Officials warn of possible measles exposure in Montgomery County. What to know
Several cases of measles in Philadelphia has put Montgomery and Bucks County health officials on notice of the highly contagious disease spreading there.
There are no confirmed cases in either county, but health officials said they are aware of potential exposures.
In an alert published on the Montgomery County website, officials there said they were monitoring measles exposures in Philadelphia and working to reach anyone in Montgomery County who may have been exposed.
Currently, there are eight confirmed cases of measles in Philadelphia.
The Bucks County Health Department said it is tracking a very small number of exposures, but none of those are considered high-risk.
"Montgomery County Health Officials are tracking local potential and confirmed exposures related to a measles outbreak in Philadelphia," read the county alert. "The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Office of Public Health is working to identify and contact all Montgomery County residents who may have been exposed at two locations, checking their vaccine status, warning them that they may have been exposed, and issuing quarantine recommendations where necessary."
Montgomery County officials said the measles exposure may have occurred in two medical centers on Wednesday, Jan. 3.
Exposure may have occurred at the Holy Redeemer Pediatric Urgent Care-Meadowbrook office at 1648 Huntingdon Pike in Meadowbrook. That exposure may have occurred between 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Another measles exposure may have occurred at Jefferson Abington Hospital Emergency Department, at 1200 Old York Road in Abington. That exposure may have occurred between 7 and 9:40 p.m.
Anyone possibly exposed to measles should seek medical attention, self-quarantine for 21 days, and discuss an inoculation plan with their doctor to receive both doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.
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Philadelphia warns of measles exposure
The Philadelphia Department of Health listed several locations and times where possible measles exposures occurred:
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Emergency Department, 3401 Civic Center Blvd.; Dec. 28 between 10:45 a.m. and 1 p.m., and Jan. 1, between 3 a.m. and 6:45 a.m.
Jefferson Health, 33 S. 9th St./833 Chestnut St.; Dec. 19.
Multicultural Education Station Day Care, 6919 Castor Ave.; Dec. 20 – 21.
Nazareth Hospital Emergency Department, 2601 Holme Ave.; Dec. 31 and Jan. 2.
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Emergency Department, 160 E. Erie Ave.; Dec. 30 – 31.
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Inpatient Unit 5 North, 160 E. Erie Ave.; Dec. 31 – Jan. 3.
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What are the measles symptoms?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that measles symptoms show up 2 to 3 days after exposure.
At that early stage, exposure may result in tiny white spots, called Koplik spots, appearing inside the mouth.
A measles rash may break out within 3-5 days of exposure, and may become visible on the face and hairline before spreading to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.
And at 7 to 14 days, those symptoms may also include a fever that can spike as high as 104 degrees; coughing; runny nose; and red, watery eyes.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Montgomery County warns of possible measles exposure
