Updated

Updated · 13WHAM-TV · Aug 14

Seneca County Confirms 1 Measles Case After Pennsylvania Trip as New York Reports About 15 Outside NYC

Updated

Updated · 13WHAM-TV · Aug 14

Seneca County Confirms 1 Measles Case After Pennsylvania Trip as New York Reports About 15 Outside NYC

Q: How many people were unknowingly exposed before the infected traveler even realized they were sick?

It is not yet known publicly how many people were unknowingly exposed before the Seneca County traveler realized they were sick. Health officials said they are still conducting a case investigation and contact tracing, but they have not released a number of contacts or any public exposure sites linked to the Seneca County case. The available reporting only confirms that the resident was unvaccinated, had recently traveled to Pennsylvania, was evaluated at Cayuga Medical Center on Aug. 13, and is now isolating at home. What is clear is that measles can spread before a patient recognizes the illness. Public health guidance cited in the reporting says people with measles are contagious from about four days before the rash appears through four days afterward. That means exposures can happen during the early fever-cough-runny nose stage, before the classic rash makes measles obvious. The risk of transmission depends on where the person went and who was around them while infectious. Measles is extremely contagious, and health authorities note that one infected person can infect many susceptible people; roughly 9 in 10 unvaccinated people exposed can become infected. Until Seneca County or New York state releases contact-tracing results, any exact number would be speculation. The best-supported answer is that an unknown number of people may have been exposed before the traveler knew they were ill, and officials are working to identify them.

Q: Can a highly contagious virus linger in an empty room hours after an infected traveler leaves?

Yes. Measles, the virus involved in the Seneca County case, can remain infectious in the air of an empty room for up to two hours after an infected person leaves, according to public health guidance from the CDC, WHO and pediatric experts. That is one reason measles is considered among the most contagious human viruses. It spreads through coughing, sneezing and breathing, and virus particles can stay suspended in the air or land on surfaces. Someone who enters the room later, especially if unvaccinated or not immune, can still be exposed even without direct contact with the sick person. The risk is not the same for everyone. Health officials say people who are fully vaccinated are strongly protected; two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective. The people at greatest risk are those who are unvaccinated, infants too young for vaccination, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems. Among susceptible people, about 9 in 10 exposed can become infected. That helps explain why hospitals and health departments move quickly on measles cases, including contact tracing and asking people with symptoms to call ahead before seeking care. A person with measles can spread the virus from about four days before the rash appears until four days after. Anyone who may have been exposed should contact a healthcare provider promptly. In some cases, vaccination soon after exposure, or immune globulin for certain high-risk people, can reduce the chance of severe illness.

3 articles · Updated · 13WHAM-TV · Aug 14

An unvaccinated Seneca County resident tested positive for measles after recent travel to Pennsylvania and is now isolating and recovering at home after being discharged from Cayuga Medical Center.
Samples collected Thursday were sent to the New York State Department of Health's Wadsworth Laboratory, while county and state officials began investigating the case and tracing contacts.
Health officials said the public risk remains low, especially for fully vaccinated people, but warned that unvaccinated people, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems face higher risk.
About 15 measles cases have been confirmed outside New York City this year, officials said, and nearby Tioga County also reported a case on Friday.