after exposure. The initial symptoms include cold, fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes. After two to four days of these initial symptoms, a rash may appear for a few days and then disappear. Measles are considered to be contagious up to four days before and after the rash appears. They spread more easily than almost any other disease as they communicate mainly through airborne transmission such as breathing, coughing, and sneezing.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, people who may be at risk of contracting the disease includes:
- Infants and young children who have not received their first dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12 to 15 months of age.
- School-age children who have not received their second dose of the MMR vaccine.
- Adults who have not received at least one dose of the MMR vaccine.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of about 60 people in the United States contract measles every year. These people are mostly exposed to the disease in other countries who then travel here.
