Philly-area measles case brings exposure warnings for Northeast Philadelphia, Holy Redeemer Hospital

A Philadelphia resident who sought medical care at Holy Redeemer Hospital in Montgomery County has tested positive for measles, health officials said Monday. The measles case is the first in the Philly region since an outbreak last winter saw nine confirmed cases over six weeks.

The new case poses little threat to the public at large, health officials said. Only people who are not already immune to measles and last week visited a CVS in Northeast Philadelphia or Holy Redeemer Hospital in Montgomery County’s Abington area are at risk of exposure.

» READ MORE: Philadelphia measles outbreak ends, after starting at CHOP and spreading through day care

“We believe there is no threat to the general public associated with this case of measles,” Debra Bogen, Pennsylvania’s acting secretary of health, said in a statement.

Health officials from Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties are contacting people who were potentially exposed to measles on the following occasions:

Redeemer Health, which runs the affected Holy Redeemer facilities, declined to comment.

Measles is a highly infectious airborne virus that spreads through breathing contaminated air or by touching contaminated surfaces. It was eliminated from the United States more than two decades ago, but experts worry that the number of outbreaks will grow given a decline in childhood vaccination rates.

Measles symptoms appear up to two weeks after an exposure, according to the CDC. Initially, measles presents like a typical flu-like illness: Patients may have a high fever, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Three to five days after symptoms begin, the rash commonly associated with measles appears.

The illness can be dangerous, especially for children under 5, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems.

An unvaccinated person exposed to measles should isolate for 21 days.

The MMR vaccine provides protection against measles, mumps and rubella. People who were vaccinated are not at risk of exposure.

It is important for people to know their vaccination status, said Rich Lorraine, Montgomery County’s medical director. Officials are encouraging anyone who isn’t protected against the virus to get vaccinated.

“The measles vaccination is one of the most highly effective vaccines,” Lorraine said.

Nine people tested positive with measles during a Philadelphia outbreak this winter, and seven of them were hospitalized for treatment. All ultimately recovered over the course of the outbreak that began at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia last December and spread through a day-care center. The outbreak ended in late February.