Submitted by Armen Hareyan on May 25th, 2007
Measles
The New Mexico Department of Health is urging members of the public and health care providers to be on the lookout for persons with signs and symptoms of measles.
The Department confirmed measles in a 15-year-old girl from India who attended the Intel Science and Engineering Fair in Albuquerque May 13 through 16.
Signs and symptoms of measles include an illness with fever, cough, runny nose, or pink eye and the development of a rash. Mack Sewell, state epidemiologist for the Department of Health, said it is important that anyone who may have been exposed to measles and develops an illness call their medical provider first to make arrangements to be seen without exposing other patients to the virus.
Sewell said all potentially exposed persons need to verify their immunization history. Anyone who has had measles or had two doses of the vaccination is protected against the disease. Infected people are contagious from about four days before their rash starts to four days after the rash develops. Measles is spread when an infected person sneezes or coughs and sprays small droplets into the air that remain active and contagious for up to four hours.
Source:
New Mexico Health Department 