33 Measles Cases As Ocean County Outbreak Spikes

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The Ocean County measles outbreak that was on the wane two weeks ago has spiked again, with 33 cases now confirmed, the Ocean County Health Department said Friday.

There are no cases under investigation, the department said.

The 33 cases include three in one Passaic County household with a direct epidemiologic tie to the Ocean County cases, health officials said. The state Department of Health said some of the new cases in Ocean County "represent delayed reports of ill individuals," and not a spread of the outbreak.

The last rash onset date is Nov. 30, 2018 and 4 days of infection ended on Dec. 4. At least 42 days — two full incubation periods — must pass from the last day the last known case would have been infectious before the outbreak is declared over, state health officials said. That would likely be about Jan. 15.

The spike in cases comes nearly two weeks after officials announced that 86 county residents had been exposed to the measles at a private, invitation-only event in New York. Officials were contacting all of those affected by that exposure but it was not clear whether that exposure has led to any measles cases in the county.

State health officials said the majority of cases have been in those who were not age-appropriately up-to-date with measles-mumps-rubella vaccines. The infections have affected people from 6-month-old infants to adults 59 years old.

On Oct. 26, the first case was confirmed in a Lakewood man in his 20s who had traveled to Israel, where a large outbreak is occurring, state health officials said. The Ocean County outbreak was officially declared Nov. 1.

The outbreak has led to private schools in Lakewood barring unvaccinated children and to a massive effort to get people vaccinated, with health officials distributing more than 12,500 extra doses of the MMR vaccine.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can linger in the air and on surfaces for as much as two hours after an infected person leaves the room or area. It has a 90 percent airborne contagion rate.

Measles symptoms usually develop 5 to 12 days after exposure to an infected person and generally last from 7 to 10 days. Initial symptoms include a fever which may exceed 104 degrees, cough, runny nose and inflamed eyes, followed by small white dots that may form inside the mouth 2 to 3 days after the start of symptoms followed by a red flat rash which usually starts on the face before spreading to other parts of the body 3 to 5 days after the start of symptoms, the Ocean County Health Department said.

If you suspect you have the measles, DO NOT show up at your doctor's office, the emergency room or any health provider; call them in advance so they can take precautions to protect others from exposure.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Suspected Measles Case Reported In Ocean County
• Measles Cases Now 4 In Ocean County 'Outbreak,' Officials Say
• 6 Cases In NJ As Measles 'Outbreak' Expands, Officials Say
• 11 Measles Cases, Students Reportedly Barred At Lakewood Schools
• Measles Outbreak Prompts Toms River MVC To Shut Temporarily.
• 14 And Counting: Measles Outbreak, Response Growing In Ocean Co
• Are You At Risk In Ocean County Measles Outbreak?
• Ocean County Measles Outbreak: Possible Exposure Outside County
• 3 Passaic Co. Locations Possibly Exposed To Measles: Officials
• 18 Measles Cases In Ocean County Outbreak: Health Department
• Ocean Co. Measles: 86 Exposed At Private Event, Official Says
• Ocean County Still Investigating After 86 More Exposed To Measles

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