Delaware’s Division of Public Health says there was a measles exposure at the Nemours Children’s Hospital emergency department in Wilmington.
The reported exposure was on February 18, and contact tracing is ongoing.
DPH will notify those identified as exposed to confirm whether they have been vaccinated against measles, provide resources and recommend any quarantine and exclusion order when necessary.
Those who were exposed are encouraged to check their vaccination status and watch for symptoms for 21 days until March 11. Those who are pregnant should go to an emergency room for assessment and treatment regardless of vaccination status.
If you’re showing symptoms, contact the Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology during regular business hours at 302-744-4990 or the state’s 24-hour reporting line at 1-888-295-5156 outside of normal business hours.
If you’re ill, seek immediate health care, and if the symptoms are severe, you should go to the nearest emergency department.
Prior to going to any health care facility, you should notify providers and medical transport that you or your child were exposed to measles.
Measles begins with early symptoms of fever, a cough, runny nose and pink eye which lasts two to four days prior to the onset of a rash which typically occurs three to five days after symptoms begin.
The rash usually appears on the face and spreads down the body.
According to DPH you are considered protected (immune) if you were:
• Born before 1957, or
• Given a laboratory test that confirmed that you had measles at some point in your life, or
• Given a laboratory test that confirmed you are immune to measles, or
• Have received two doses of measles-containing vaccine (usually given as measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine).
